SmartLabs: STBs for a Unified IPTV Service from Rostelecom are Ready to Go

March 15, 2012. SmartLabs, a leader in the development of platforms for digital interactive television, advanced client applications, user interfaces and next-gen TV set-top boxes, has today announced a successful completion of integration of SmartLabs' SmartTUBE SDP Service Delivery Platform with STBs of multiple vendors selected by Rostelecom for its unified interactive TV service offered across Russia.

Under the contract with Rostelecom, SmartLabs is preparing for launching of a unified IPTV service for all Rostelecom subscribers planned in April. One of the challenges has been to integrate all STBs chosen by Rostelecom to provide the uniform service. Besides SmartLabs SML-282 Base, the list of STBs includes STBs from Motorola Mobility (USA), Promsvyaz STBs produced in the city of Ufa (Russia) and MAG-250 micro STBs manufactured by Telecommunication Technologies LLC (Ukraine).

Now the "low-level" integration with all the STBs is complete, all STBs can host SmartLabs unified software SmartTUBE UI. This offers unprecedented opportunities to Rostelecom to maintain and develop its IPTV services across Russia.

"We have always paid special attention to supporting as many IPTV set-top boxes by our SmartTUBE Service Delivery Platform as possible, to offer a broader choice to operators," said Mikhail Grachev, SmartLabs CEO. "The work we have done for Rostelecom is another confirmation of this. The integration model we use allows the operator to very quickly expand its service and substantially simplify maintenance of a large subscriber base in the huge Russian territory."

"We are satisfied with the way SmartLabs is implementing such a large and complex project for us. Now the integration of our list of chosen set-top boxes has been duly completed, we are able to provide all Russia's regions with the necessary number of STBs to launch a uniform IPTV service in time," says Andrey Kholodny, the Director of Media Products at Rostelecom.

About companies

SmartLabs is the leading provider of multi-screen, multi-network solutions for the video streaming sector. SmartLabs’ solutions deliver content services to over 7 million subscribers around the globe on multiple devices from set-top boxes to mobile phones. Smartlabs' client base includes telcos (fixed and mobile), ISP's, cable operators, content and app service providers. SmartLabs partners with 25 IPTV market leaders including Widevine, Apple, Microsoft, Google, Samsung and LG.  Headquartered in Berlin, Germany, Smartlabs has offices in USA, Canada,  UK, Cyprus and has been established for over 15 years, creating innovative solutions for the interactive TV market.

Rostelecom (www.rt.ru) is the Russian national telecommunications company, which is the largest telecom company in Russia. The company got this status in April 2011, when the CenterTelecom, North-West Telecom, South Telecom Company, Volga Telecom, Ural Telecom, Siberia Telecom, Far East Telecom and Dagsvyazinform interregional communications companies were merged with the Rostelecom national long-distance communications company.