Sri Lanka’s Dialog taps Kaltura for cloud TV service

Sri Lankan service provider Dialog Axiata has tapped technology outfit Kaltura to provide the underlying technology for ViU, its new multiscreen cloud TV service.

ViU is now available to the operator’s existing subscribers as well as every mobile user in the country, regardless of the network.

Dialog Axiata  hasover 14 million subscribers, accounting for more than 45% of the Sri Lankan mobile market and more than 70% of the country’s pay TV market.

Kaltura is providing live and video-on-demand media preparation, subscription management and entitlements, content management, multi-DRM encryption, download-to-go, TV player multilingual support for both audio and captions, and reporting and analytics.

The service includes over 100 live channels and a VOD catalogue and supports business models including advertising, dedicated subscription models for premium content and content partners, and per transaction payments.

With Horizon Broadband LLP serving as the system integrator, ViU is available on Android and iOS mobile devices. It will be launched for TV screens via Android TV on Dialog’s ViU Mini, and via hybrid set-top boxes to expand an existing linear TV service with cloud streaming services.

“Cloud TV is becoming the standard way for media and telecom companies around the globe to offer TV experiences to their audiences. We have seen great momentum with global players, and in Asia Pacific specifically, serving the region’s largest service providers, and we are now thrilled to team with Sri Lanka’s largest mobile network operator, Dialog Axiata, to bring the globally leading Cloud TV experience to the country. We look forward to introducing ViU users to a new, exciting and engaging TV experience,” said Ron Yekutiel, Kaltura co-founder, Chairman and CEO.

“As the country’s mobile and pay TV market leader, we have always been committed to delivering the best of entertainment to our customers. Our new ViU service now enables all Sri Lankans to enjoy the largest number of live channels, widest selection of local and international videos and exclusive sports content, and the largest number of content partners in a truly converged experience, on the move and at home, on small and large screens, at any time. We are excited to join forces with the global Cloud TV platform leader Kaltura, to shape the future of entertainment in Sri Lanka,” ,said Rainer Deutschmann, Group COO at Dialog Axiata.