TeliaSonera and Samsung have started a collaboration to develop a Smart TV solution that will allow existing IPTV without the need for an external set-top-box, with full support for key linear, catch-up and on-demand features. The new solution will be demonstrated for the first time at Samsung’s booth during IFA 2012. The Smart TV solution will be launched on TeliaSonera´s Estonian market late this year then Sweden in Q1 2013 and Finland during 2013.
TeliaSonera and Samsung have been working on the new solution since May and Elion, TeliaSonera´s Estonian subsidiary, is running the beta version on Samsung Smart TV series 7 and 8 televisions. The new solution enables the use of all IPTV services including VOD (Video on Demand) and catch-up.
User friendliness has been a priority. As soon as the Smart TV equipped with the new solution is connected to the Internet, it will recognize the IPTV provider and the service user interface will appear automatically, with all TV services ready to use. No additional settings or equipment are needed.
Malin Frenning, President Broadband Services at TeliaSonera, says: “We are proud to be a first mover and pioneer in this fast growing area of IPTV services. Our TV business is growing in all Nordic and Baltic countries and in 2012 we will make our TV service available on multiple screens. This new Smart TV solution will certainly make our TV offering even more attractive.â€
Kyungshik Lee, VP of Visual Display Division at Samsung Electronics adds: “We are continuing to develop more ways for our customers to enjoy their IPTV experience without the need for a set-top box. This development is going to be a significant change to the use of TV. Samsung is continuously working on partnering with operators like TeliaSonera and making consumers enjoy their favourite contents in more easy and convenient ways.â€
