More Spain IP Communications Stories

Portugal's communications service provider, Sonaecom, has selected Cisco Visual Quality Experience (VQE) technology for its Clix SmarTV Internet Protocol television (IPTV) service.

 

Introduced in 2006, the Cisco (News - Alert) Visual Quality Experience technology is a part of the Cisco Content Delivery System (CDS), which enhances the quality of wireline IPTV services and subscribers' viewing experiences.  

 

VQE is based on industry standards, including Real-time Transport Control Protocol (RTCP) and Real-time Transport Protocol (RTP), and allows providers to prepare networks for the delivery of advanced video services, such as IPTV (News - Alert), by detecting and repairing packet loss on degraded lines. It also allows network-based rapid channel-change for improved viewing experience for IPTV subscribers.

 

Sonaecom currently offers IPTV services to subscribers across Portugal via an ADSL network and by 2010, the company is set to reach one million homes through an optical fiber-to-the-home network. Cisco VQE will allow sonaecom to extend best-in-class video services to more subscribers with medianet technologies. A medianet represents an advanced, intelligent network optimized for video and rich media communications. 

 

"Cisco has been a longtime partner of Sonaecom, and its advanced VQE technology will enable us to deliver a best-in-class IPTV service, reach a larger market and ultimately grow our revenue base," said Jose Pinto Correia, chief technology officer at Sonaecom.

 

"Our video quality will improve dramatically over the entire video network," added Correia.

 

Additionally, the deployment of Cisco VQE standards-based technology will allow Sonaecom's network to support new features, including rapid channel change which reduces channel-change times from several seconds to less than one second.

 

"In this highly competitive market, service providers need to exceed consumer expectations for video quality in order to retain market share and grow their subscriber base," said Kip Compton, general manager of Cisco's Video and Content Platforms business unit.

 

"Our Visual Quality Experience technology plays a key role in giving service providers such as Sonaecom a competitive advantage over analog, traditional digital cable, and digital satellite services, by enhancing the reliability and robustness of the video delivery network," added Compton.

 

Sonaecom is the Sonae Group sub-holding for the Telecommunications, Media and Software and Systems Information (SSI).