According to a report released by RDK Management LLC on Wednesday, more than 25 million devices running RDK (Reference Design Kit) have been deployed by operators worldwide, which is up 67 percent from same time last year. RDK software enables TV and internet service providers to standardize certain elements of customer premise equipment and to customize the applications and user experiences that ride on top. Both RDK-V (video) and RDK-B (broadband) software solutions are available at no cost to RDK licensees in an open source manner, and RDK community member companies can contribute software changes and enhancements.
“Due to the passion and maturation of our community, the RDK has become a prime software development platform that powers more than 25 million set-top boxes and broadband gateways used by pay TV operators around the world,” Steve Heeb, president and GM of RDK Management LLC, comments. “On both the video and broadband front, operators are actively embracing our transparency and open-source software, collaborating with leading technology companies, and contributing new innovations back to the RDK community. Together, we’ve embraced the best practices of the software industry, enabling operators to iterate faster than ever before.”
RDK Management also points out that during the last year, new and extended deployment plans have been announced in various parts of the world. NOS launched its next-generation 4K service based on RDK in Portugal, Liberty Global continued to deploy RDK devices throughout its global footprint, and Shaw rolled out a next-gen service that relies on RDK in Canada. Comcast continued its RDK-based X1 in U.S. deployments. In Germany, new RDK deployments include Vodafone (formerly Kabel Deutshland), which launched its new GigaTV video service, and Tele Columbus, which deployed its new advanceTV service. Most recently, The Quickline Group in Switzerland confirmed it was using a RDK-based STB software solution for its new TV service.
More than 25 total cable, satellite, and telco providers across North America, Europe, Latin America, and Asia are members of the RDK community and are in various stages of evaluation, testing, trials, or deployment. There are also now reportedly more than 300 technology companies in the RDK community across CE manufacturers, SoC vendors, software developers, and system integrators.
