Comcast Media Center in Deal to Deploy icueTV's Interactive TV Commerce Applications on HITS AxIS

Interactive TV applications provider, icueTV, and Comcast Media Center (CMC) will today announce an agreement to deploy a full suite of icueTV's tcommerce applications on CMC's HITS AxIS platform. (Note: HITS AxIS--whose name stands for "Headend In The Sky Advanced Interactive Services," and which was developed in collaboration with Vidiom and TVWorks--is a centralized platform that operates on the NAS and DAC headend-management platforms and that is designed to facilitate the deployment and management of ETV/EBIF and OCAP/tru2way applications on cable systems serving small- to mid-sized markets. CMC bills the service as providing cable operators with additional revenue opportunities and the ability to achieve a "more competitive profile" by offering interactive TV applications without incurring significant capital outlays. The service--which uses the TVWorks ETV platform and Strategy & Technology's TSBroadcaster 2 object carousel playout servers for delivering open-standards applications--recently launched commercially, after several months of testing by smaller cable operators including Bend Broadband, Buckeye CableSystem, Metrocast Communications and Sunflower Broadband--see the article published on itvt.com, October 28th.)

According to the companies, the deal will provide HITS AxIS cable affiliates with the opportunity to generate additional revenue by offering tcommerce applications to their digital subscribers, using a cost-effective, end-to-end solution. It also creates multiple touchpoints, the companies say, that may be used by TV networks/channels and their advertisers to enhance and further monetize their relationships with viewers. "This is a natural progression of icueTV's relationship with HITS," icueTV CEO, Patrick Gates, said in a prepared statement. "They have lab-tested our technology, we collaborated at The Cable Show '09 and successfully demonstrated our platform at the recent CableLabs summer conference. Most recently, we were an integral part of the HITS AxIS demonstrations that were held in conjunction with the fall Cable Connections events in Denver. We are now at the point of our collaboration to move forward with deployment and partnering with MSO's. This agreement makes true interactivity real."

The companies say that the deal will make a range of interactive tcommerce applications available to HITS AxIS-supported cable subscribers, including click to email, click to purchase, voting, polling, and audio and video downloads. In addition, the companies promise, participating cable operators will have instant access to a suite of business and management tools that will allow for real-time data analysis and lead generation tracking. "The field trials with our beta MSO affiliates have allowed us to test a variety of revenue-driven ETV applications over a wide range of cable system architectures," CMC SVP and COO, Gary Traver, said in a prepared statement. "Thanks to the technical and consumer knowledge we acquired during the trials, we are ready to support the rollout of ITV applications that can enhance the video experience for digital cable customers and net additional revenues for cable operators and their interactive content providers."