Helsinki, 31.01.2024: Telenet, a leading innovator in the broadcasting industry and the largest cable broadband services provider in Belgium, has embarked on a transformative project, choosing to replace its existing DVB-MHP carousel playout system with Icareus Playout. The project is facilitated and managed by Icareus’ System Integration partner Divitel and the solution is now in production.

With a vision of providing an unparalleled viewing experience, Telenet’s new carousel system is projected to remain operational for a substantial span of at least 6 years, a commitment Icareus and Divitel were happy to make. This commitment to longevity underlines Telenet’s dedication to consistent excellence and customer satisfaction.

In pursuit of a tailored solution that meets Telenet’s unique needs, the company has chosen Icareus Playout. The decision to go with Icareus was preceded by meticulous testing to ensure seamless technological compatibility. Icareus Playout aligns seamlessly with Telenet’s customised middleware and update mechanisms, as well as its complex broadcasting ecosystem.

"We are proud to have led the project management, bringing our specialized technical expertise in digital video broadcasting to this critical initiative. This project was not just important, significantly extending the lifespan of Telenet’s legacy set-top boxes. As we transition this project into its production phase, Divitel will continue to play a crucial role, offering steadfast support and coordination with Icareus, ensuring ongoing success and reliability."

Hans Kornmann
Divitel’s CEO and founder

One of the main considerations for Telenet was the preservation of its finely tuned set-top-box middleware environment. The new solution had to flawlessly integrate with the four models and their respective middleware without any modifications. Telenet’s rigorous requirements also mandated e.g. the ability to real-time update files without causing disruptions to both the set-top boxes and the server.

Key factors that played a pivotal role in Telenet’s selection of Icareus Playout include:

  • Tight Integration: Icareus Playout boasts a seamless integration with Telenet’s set-top boxes and their customised middleware. This integration ensures that viewers continue to enjoy an optimal user experience. 
  • Technological Compatibility: The comprehensive testing phase confirmed that Icareus Playout harmoniously syncs with Telenet’s broadcasting setup, ensuring no disruptions to operations. 
  • Long-Term Commitment: The dedication of Icareus to continuous product development, coupled with the local support offered through Divitel, solidified the partnership. This commitment promises ongoing enhancement and troubleshooting. 

"We are honored to be a part of Telenet's journey toward technological advancement. Our Playout solution aligns perfectly with Telenet's vision, and we are eager to contribute to their success."

Toni Leiponen
Toni Leiponen
CEO, Icareus Ltd

Icareus Playout is a modular, secure and robust broadcast platform for managing multichannel and -network datacasting needs.

Icareus Playout allows Telenet to manage its datacasting, MHP applications and middware upgrades with ease. Icareus Playout is tightly integrated to Telenet’s systems to provide a seamless 24/7 fully automated content workflow.

Icareus Playout Platform has been in production since 2004 and is trusted by leading operators and broadcasters serving customers in 50 countries.  Icareus Playout product family includes Icareus Playout EP PSI/SI and EPG server, Icareus CS DSM-CC Carousel server for HbbTV and other Interactive TV standards, Icareus Playout DVB SSU server for over-the-air updates and Icareus Playout Compact Lab solution for research, development and testing TV services.

Icareus Ltd was established in 2001 and is headquartered in Helsinki, Finland. Combining online and broadcast technologies has been the core of our activities for over two decades, making us true pioneers, some say. We have navigated the transition from linear TV to today’s multi-screen experience. Icareus solutions are enjoyed by millions of consumers through our broadcaster, operator, OTT, and OVP customers in over 60 countries.

Our offerings include Icareus TV & Video Cloud and Icareus Playout, a trusted broadcast platform for EPG, Data carousels, and OTA support solutions for HbbTV, OTT, TV Everywhere, Addressable TV advertising, and Audience Measurement.

Divitel excels in video distribution system integration and management, utilizing sophisticated automated technology and Artificial Intelligence to quickly address viewing issues for a diverse range of global cable, broadcast, and IP operators. Their approach, rooted in observability, ensures exceptional Quality of Experience (QoE), Quality of Service (QoS), and security across various platforms and devices. This strategy allows pay TV operators to concentrate on other critical areas, as Divitel’s advanced data mining, automation, and intelligent processes enable them to scale efficiently and fully capitalize on their video delivery investments. With Divitel, operators can effortlessly navigate the complexities of video distribution, eliminating operational stress. 

Telenet is the largest cable broadband connectivity provider in Belgium with 1,8 million video subscribers. Telenet is committed to helping people and businesses to stay one step ahead in the digital age. They want to build a society in which people enjoy living and working together, embracing the endless possibilities of the digital world to the fullest. For a better quality of life. Telenet is committed to offering customers the best connectivity, the best entertainment experience and the best business solutions, on the device of their choice, anytime, anywhere.

Technology is just technology, until we start to change the world with it. Telenet believes that technology can be used for the better. Strengthening what have already been achieved, and using it to enable deeper, more meaningful relationships with its customers and society.

Helsinki, 16.01.2024, The Finnish National Audiovisual Institute (KAVI), in collaboration with Icareus, has launched Elonet, a new streaming service called Elonet+. This service is designed to offer an even wider range of possibilities to enjoy Finnish film production anywhere and anytime, completely free of charge for the viewer.

The Elonet+ streaming service is hosted on Icareus Video Cloud, making use of its wide range of features. The ease of cloud computing allows KAVI’s experts to focus entirely on curating the content themselves. Icareus Video Cloud enables content owners, public organisations and businesses to deliver their own branded video services securely, quickly and cost-effectively. In addition to the video platform, Icareus designed and implemented Elonet+ applications and user interfaces for various devices, including iOS and Android mobile apps and AppleTV, AndroidTV, LG and Samsung SmartTV apps.Thanks to Icareus Video Cloud’s API interfaces, the challenging migration project, during which thousands of Elonet+ video content and metadata were imported from KAVI’s various video platforms, was completed with minimal human resources.

"It has been important for KAVI to improve the accessibility of its films. The Elonet+, implemented in partnership with the Icareus people, meets a need expressed by customers and we at KAVI are proud of this achievement."

Pekka Tähtinen
Head of Digital Services at KAVI

"We are honoured that KAVI chose Icareus Video Cloud as the solution for the new Elonet+ service. It's great to see how it brings together a vast amount of national film, TV and other content history in one place, and makes it available to all Finns."

Toni Leiponen
Toni Leiponen
CEO, Icareus Ltd

The new video service is off to an impressive start – the collection already contains more than 350 feature films, with 20-30 new titles being added every year. Among the films on offer are the old, familiar Pekka Puupää comedy films, the 1955 Unknown Soldier, Pojat (1962), based on Paavo Rintala’s famous novel, and the true crime film Fraud (1988). TV series will not be ignored either, with a remastered 4K version of the Winter War TV series as its first taste. With around 3000 commercials, documentaries and short films, there’s plenty to keep you busy for a long time.
Elonet+ can be found in a browser at http://elonetplus.fi and other devices can find the apps in their app stores under the same name.

Elonet+ devices

The National Audiovisual Institute (KAVI) preserves and makes available Finland’s audiovisual cultural heritage: films, television and radio programmes. The National Audiovisual Institute (KAVI) is a government agency under the Ministry of Education and Culture, whose activities are based on legislation. KAVI’s statutory tasks include the preservation of films and television and radio programmes, as well as related research, the supervision of the provision of image programmes and the promotion of media education.

Icareus Oy, founded in 2001, is a growing and profitable Finnish company providing SaaS video cloud services. Our company serves customers from over 60 countries. Our main product, the customisable Icareus Video Cloud Service, enables the publishing of professional video services for organisations. The service is suitable for both internal and external use in various contexts, such as content services, virtual and hybrid events, communication, marketing and training. All this easily and affordably from the cloud, for all terminals.

Icareus Suite is the most versatile online SaaS video cloud service in Europe, used by a wide range of actors such as sports organisations, companies, 3rd sector operators, TV channels, operators and public organisations. We offer a wide range of features such as Live streaming broadcasts, Video-on-demand streaming services, customisable video portals, events, social media integrations, subscriber management, ad management, paywalls and a handy mobile app to upload videos from your mobile phone to the service. All Icareus video services are always brand-safe and can be customised to look like the customer with selected features.

Relevant material

Downloads & further reading

Additional materials regarding this article

Presentation with further information about the service and its numerous applications.

Read more about the customizable Icareus Video Cloud on our website.

The Finnish Pesäpallo Federation launched its new video platform, PesisTV, in July of this current year. The platform made its debut in conjunction with three national camps: Kankaanpää Kid Camp, Joensuu Grand Camp, and Oulu Youth Camp.

PesisTV

Pesäpallo is the Finnish version of baseball, and as part of the Finnish Pesäpallo Federation, the Finnish Baseball and Softball Federation operates as the governing body for baseball and softball in Finland.

During its pilot month, PesisTV provided a new and excellent way to enjoy the highlights of young baseball players, with evident success. Even though the camps already gathered a large number of on-site supporters, the video platform offered the opportunity to watch games live from the comfort of one’s own home. Viewers from all around Finland got to enjoy a virtual coverage of a total of 450 matches during the three camps, and this opportunity was eagerly embraced. The camps achieved impressive numbers: there were nearly five thousand registered viewers, streamed games were watched for over 7700 hours, and the highest concurrent viewership occurred during the Youth Camp’s CT competition, with a whopping 443 viewers tuning in!

Registered viewers
> 0
Streamed games
0
Streamed hours viewed
> 0

All of this wouldn’t have been possible without the camps’ contribution to the production, as it was the camps themselves that were responsible for the match production.

The development of PesisTV was handled by the Finnish technology company Icareus Ltd. Icareus Ltd is a respected player in Finland, with extensive experience in collaborating with sports clubs and federations. The company has successfully partnered with organizations like F-Liiga and the Finnish Floorball Federation. Icareus Ltd’s strong experience and expertise have played a crucial role in the development of the Baseball Federation’s new video platform.

In the future, we can certainly anticipate even more exciting moments as PesisTV continues to grow, delivering unforgettable experiences for baseball enthusiasts both from the sidelines and the comfort of their own homes.

“The launch of PesisTV was a great success during the nationwide summer camps. The service was well-received, allowing us to bring the joy of camp games live to homes.”

Miika Rantatorikka
Executive Director, Finnish Pesäpallo Federation

“For us at Icareus, sports is a central area of focus that we want to invest in. We are delighted to have had the opportunity to collaborate with the Pesäpallo Federation in bringing the PesisTV service to our national pastime.”

Toni Leiponen
Toni Leiponen
CEO, Icareus Ltd

Contact us for more info:

Jessica Glad

Marketing & Communications
Icareus Ltd
E-mail: jessica.glad[at]icareus.com
Phone: +358 (0)9 2289 0801

The Finnish Pesäpallo Federation organizes both recreational and competitive activities in baseball. The highest level of baseball in Finland is Superpesis, and Superpesis matches are available on the Ruutu service. Baseball has maintained its position as Finland’s national game and is the country’s third most popular ball sport. Its top leagues in Finland are Men’s Superpesis and Women’s Superpesis. There are a total of 360 registered baseball clubs in Finland, with 18,000 licensed adult and junior players.

Icareus Ltd, founded in 2001, is a growing and profitable Finnish company specialized in video cloud services. Approximately 60% of our sales come from outside Finland, and internationally, our main customers consist of video professionals such as TV channels, TV operators, and media companies. Over the years, we have accumulated clients from around 60 countries, spanning Asia, the Middle East, Europe, Africa, as well as South and North America.

Icareus Video Cloud is the most versatile online SaaS cloud video service in Europe, catering to a diverse range of users including sports organizations, TV channels, operators, corporations, public entities, and even micro-enterprises. Icareus Suite offers numerous features such as virtual and hybrid events, live broadcasts, video-on-demand streaming, customizable video portals, video captioning and editing tools, social media integrations, subscriber management, ad control, paywalls, and a convenient mobile application for uploading videos from phones. All of Icareus’ video services are brand-safe, customer-branded solutions tailored to specific customer preferences.

Relevant material

Downloads & further reading

Additional materials regarding this article

Further information about the service and its numerous applications.

Read more about the customizable Icareus Sports Video Cloud on our website: