Telekom Slovenia announces the deployment of Netgem’s smart Set Top Box technology and NetgemTV middleware to upgrade its legacy IPTV infrastructure. From September 1, 2010, Telekom Slovenia will use Netgem’s intelligent client solution to roll out tailored applications to customers, building upon the operator’s existing bouquet of entertainment services to ensure it fulfil its long term connected home roadmap.

Telekom Slovenia currently has around 120,000 IPTV customers and as a nation’s leading communications provider that is pioneering in bringing new solutions to Slovenia’s advanced market (as it was with IPTV or HD, for instance), this time wishes to expose its customers to the new experience of home entertainment. Netgem is working with Planet9, Telekom Slovenia’s multimedia and system integration subsidiary, to launch the SiOL iO service, which seamlessly blends broadcast, web and mobile content within a single, branded user experience.

Initial applications include an online radio portal, weather news channel, livescore, Facebook connect, news channel SiOL.net and an innovative new application that enables subscribers to publish content shot direct from their mobile phone or webcam and share this content in the comfort of their living room. The deployment time and costs for these new services are minimised since Netgem’s open solution is able to integrate with Telekom Slovenia’s existing Content Management System, Back end systems and head end.

Simon Furlan, Marketing Director of Telekom Slovenia said: “Our previous server-based platform did not offer the capability to support our vision moving forward, we needed to future-proof our IPTV services and since digital switchover is approaching it seemed the right time to make the upgrade. Netgem’s hybrid technology slotted directly into our existing infrastructure, and also negated the need for costly reinvestment.”

The device-centric approach Netgem provides solved a number of the technical obstacles that Telekom Slovenia had previously faced through its ageing server-based architecture. The wide spread adoption of connected devices at home, the customers desire to share content in and outside of the home, their willingness to merge TV experience with web content, including social networks and to personalise their services, are strong forces calling for a renewal of solutions towards intelligent Set-Top-Boxes and away from the previous network centric approach.

Commenting on the deal, Christophe Aulnette, Managing Director of Netgem, said: “Our solution is a cost-effective way for operators to quickly introduce the broadest possible range of online and offline content to market, while being able to take advantage of new, long-term revenue streams made available by connected home and multi-screen services.”