Moscow-based broadband provider Corvette Telecom is launching a new IPTV service that is built on open technology and content services from SeaChange International, Inc. and its subsidiary On Demand Group, Ltd. Corvette's rollout demonstrates how operators can easily develop and deliver a complete television package with the modular software, hardware and services of the SeaChange TV Platform, while enjoying the performance of a single, full-service partner with extensive IPTV experience.

Corvette's IPTV service, branded "City TV," will initially provide customers on its 300,000 homes-passed Moscow network with on-demand access to top-rated content, including Hollywood feature films and independent titles as well as music, children's and lifestyle programming.

"Working with one organization to build our IPTV and video-on-demand platform allows us to rapidly and effectively deploy these services with the minimum execution risk," said Dominic Reed, CEO, Corvette Telecom. "This product offering will allow us to continue the rapid growth of our subscriber base and bring a revolution in television viewing to Russia as we roll out the network to one million homes passed over the next two to three years."

The foundation for City TV is SeaChange's TV Platform, which debuted at IBC 2006 to put Europe's network operators on the fast track to adding television to their "quad play". The solution includes modular components to manage every aspect of IPTV, from on-demand and broadcast services to mobile video and other convergence applications. Like all SeaChange solutions, TV Platform is built on an architecture that is open to industry standards to enable incremental plug-and-play of third-party components and services. Operators can run with the individual TV Platform pieces (TV Business System and Axiom Core software; TV Navigator Four middleware, EPG and client applications; VOD storage and streaming; and content acquisition) to complete their infrastructure, or, like Corvette, roll out the entire suite for a turnkey business.

"Corvette's application of SeaChange technology and On Demand Group services underscores the powerful value proposition that we are able to offer telcos, ISPs and network operators," said Simone Sassoli, SeaChange's Vice President of Broadband Networks, Europe, Middle East and Africa. "We provide a one-stop-shop and an open platform to build a business around revenue-generating services and applications that consumers want today."

London based On Demand Group is providing Corvette with professional services in the form of content strategy and content acquisition. Building on its existing relationships with major Hollywood studios, On Demand Group is able to open avenues to popular content as a way to maximize the adoption of an operator's services.

Tony Kelly, CEO, On Demand Group, added, "Together, On Demand Group and SeaChange uniquely provide everything operators need to plan, launch and grow IPTV rapidly. We set up the pipeline, present an array of services and fill it with hot content. The speed-to-market advantage that we provide allows Corvette to roll with a complete IPTV solution."

Commenting on the choice of vendor partner, Peter Gerwe, Chairman, Corvette Telecom, said, "The combination of SeaChange's expertise and On Demand Group's operational know-how creates a flexible and comprehensive approach to technical implementation that is unbeatable. Our selection process took into account the proven, market-leading promotion of mass market video-on-demand services to NTL's millions of U.K. subscribers. No one in the Russian market was able to match this living endorsement."