Alaskan operator GCI will deploy Evolution Digital’s eBOX IP hybrid set-top box in select service regions, according to the vendor.
“We are pleased to announce that GCI is joining the growing list of cable operators that are choosing Evolution Digital’s eBOX to address the adapting needs and wants of consumers,” Marc Cohen, EVP of sales at Evolution Digital, says. “GCI has been an outstanding customer of ours, and we look forward to furthering our great working relationship with them as we continue to disrupt the cable industry by offering viewers a rich and superior viewing experience.”
The eBOX powered by TiVo includes an enhanced HD offering through an integrated video viewing experience. It delivers QAM live linear TV combined with OTT streaming apps on an integrated platform, which is said to make content search and navigation easier. The technology was featured in CED’s roundup video from this year’s Cable-Tec Expo, “A Top 5 Countdown of Buzzworthy Technologies,” available here.
Advanced search and content discovery technology options are continuing to climb to the front of operators’ minds as research indicates that subscribers aren’t particularly pleased with many options available when they’re hunting for something to watch. For example, Ericsson’s recently released edition of its ”ConsumerLab TV & Media Report” said that 44 percent of U.S. consumers reported they can’t find anything to watch on linear TV on a daily basis, which is an increase of 22 percent compared with the numbers in last year’s report (36 percent).
“Evolution Digital’s eBOX is a one of a kind offering, as it allows us to offer our subscribers the best content available across multiple video services, making the viewing experience enriched and streamlined,” Heather Handyside, GCI’s director of communication says.
Other cable operators deploying eBOX include WOW!, Mediacom, Advanced Cable Communications, and several member operators in the National Cable Television Cooperative.