Igloo Taps T-VIPS for DVB-T2 Launch

New Zealand provider will use its T2 Gateway for first commercial DVB-T2 project in Asia Pacific region

By George Winslow -- Broadcasting & Cable, 6/21/2012 1:07:04 PM

As part of the development of the first pay TV service in the Asia Pacific region using the digital terrestrial DVB-T2 standard, New Zealand-based Igloo has selected T-VIPS' CP560 DVB-T2 Gateway for the project.

Igloo, which is a joint venture between Sky and TVNZ, will offer both free and pay channels when it launches in the upcoming weeks.

The service will have 11 channels, including Food TV, National Geographic Channel, Kidzone24 and Comedy Central, as well as nearly to 1,000 films and TV episodes that users can stream to their TVs. It will also offer national and international sport via its pay p5er view channel Front Row.

"Transmitting high-quality video over DVB-T2 networks has undoubtedly been a success in the Northern hemisphere and we're looking forward to emulating that in New Zealand," said Chaz Savage, general manager of Igloo New Zealand in a statement. "By adopting DVB-T2 we believe we can open up our services to a wider audience beyond DTH and cable services. T-VIPS has provided us with a top of the range solution which we can implement easily and effectively to give our customers the unfailing quality of service they demand."

The CP560 DVB-T2 Gateway enables the HD delivery of TV in terrestrial networks by allowing operators to take advantage of more efficient spectrum utilization. The newly implemented DVB-T2 network offers a 47% increase in bitrate to 38.9 Mbps for the same transmission powers and similar coverage as the existing Freeview DVB-T digital terrestrial network.

Kordia, on behalf of Igloo, will be operating the T2 Gateways in single PLP mode across an IP network which will co-exist alongside the existing DVB-T infrastructure, T-VIPS reported in the announcement of its technology being selected by Igloo.

"It's great to be involved in the first major DVB-T2 deployment in the APAC region -- it demonstrates the growing popularity of the standard across the globe," said Espen Myhre, VP, sales, T-VIPS in a statement. "We have been designing solutions for DVB-T2 networks since the standard was first adopted. We have delivered support for SFN operation, single or multiple PLP operation and both ASI and IP transport in multiple networks across Europe and Africa as well as for trials in the APAC region."