AT&T has created a new business unit that has already begun offering commercial streaming video, webcasting, e-learning and virtual trade show applications.
These offerings will be supplemented with products from three software companies with which it has signed strategic agreements.
AT&T has created a Content Distribution unit, which will be responsible for enterprise digital media. The company has named Cathy Martine EVP of the unit. Martine is an AT&T veteran, having served as president of AT&T Midwest and as SVP of Internet telephony. She is credited with leading AT&T to start offering VoIP.
AT&T’s new business unit is responsible for the company’s new Digital Media Solutions portfolio, which includes content distribution and management, broadcast video, and digital signage services and solutions that can be delivered to TVs, PCs and mobile devices.
Over the next several months, the company will integrate the software of ExtendMedia, Qumu and Stratacache with its own capabilities to provide AT&T corporate customers with network-based solutions to encode, deliver, manage and support video and multimedia files.
ExtendMedia is a provider of digital content services software. Qumu has software that enables organizations to capture, manage, publish and distribute live and on-demand video content using existing IT infrastructure. Stratacache provides both multi-platform software and appliance-based technology to delivery media applications.
The three are the first members of what AT&T is calling its Content Ecosystem.
AT&T Digital Media Solutions available today include:
- AT&T Intelligent Content Distribution Service: A network-based Content Delivery Network (CDN) service that replicates information across the Internet, such as Web page content, large files for download, live video and VOD.
- AT&T Digital Signage: A managed service that enables businesses to distribute customized video and other multimedia content. The service is scalable and typically delivered on high-definition (HD) LCD monitors.
- Broadcast Video: Full-motion video transport services that deliver high-quality video images and stereo-quality audio over a fiber optic network.
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