Etisalat selects Synamedia and 3SS for Switch TV lean back experience

UAE’s largest operator, Etisalat UAE, part of e&, has chosen technologies and services from Synamedia and 3 Screen Solutions (3SS) to add a lean back TV experience for its direct-to-consumer (D2C) streaming service, Switch TV. With the addition of smart TV apps, developed by 3SS and Synamedia for LG smart TVs and Samsung TVs running the Tizen operating system, and an Apple TV app developed by Synamedia, Switch TV offers a seamless experience across a broad range of devices.

The smart TV apps involved integrating 3SS’s front-end solution with technologies from Synamedia, Etisalat’s key technology partner. Etisalat uses Synamedia’s Infinite cloud TV platform, security solutions and its end-to-end video network portfolio, including private CDN.

Jonathan Haysom, VP of Commercial Products at Etisalat, said: “Since the launch of Switch TV in 2020, we have continued to enhance the service with new functionality and a choice of service levels to suit different budgets. We saw an opportunity to launch apps on smart TVs and Apple TV when choosing Synamedia and 3SS as our deployment partners because their expertise in this field is second to none.”

Synamedia, the largest independent video software provider, and 3SS, the leading provider of software solutions for STBs and multiscreen entertainment, worked together to develop and integrate the Switch TV ecosystem. It went live in March 2022 with a class leading set of features including VOD, live TV, mini EPG, and parental controls.

Based on the 3SS 3Ready Product Framework, the smart TV app has both left and right navigation to support the UX in Arabic and Asian languages as well as English. Switch TV customers now enjoy a lean-back experience while watching their favorite cricket games, TV shows and movies.

Jean-Francois Pigeon, Executive Vice President of Sales & Marketing at Synamedia, said, “Switch TV has been a game-changer for viewers across the UAE region. A contributing factor to this success is that Etisalat has taken advantage of our technology’s flexibility to add new devices, features and business models, all underpinned by data analytics. Working with 3SS, we have ensured that the smart TV and Apple TV apps for Switch TV feature the same high-end user experience as on STBs as well as the high levels of security Etisalat requires.”

“Smart TV platforms are becoming increasingly important for operators to complement their next-gen STB; it is vital for any successful brand that the user experience on both be seamless, high-quality and unified,” commented Kai-Christian Borchers, 3SS Managing Director. “We are very proud to support Etisalat, and to continue to collaborate with Synamedia to deliver advanced experiences to more and more smart TV viewers.”

Etisalat’s Switch TV multiscreen service features free-to-air and premium live TV channels, catch-up and on-demand, with Arabic, Asian and Western TV channels. It offers users a choice of subscription options, including a free service, and features an extensive library of content from providers including Zee, BBC, MBC, Fox, Walt Disney, Warner Bros., NBC Universal, Paramount Pictures, and Sony Pictures. BCS Bureau