A1 Telekom Austria launches A1 Xplore TV with Zappware

A1 Telekom Austria Group has its A1 Xplrore TV content and streaming platform in Austria, following the launch of the service in Bulgaria at the end of last year.

A1 Xplore TV has already launched in Bulgaria

A1 has tapped technology provider Zappware to deliver the platform for the service, which enables it to offer a single platform in multiple markets. 

A1 is offering a multiscreen service that is available to TVs via a Linux-based IPTV and DVB-C Kaon 4K set-top box alongside iOS and Android apps, the web and via Google Chromecast. 

In addition to Zappware’s Nexx 4.0 platform, A1 is tapping XroadMedia’s Ncanto AI-driven recommendation engine. 

A1 is to open up the platform to third-party apps . Set-top box users in Austria already have direct access to YouTube, YouTube, Kids, Amazon Prime Video and other applications. 

“The launch is part of the “One Company – One Brand” approach, reflecting the A1 single-brand strategy. For our TV proposition, Zappware’s award-winning Nexx 4.0 TV Platform allowed us to execute this single-brand strategy, through the roll out of A1 Xplore TV across our markets, covering our IPTV and DVB-C networks. The service was launched at A1 Bulgaria in November and now we launch in Austria,” said Alexander Kuchar, director technology and future services at A1 Telekom Austria Group. 

“The way in which motion pictures are consumed is rapidly changing. Therefore, A1 Xplore TV users will be able to find and enjoy outstanding personalised content on a big variety of devices such as set top boxes, mobile devices, web and via Google Chromecast. Furthermore, the A1 Group will be opening its platform to 3rd parties and integrate those into the innovative user interface of Zappware. Via the set up boxes, A1 Xplore TV customers have direct access to YouTube, YouTube Kids, Amazon Prime Video* and many more 3rd party applications. Together with Zappware, a longtime partner, A1 Group is constantly adopting, in an agile development set up, the user interface and customer experience of the whole platform on different devices according to the requirements of the local markets.”

Patrick Vos, CEO of Zappware said: “The launch of A1 Xplore TV in the next A1 Group market, Austria, is indeed great news and an exciting next step in our partnership with A1 Group. After the launch in A1 Bulgaria, we are proud that we can now also bring the one-brand-experience of A1 Xplore TV to the TV viewers of A1 Austria. We are convinced that Zappware’s user-centric Nexx 4.0 video service, powered by our network-agnostic back-office, will turn viewers into fans of the A1 Xplore TV. The solution integrates all content seamlessly in one experience for the viewers. The integration of linear TV, VOD with 3rd party content such as YouTube or Amazon Prime Video is what end-user expect today. To create even bigger fans, personalized recommendations are always suggested to explore content you will like. Even more so we are delighted that A1 Group has chosen us to be their key partner to deliver Xplore TV with a single solution on several markets spanning all possible network technologies.”