Altice Portugal launches new Sofia TV UI and WiFi-enabled box

Altice Portugal is launching a new TV interface that will be made available to all Meo fibre and ADSL customers along with a new portable 4K WiFi-enabled box.

The new UI, Sofia, will be available to all Meo customers with a MEOBox decoder. According to Altice, the interface will incorporate new content discovery features, more customization and higher speed. A new interactive menu will enable faster channel zapping, with a new navigation system enabling users to find programmes direct via the UI as well as selecting channel or genre. Recordings can be set automatically.

The new Sofia 4K UHD TV-capable MEOBox will connect to the router via WiFi, removing the need for new wires and simplifying installation and enabling users to move it to different room in their home.

The operator has introduced a new video chat feature to replicate the experience of going into a physical Meo store. Customers who visit the Meo website will be invited to interact with a virtual assistant view demonstrations of products and services and clarify service issues in real time, according to the operator.

Altice has hired football star Cristiano Ronaldo for its marketing campaign for the service. Ronaldo will appear alongside a humanised version of the Sofia digital assistant in the campaign.

Altice Portugal this week revised its rebranding plans. Whereas previously the operator had been expected to drop sub-brands such as Meo along with dropping the Portugal Telecom historic brand, the company now plans to retain Meo as a consumer-facing brand, alongside the PT Empresas brand for corporate customers.