OTT streaming tech supplier Backscreen launches today

Backscreen, a new European OTT streaming technology supplier, launches today.

The 50-employee strong organization is focusing on providing an OTT service platform with applications, assisted by video processing services. It brings to the market its cross-gen UX within OTT applications, which tailors content to the different ways video is consumed by older people, middle agers and younger people.

Backscreen says it is also coming to market with a “game changing business model” to facilitate service adoption.

Riga-based Backscreen’s cross-gen UX combines in a single OTT application three different ways in which video content is consumed. According to the company, a typical commodity UX for OTT does not cater to large segments of the available audience.

The Backscreen App provides a live-centric TV UX which gradually immerses consumer into non-linear video assets in the context of live TV, conforming to expectations around traditional video habits, while  for young viewers, the Backscreen App provides a content wall experience linking to Instagram or TikTok.

The Backscreen portfolio of solutions also includes Backscreen Media – a universal media asset manager to manage video content and publish on different platforms, and Backscreen Stream – encompassing video processing services from encoding to CDN delivery based on the global network of Edgio.

Backscreen also addresses web portals with Webplay, a tool for video asset management, publishing and player.

Backscreen is a division of Tet, Latvia’s principal telecommunication company, and a major player in the Baltics. It has aggregated the video technology resources of Tet and complemented it with industry expertise from the Baltics, Poland and Czechia.

The company operates in EMEA, serving more than 50 customers including Tet, Latvian and Lithuanian pubcasters, Telia Sweden, Fashion TV and Delfi group among others.

“We are team of industry professionals headed by 20-plus years of industry experience. We are 50 people strong. We employ talents. We are agile. Our technology based on a microservices architecture and best-of-breed partners assures quality and scalability.” said Norberts Ositis, Backscreen CEO.

“Operators and broadcasters have made such efforts arranging for their content. There is no reason why these efforts should be compromised by OTT apps with inappropriate UX. This is why Backscreen App offers a UX that can satisfy the generationally fragmented audience.” says Jan Frelek, Backscreen CCO.

Next step for Tet

For Tet, Backscreen marks the next step in the an engagement in TV services dating back to 2011 when it first launched an internet TV service.

In 2016 Tet launched Shortcut as its first homegrown full-fledged OTT offering, and in 2020 it launched Tet TV+ featuring what it describes as an industry-first wallet-based business model.

“As the top service provider, we have great products and technology to share with the media community. Together we can achieve business sustainability and the front-running pace of innovation to keep & grow our audiences across all generations.” says Krists Avots, Tet director of corporate development and Backscreen President.

Backscreen will showcase the cross-gen OTT UX at the NEM conference in Dubrovnik from June 10-13.