Arqiva acquires Connect TV
September 5, 2012
Arqiva, the communications infrastructure and media services company, has acquired Connect TV the connected TV service provider. The acquisition will enable Arqiva to develop a wide range of connected TV services for Digital Terrestrial Television, the UK’s most popular TV platform.
The Connect TV platform enables broadcasters and content owners to use the Internet to provide their new channels and services to the fast growing connected Digital Terrestrial market. Existing Freeview broadcasters can enhance their services through the addition of complementary services and content accessed via the red button, a unique or a shared channel number. As well as offering a greater choice of free content, the Connect TV platform can also allow viewers to access subscription services or purchase goods.
Charles Constable, Managing Director of Digital Platforms at Arqiva said: “Arqiva is dedicated to providing viewers across the UK with the best possible television experience. The acquisition of Connect TV will enable us to provide viewers with a greater choice on a much wider scale. We recognise the best in British entrepreneurial technology and look forward to working with the passionate team from Connect TV to cement the position of Digital Terrestrial Television as the primary delivery channel in the UK.”
Jonathan Marshall, CTO of Connect TV said “Arqiva’s acquisition of Connect TV makes this a very exciting time both for us and for the future of broadcasting technology in the UK. The acquisition offers viewers an exciting new TV viewing platform with fantastic opportunities to create greater functionality and routes to access content. Arqiva’s profile and expertise will not only speed up the platform’s development, but help to provide Arqiva’s existing customers with complementary, value added services.”
Digital Terrestrial services continue to represent the bedrock of British television accounting for about 60 per cent of total viewing.