Lucent Technologies unveiled MiViewTV, an interactive multimedia delivery platform that enables service providers to offer personalized, next-generation IPTV services and new applications that can be delivered to subscribers anytime, on any device. MiViewTV is a comprehensive IPTV software suite that is tightly coupled with Lucent's industry-leading IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) to deliver sophisticated "blended" services – combining video, Web and telecom capabilities – that can be customized to address the needs of specific markets and personalized to match the preferences of individual users.

MiViewTV can support a wide variety of entertainment programming – including on-demand content, broadcast TV, multi-party video gaming – as well as interactive communications and information services such as IM/chat, interactive Web services, unified messaging and video conferencing. The platform includes core IPTV middleware, security and digital rights management, video/content on demand, service quality and operations support system (OSS/BSS) management, subscriber management, service orchestration, and content asset management and distribution as well as a unique "audience tracker" feature, all integrated into a seamless, end-to-end software package.

"With MiViewTV, Lucent is giving operators a powerful set of capabilities that they can use to truly differentiate themselves and move beyond basic broadcast TV to become a multimedia entertainment and information portal for their subscribers," said Rob Piconi, vice president and general manager, Broadband Solutions, Lucent Technologies. "A true carrier-class platform, MiViewTV scales to meet the needs of network operators of all sizes. The flexible architecture is particularly well suited for deploying IPTV in new markets where cost-effective solutions are critical. Its open, standards-based, modular design makes it easy and cost-effective for a variety of operators to enter the IPTV market, and also helps ensure that the system can be easily expanded to meet growing subscriber demand while being enhanced with new features to address shifting market requirements."

"The interactive capabilities of the platform coupled with the personalization and ‘community' feature enhancements will give subscribers a unique entertainment experience not seen in the market today," Piconi added.

Designed for large-scale IPTV deployments, MiViewTV can support hundreds of thousands or even millions of users. At the heart of MiViewTV is a field-proven software solution originally developed by Spain's Telefonica to support its own "Imagenio" IPTV service – one of the world's largest and most successful commercial IPTV offerings (currently serving approaching 300,000 subscribers).

"Lucent's MiViewTV platform is one of the very few in the market that is actually supporting large numbers of IPTV subscribers today," said Bob Larribeau, Program Director, IPTV at the Multimedia Research Group. "Since it was developed by Telefonica, it was designed with the specific scaling, service development, back office, and video traffic management issues in mind that will be faced by large carriers globally as their IPTV services grow."

The core of MiViewTV is a carrier-grade solution, designed by a carrier to address the needs of network operators. In addition, the solution leverages the decades of video expertise and innovations from Lucent's Bell Labs to introduce additional features and capabilities, enhanced to support larger deployments. It also features modular, open interfaces and is tightly integrated with Lucent's IMS-based solution to enable the blending of video streams with voice and Web-based interactive services.

For instance, Bell Labs developers are integrating features into MiViewTV and Lucent's Service Broker – part of Lucent's IMS Service Enhancement Layer, developed by Bell Labs to support the "blending" of multiple services across service domains (e.g. between IMS and non-IMS applications) – to help ensure that these two elements work in concert to support new composite multimedia applications.

This inter-working makes it possible for operators to launch new services such as:

• Interactive Caller ID on TV with controls such as video pause and forward;
• Maps and messaging on TV, which leverages buddy lists, click-to-call and messaging functionality and automatic alerts to support innovative "family finder" services;
• Mobile multimedia, which enables subscribers to seamlessly transfer an IPTV session from their TV to a mobile device.

Services Support Packages

The MiViewTV platform is backed up by one of the world's most robust service capabilities through Lucent's services organization. Lucent has extensive experience designing, integrating, optimizing and maintaining video delivery solutions for operators worldwide, and brings unique expertise to this key challenge. Lucent is currently providing multi-vendor network integration services to support end-to-end IP video delivery capabilities for operators worldwide, including serving as prime integrator for Telefonica's IPTV service rollouts in South America and Europe.

Lucent Services also offers a variety of service packages designed to help operators quickly, and cost-effectively launch their IPTV services. For instance, IPTV Software Optimization services ensure that both server and client software architectures are aligned – using best-in-class tools and methodologies – to support operators' bandwidth and quality requirements.

Flexible Deployment Options

Because it features a modular architecture, MiViewTV can be deployed in a wide variety of configurations designed to address the unique market requirements of each operator, supporting service options from basic broadcast TV and video on demand to more sophisticated, personalized and interactive applications. This approach gives operators the flexibility to offer a basic service initially, and then expand their range of service offerings as customer demand and interest dictate.

With MiViewTV, operators also have the freedom to offer services in the way that best suits their business model and core competencies. For instance, some operators may choose to deploy a complete, end-to-end solution and manage it themselves. Other operators may choose to have Lucent deploy the solution and then manage the service on their behalf. MiViewTV can also be offered in a "hosted" configuration, freeing operators to focus on areas such as marketing and customer support while Lucent takes care of the back end operations and service delivery.