BeIN teams up with Synamedia to enhance user experience

Qatar-based sport and entertainment broadcaster beIN Group has tapped  tech specialist Synamedia to improve its subscribers’ viewing experience with new, immersive capabilities that boost viewer engagement across 24 countries in Middle East and North Africa (MENA).

One of the new features allows sports fans to watch two live matches simultaneously on a single screen which will mark a first in sport broadcasting, according to the companies.

Ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2022, Synamedia redesigned the user interface and enrich the user experience on beIN’s various platforms including beIN TV and beIN TV VIP hybrid DTH and IP 4K Kaon set-top boxes.

The new experience runs on Synamedia’s Infinite cloud TV and it is protected by Synamedia’s security solutions and services. As part of the project, Synamedia also deployed a new headend.

The new features include restart-TV to pause and resume live content, recording up to four programmes while watching a fifth, and direct access to YouTube – with integration of other third party streaming apps planned.  The UX also supports Arabic, English, French and Spanish languages.

Saleem Shah, STB technology manager MENA at beIN said, “With all eyes on beIN as the official broadcaster of the World Cup in Qatar, we needed a technology partner who could deliver a future-proofed platform with stand-out features to captivate viewers during the tournament and then evolve with more innovation over the long term. Our long-standing partner Synamedia proved to be head and shoulders above the competition, delivering the wow factor we wanted within a tight time-frame and on budget. Importantly, we now have the platform to launch several other unique breakthrough features in the coming months.”

Lucy Norris, EVP broadcast technology and chief customer success officer at Synamedia said, “beIN continues to anticipate market needs and transform its services to cement its position as a leading global sports and entertainment provider in the region. We have been technology partners for nearly a decade and look forward to innovating together with beIN to deliver the best viewing experiences, protect revenues, and open up additional revenue streams.”