Jessica Glad

Icareus and Divitel deliver Telenet a complete datacasting solution

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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.

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Jessica Glad

Icareus Video Cloud enables a new streaming service: Elonet+

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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 at http://elonetplus.fi and in 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.

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Jessica Glad

Icareus delivered second Satellite TV EPG and Apps management solution to Telespazio

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Cover image Telespazio case

Helsinki, 12.09,2023: Telespazio, a global leader in satellite solutions and services, has strategically chosen Icareus as a trusted partner to enhance its broadcasting operations. Recognized as one of the world’s largest suppliers in Satellite distribution, Telespazio’s decision to utilize Icareus’ Playout underscores the exceptional benefits these solutions bring to their operations.

Icareus empowers Telespazio to optimize their EPG and HbbTV content management and distribution processes. The selection of Icareus’ Playout EPG and Carousel management platform equips Telespazio to efficiently manage and distribute critical EPG data and HbbTV applications directly from their Space Centre in Lario, Italy. This not only streamlines their operations but also ensures a seamless and engaging experience for their broadcasters’ audiences.

The enduring partnership between Telespazio and Icareus is a testament to the efficacy of Icareus’ solutions. The collaboration dates back to 2014, when Telespazio initially embraced Icareus’ EPG solution at their Rome Space Centre in Fucino. The longevity of this partnership showcases the consistent value and trust Icareus has delivered to Telespazio over the years.

By leveraging Icareus’ solutions, Telespazio gains a competitive edge in the satellite solutions landscape. The partnership enables Telespazio to deliver content and applications with precision, ensuring a heightened level of user engagement. Moreover, Telespazio benefits from the adaptability and scalability of Icareus’ technologies, enabling them to stay at the forefront of industry trends and technological advancements.

As a result, Telespazio can focus on what they do best – delivering exceptional satellite solutions – while entrusting Icareus to provide the tools necessary to effectively manage and distribute their EPG and applications.

Telespazio is the Italian leader and a major European player in radio and television satellite broadcasting, thanks to its facilities at the Fucino and Lario Space Centres and to the equipment installed and managed at clients’ premises.

Telespazio is over 60 years old company with over 3000 employees around the world and making 220 M€ sales (in 2022). The Lario Space Centre, operational since 1977, is located at the far North of Lake Como, at the town of Gera Lario. The Centre has 40 transceiver and 20 receiver antennas.

As a part of its services, Telespazio provides high quality satellite TV services to its customers including electronic program guide and HbbTV applications management services.

To further improve its services Telespazio needed a best-of-breed EPG solution to manage its customer’s programme information and interactive TV HbbTV applications. As Icareus has been a trusted and reliable vendor for Telespazio for almost a decade, Icareus Playout platform was selected to further develop and manage PSI/SI, EIT, HbbTV signalling, as well as object and datacarousels.

Icareus Playout platform is the leading broadcast solution in the world, selected by main broadcasters and DVB operators in Europe and MENA including Arabsat, Asharq News, Arqiva, BVN, Dialog TV, DU, France24, Freesat, Mediaset, Persidera, Telefonica, Telenet, Telespazio, RAI etc.  

Icareus Playout is a modular, secure and robust broadcast platform for managing multichannel and network EPG data. It enables distinctive configuration of EPG data sources, EIT tables, PSI/SI descriptors, and allows even custom configurations.

Icareus Playout allows Telespazio to manage its Electronic Program Guide in a flexible manner to offer a better TV experience to its viewers. Icareus Playout is tightly integrated to Telespazio’s systems to provide a seamless 24/7 fully automated EPG content workflow. In addition to as a part of the delivery is Icareus Playout Carousel, which offers a long list of features including HbbTV DSM-CC object and data carousel support, AIT management for both broadcast and broadband applications, accurate synchronization of hybrid TV applications with the broadcast signal via stream events, flexible descriptor management, and many more.

“We at Icareus highly appreciate our long-lasting relationship and co-operation with Telespazio. We are extremely glad about widening our business relationship with our old customer, with new solution.”

Toni Leiponen
Toni Leiponen
CEO, Icareus Ltd​

Icareus Playout EPG solution offers Trusted Broadcast Technology enjoyed by leading broadcasters and operators globally for over a decade. Icareus Playout EP110 server is a full-scale PSI/SI generator server targeted for operators and broadcasters to manage their DVB multiplexes and channel line–ups. The tested integrations to multiplexes, EPG data providers, network management systems and Icareus Suite enable quick deployment and high reliability. Icareus global reseller and systems integrator partners offer high service levels and peace-of-mind to our customers.

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 SSU server for over-the-air updates and Icareus Playout Compact Lab solution for research, development and testing TV services. Icareus Playout solutions have been deployed in broadcasting production since 2004 is trusted by world leading TV operators and broadcasters serving customers in 50 countries like SES (Luxemburg), Arabsat (UAE), Cyfrowy Polsat (Poland), NovaTV (Czech) Mediaset (Italy).

Icareus Ltd is established 2001 and has a headquarters in Helsinki, Finland. Combining online and broadcast technologies have been the core of our activities over a decade, true pioneers some say. We’ve been making the change from linear TV to today’s multi-screen experience. Icareus’ customizable end-user apps provide unique TV experience with economical service launch and maintenance on any device. Icareus solutions are enjoyed by millions of consumers via our broadcaster, operator, OTT and OVP customers in over 60 countries. Icareus provides cloud solutions for TV and video services and trusted broadcast EPG, Carousel, OTA and Lab head-end products. Our platforms support solutions for HbbTV, OTT, TV Everywhere, Addressable TV advertising and Audience Measurement.

Telespazio is a joint venture between Leonardo (67%) and Thales (33%) and one of the world’s biggest suppliers of satellite solutions and services. The company teams up with Thales Alenia Space to form the parent companies’ Space Alliance, a strategic partnership which offers a complete range of space services.

 

Founded in Italy in 1961, Telespazio is based in Rome and counts more than 3000 employees through its various subsidiaries and joint ventures. Currently Telespazio has presence in 15 countries and it has 13 companies around the world.

For more Information: 

Ms. Jessica Glad 

Marketing & Communications
Icareus Ltd 
Email: jessica.glad[at]icareus.com 
Phone: +358 (0)9 2289 080

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Jessica Glad

ZoneSystems delivered Icareus Playout EPG solution to RTB in Brunei

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Read 10 reasons why Icareus EPG is the best solution for RTB

Helsinki, 07.09.2023, Icareus’ Malesia based partner Asia Pacific Zone Systems Sdn Bhd has delivered Icareus Playout EPG platform to Radio Television Brunei, a national television and radio broadcaster. 

RTB is a loyal customer of Icareus and they have been using Icareus Playout platform for Electronic Program data management and distribution as well as Data and Object Carousels since 2010. They now selected the new latest version of Icareus’ Playout EPG Platform to replace the old system for managing PSI/SI information and electronic program data for their national network.   

Icareus Playout is a modular, secure and robust broadcast platform for managing multichannel and network EPG data. It enables distinctive configuration of EPG data sources, EIT tables, PSI/SI descriptors, and allows even custom configurations.  

The top 10 reasons why Icareus Playout EPG is the best solution for RTB are: 

  1. Enhanced User Experience: The new version of Icareus’ Playout EPG Platform promises to elevate the TV viewing experience for RTB’s audience. With improved PSI/SI information management and precise electronic program data distribution, viewers can enjoy accurate and up-to-date content schedules, leading to greater satisfaction and engagement. 
  2. Seamless Transition: Upgrading to the latest version of Icareus’ Playout EPG Platform provides a seamless transition for RTB. The familiarity RTB has with Icareus as an existing customer ensures a smoother adoption process and reduces potential disruptions in their broadcasting operations. 
  3. Cutting-Edge Features: The new version of Icareus’ Playout EPG Platform brings cutting-edge features that empower RTB to stay ahead in the broadcasting industry. These features might include advanced data manipulation capabilities, real-time updates, and more sophisticated customization options. 
  4. Flexibility and Customization: Icareus Playout offers the flexibility to tailor EPG data sources, EIT tables, PSI/SI descriptors, and other configurations to match RTB’s specific requirements. This level of customization ensures that RTB can adapt the platform to its unique broadcasting needs. 
  5. Reliability and Robustness: RTB’s trust in Icareus Playout EPG server’s reliability and robustness underscores its reputation as a dependable solution. The platform’s stability and resilience contribute to uninterrupted broadcasting, reducing downtime and enhancing RTB’s credibility among its audience. 
  6. Efficient Network Management: By choosing Icareus Playout, RTB gains a powerful tool for managing its channel lineups and network parameters efficiently. This efficiency not only saves time and resources but also allows RTB to respond quickly to changes in the broadcasting landscape. 
  7. Streamlined Operations: Icareus Playout’s modular design streamlines RTB’s operations, making it easier to manage multichannel and network EPG data. This efficiency can lead to improved resource allocation and optimized workflows for RTB’s broadcasting team. 
  8. Future-Proof Solution: Icareus Playout’s commitment to staying at the forefront of broadcasting technology ensures that RTB is investing in a future-proof solution. As the broadcasting industry evolves, RTB can rely on Icareus to continue providing updates and innovations that keep their operations up to date. 
  9. Competitive Advantage: By leveraging Icareus’ state-of-the-art Playout EPG Platform, RTB gains a competitive edge in delivering high-quality TV experiences. This advantage can help RTB attract more viewers and maintain its position as a leading broadcaster in its market. 
  10. Dedicated Customer Support: As an established customer of Icareus, RTB benefits from a strong customer support network. Any queries, concerns, or technical issues can be promptly addressed, minimizing disruptions and ensuring a smooth broadcasting process. 

Relying on Icareus Playout was a natural choice as RTB had verified Icareus Playout EPG server to be the best, most robust and feature rich platform in the market. It enables RTB to offer better TV experience to its broadcaster customers and TV viewers while managing the channel lineups and network parameters in the most efficient way possible. 

"As a system integrator company, we are constantly in search of a reliable and efficient solution that align with our client’s requirement, and Icareus exceeded our expectations in every way."

Asia Pacific Zone Systems Sdn. Bhd.

Icareus Playout platform is the leading broadcast solution in the world, selected by main broadcasters and DVB operators in Europe and MENA including Arabsat, Asharq News, Arqiva, BVN, Dialog TV, DU, France24, Freesat, Mediaset, Persidera, Telefonica, Telenet, Telespazio, RAI etc. It has been in production since 2004.  

“We at Icareus are always happy when our existing customers renew their trust in us and want to extend the collaboration and use our products in new deployments. It is a testament to the quality of Icareus products and the service we offer. We see this as the highest award we can receive.”

Toni Leiponen
Toni Leiponen
CEO, Icareus Ltd​

Icareus Playout EPG solution offers Trusted Broadcast Technology enjoyed by leading broadcasters and operators globally for over a decade. Icareus Playout EP110 server is a full-scale PSI/SI generator server targeted for operators and broadcasters to manage their DVB multiplexes and channel line–ups. The tested integrations to multiplexes, EPG data providers, network management systems and Icareus Suite enable quick deployment and high reliability. Icareus global reseller and systems integrator partners offer high service levels and peace-of-mind to our customers.

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 SSU server for over-the-air updates and Icareus Playout Compact Lab solution for research, development and testing TV services. Icareus Playout solutions have been deployed in broadcasting production since 2004 is trusted by world leading TV operators and broadcasters serving customers in 50 countries like SES (Luxemburg), Arabsat (UAE), Cyfrowy Polsat (Poland), NovaTV (Czech) Mediaset (Italy).

Radio Television Brunei (RTB), (Malay: Radio Television Brunei, Jawi: راديو تيليۏيشين بروني,) is the national public broadcaster of Brunei. Radio Brunei made its first broadcast on 2 May 1957, with a television service starting on 1 March 1975. Currently, it operates 3 television channels and 5 radio stations.

Icareus Ltd is established 2001 and has a headquarters in Helsinki, Finland. Combining online and broadcast technologies have been the core of our activities over a decade, true pioneers some say. We’ve been making the change from linear TV to today’s multi-screen experience. Icareus’ customizable end-user apps provide unique TV experience with economical service launch and maintenance on any device. Icareus solutions are enjoyed by millions of consumers via our broadcaster, operator, OTT and OVP customers in over 60 countries. Icareus provides cloud solutions for TV and video services and trusted broadcast EPG, Carousel, OTA and Lab head-end products. Our platforms support solutions for HbbTV, OTT, TV Everywhere, Addressable TV advertising and Audience Measurement.

Asia Pacific Zone Systems Sdn Bhd (APZS) is a premier provider and integrator of commercial satellite, terrestrial and broadcast / media transmission solutions, maintaining readiness and providing daily operational services to customer’s systems worldwide.

For more Information: 

Ms. Jessica Glad 

Marketing & Communications
Icareus Ltd 
Email: jessica.glad[at]icareus.com 
Phone: +358 (0)9 2289 080

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Annilotta Haataja

PesisTV: Sports Video Platform Home Run

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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

Follow Icareus:

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.

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Jessica Glad

FloorballTV – a sports streaming service success story

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In the autumn of 2022, the Finnish Floorball Federation launched their own, Icareus built and hosted branded OTT service, FloorballTV (official name in Finnish: SalibandyTV). Its goals were clear and simple: to enable clubs to easily stream their games and monetize them, for the sport to have a single place for all video content, and for that place to be easily discoverable.  

– The heart of the matter is that we genuinely are doing this for the Finnish floorball community and for the floorball clubs. The federation and a few stakeholders will invest in this, and when a club streams a game on FloorballTV 80-90 percent of the ticket sale revenue is automatically returned directly to the club. Such high revenue return percentages have not been reached before. In this way, clubs will have an excellent way to generate revenue for their activities, Mr. Jussi Ojala, the communications director of the Finnish Floorball Federation, explained. 

After the first six months it’s quite clear that FloorballTV is a resounding success. Hundreds of registered clubs, thousands of streamed games, tens of thousands of registered users and happy viewers. The revenues have also exceeded all the floorball clubs’ expectations. 

What, then, made the launch so successful? A number of things: 

  • The content is easily discoverable, and thus viewers have found it. 
  • It’s widely accepted by the floorball community; it is, after all, from the players to the players. 
  • The clubs and the federation have been actively promoting it as “our own media”. It’s also providing good sponsorship placements for the federation via display and video advertising. 
  • The streaming of games is very easy with a purpose built mobile application included in the service, which has led the clubs to actively stream their games. 
  • Paid games bring income to everyone from Division I to the “grassroots” junior leagues – with the clubs getting most of the revenue. 

The community has embraced FloorballTV with great enthusiasm and will likely keep on that path. 

The future roadmap for the Floorball TV service will add various features like scoreboards, integration to statistics services, subscription services in addition to pay-per-view, tournaments and using AI based automatic cameras. 

Finnish Floorball Federation was founded on September 23, 1985. The floorball federation is a nationwide sports organization whose purpose is to promote, supervise and guide the hobby and development of floorball in Finland. Floorball is the third most popular sport in Finland after football and ice hockey, according to registered players (over 65,000 license players) at the moment. The Finnish Floorball Federation has about 800 member clubs. It is a founding member of the International Floorball Federation (IFF). Floorball is played in 80 countries and the International Floorball Federation  has 75 member countries from all inhabited continents. The IFF has ranked 46 countries in the men’s series and 40 countries in the women’s series. 

More information: https://salibandy.fi/ and https://salibandy.tv/

Icareus Ltd is an online video cloud and broadcast TV specialist founded in 2001 and having offices in Finland and Spain. Icareus provides video cloud solutions and trusted broadcast TV platforms, and our solutions are enjoyed by millions of consumers via our broadcaster, operator, OTT and OVP customers in over 60 countries.  Combining online and broadcast has been the core of our activities over almost two decades. We’ve been making the change from linear TV to today’s multi-screen experience. 

More information: https://www.icareus.com  

Icareus Sports OTT is a turnkey white-label video cloud solution for sports of all kinds, team or individual, from floorball and football to tennis and martial arts. It offers versatile tools for the production, management, publication and (optionally) commercialization of sports videos and events. Both professional leagues and “grass roots” non-professional sports clubs can make use of this solution. 

More information: https://icareus.com/solutions-for-customer-groups/sports/ 

/by
Annilotta Haataja

Icareus Video Cloud – New Features

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Icareus Video Cloud continues to grow and develop with great speed

During the past year, we have gained dozens of new customers around the globe from various fields of operation. They range from private companies to public and third sector organisations. It is our aim, here at Icareus, to be the leading video cloud service in Europe.

Icareus Video Cloud

Produce

Create

Edit & Caption

Edit

Manage

Manage

Publish

Analyze

Analyze

Icareus Suite Video Cloud is  a service platform running on the scalable environment and targeted for broadcasters, operators, enterprises and  public organizations to manage and distribute their video based content. Icareus Suite allows you to manage your Live, event and on-demand content, subscribers, content packaging, services, access control, user experience, advertisements and monetization on pretty much any platform.

Icareus Video Cloud new features

Icareus invests heavily in product development. We have published hundreds of improvements and numerous new features this year. Most of the work done on product development we base on the needs of our clients, in addition to which we do a great deal of “invisible” work to improve our service platform. 

Here are the top 6 new Icareus Video Cloud features published during this past year.

1. Icareus Studio video editor

Icareus Studio is a browser-based, easy-to-use video editor that doesn’t require you to install anything on your computer.

With Icareus Studio, you can publish brand-appropriate video with no previous video editing experience, fast and easy. Edit video files, take screenshots – even capture webcam footage for a video.

Icareus Studio

2. MyIcareus mobile app

MyIcareus mobile app

MyIcareus mobile app is a handy tool that allows users to film, upload, and publish video to the cloud with ease.

The app works on both phones and tablets, and is available for download from Apple’s App Store and Google Play.

3. Video and event analytics 2.0

At the start of year 2022, Icareus published a new video and event analysis platform, based on big data, for our clients to make use of.

This new solution provides its users with precise statistics of all views, watch times, and device types used to watch video, whether live or a recording.

4. Icareus caption tool

Icareus tekstitystyökalu

Before summer holidays, we rolled out the first version of Icareus’s very own caption tool – a tool especially yearned for by organisations following accessibility guidelines.

Icareus caption tool allows the creation, editing, translating and publishing of both captions and subtitles. The handy timeline and keyboard shortcuts make captioning easy, and text files can be uploaded to the tool to speed the process up even more.

5. Icareus chat/message board 2.0

Icareus is constantly improving already existing features, and a great deal of product development is based on client feedback.

One such long longed-for feature was the new and improved version of Icareus Message Board: among other things, liking and answering messages is now possible.

6. User access management

Our bigger clients can have dozens or even hundreds of admin users. In those cases, users are divided into different groups or units, with admins at the helm.

With the Icareus User Access Management tool, users can be divided into roles, such as main users, admin users and viewers. They can also be grouped up into specific teams, such as Communications, Education, etc.

Each user or team can then be given access to specific content.

Additional information

Wish to know more, either about features mentioned above, or anything else Icareus-related? Contact us. More info will be provided at our Helpdesk.

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Jessica Glad

FloorballTV, a new era in sports streaming – Finnish Floorball Association launches its own branded video service

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SalibandyTV_allekirjoitus_Toni-Mikko-Pekka-Jussi

In the picture: Mr Toni Leiponen, CEO and Mr Mikko Karppinen Development Director from Icareus, Mr Pekka Ilmivalta, Executive Director and Mr Jussi Ojala Communication Director of the Finnish Floorball Association. 

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Kimmo Nurminen F-Liiga

Helsinki, 09.12.2021, The Finnish floorball league F-Liiga has released a new paid video service for international F-Liiga fans. The technology platform for F-Liiga TV is the Icareus Suite video cloud service.

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Jessica Glad

Icareus to Provide its Playout EPG Solution to Asharq News

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Icareus to Provide its Playout EPG Solution to Asharq News

Helsinki, 7.10,2021:  Asharq News selected Icareus’ trusted broadcast platform Icareus Playout EPG platform to manage and distribute EPG data of the news channel distributed via satellite.

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