The first dedicated digital TV service in London is joining giants including Canal+ and TV5 Monde as a user of Ericsson broadcasting kit.
London Live is a 24-hour terrestrial and satellite digital TV service due to be launched by London newspaper The Evening Standard in spring 2014. The newspaper has a five year license to operate the station, which will use Ericsson kit for playout, ad insertion, content hosting and storage, and IP streaming.
“Ericsson has invaluable experience working with new entrants to the media and broadcast arena and we have been impressed by their innovative and competitive services,” Bryn Balcombe, head of technology at London Live, explains.
The infrastructure firm’s Broadcast Services business handles 1.5 million hours of programming for 200 TV channels. London Live will also be accessible on PCs and mobile devices.
Thorsten Sauer, head of broadcast services at Ericsson, says London Live is a “fantastic example of print and online media moving into television,” and the deal boosts Ericsson’s presence in the important European market.