Magnet draws BitBand and Orca for Irish IPTV

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Irish service provider Magnet Networks is to launch Ireland's first IPTV deployment using solutions from broadband video-on-demand specialist BitBand and middleware applications developer Orca Interactive. Magnet's triple play services will be delivered through a single fibre-optic cable to homes in Dublin, will offer subscribers telephony services, broadband Internet access, multi-channel TV and VOD, with additional new services to be introduced in early 2005.

Magnet Networks - owned by US investment company Columbia Ventures Corporation, and supported by Nordic total broadband solutions provider Industria - is initially investing some E5 million in bringing the services to new home owners in the Dublin area. The company has suggested that this amount could triple based on interest demonstrated by the Irish market in the first deployment.

Ervin Leibovici, BitBand CEO, said the VOD offering was designed to support Magnet Networks' “dynamic business model and growth scenarios, thus supplying a comprehensive entertainment paradigm to Irish subscribers.”

“In order to provide the best digital living experience to our subscribers in Ireland, we have built a flexible IPTV solution that will allow us to rapidly introduce new entertainment packages and maximise customer satisfaction,” said Ingvar Gardarsson, CEO of Magnet Networks.

Orca Interactive will provide the video server, encoder and content protection for the deployment. “Orca looks forward to being a part of this deployment in Ireland and others around the globe,” said Alon Laor, VP Sales of Orca Interactive. “Broadband has become necessary for the global company and fibber is the emerging choice for its last mile architecture. Ireland is one of the countries that is a true early adopter of these technologies and is creating a model for other installations.”