Altibox Goes Live with Android TV Service for Norway and Denmark with Next-Level UX enabled by 3SS

Stuttgart, Germany – 20 October, 2021 – 3 Screen Solutions (3SS), a leading provider of software solutions for set-top boxes (STB) and multiscreen entertainment, announces that Stavanger-based multiservice provider Altibox has launched its next-generation TV entertainment service for consumers in Norway and Denmark.  

In February 2020 it was announced that Altibox had selected high-end Technicolor JADE STB and 3SS’ 3READY Product Framework to enable the new offering. Now live, the service offers over 150 channels as well as major streamers, including Netflix, Viaplay and HBO, fully integrated, along with full PVR functionality and timeshift, among other capabilities. The new flagship service is currently being offered to Altibox’s over 500,000 TV customers.

It is based on Android TV Operator Tier, and features an engaging Custom Launcher and UX built on 3SS’ multiple-award-winning 3READY Product Framework as its foundation. 3SS and Altibox worked closely to co-develop an advanced, totally new user experience, to include new features which help the subscriber more intuitively browse, discover and ultimately watch content.  

Thanks to deep Netflix integration, viewers can access Netflix in several ways. It is available via the home page, from the “My apps” stripe, and via the apps page. Additionally, Netflix can be selected from the TV channel list, and it’s available as a channel from the Live player.

The new Altibox service also features NRK TV, Prime Video, Viaplay and TV2 Play third-party apps pre-installed.

“A big priority for us was to offer our viewers an enhanced entertainment experience for our next-generation super-aggregated service,” says Tor Morten Osmundsen, CEO of Altibox. “We’ve been working very successfully with 3SS to create a new, ultra-intuitive user experience, and now Altibox subscribers are enjoying an advanced UX that meets all their entertainment discovery needs.”

The user interface has a fresh design and feel. The home page has a brand new format and layout, with live TV prominently displayed along with other functions which Altibox can prioritise. Detail pages within the UX appear in a novel sidebar menu. This new menu format has numerous attributes and functions which help the viewer in their navigation, discovery and selection journey, such as large content teasers once the user has highlighted, with continue-watching and favorites options.

Altibox TV Guide EPG has a mini player and mini EPG, and its navigation has new filters to better help the viewer select what content to watch, browsable by day, channel, genre, subject or favorites.  

"Consumer demand for the latest entertainment and content services continues to rise, and network service providers around the world are rapidly deploying Android TV set-top boxes to meet these expectations," says Mercedes Pastor, Senior Vice President for Eurasia, Technicolor Connected Home. "Altibox's new service offering requires an open platform with multiple features and capabilities that can be seamlessly integrated and enable consumers to access a wide array of over-the-top services. Technicolor Connected Home worked with Altibox to select the 4K UHD JADE STB which runs on the Android TV operating system that supports delivery of streaming video and music services, online gaming applications and Wi-Fi 6 capabilities."

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Super-curation of content, dynamic adaptability, and enhanced promotional opportunities with 3READY Control Center

Altibox is further helping subscribers find desirable content through super-curation, enabled by 3READY Control Center.  

Theme-based pages combine and display content by particular genres. Viewers can also browse video assets displayed on pages dedicated to particular broadcasters’ streaming services (e.g. National Geographic Channel or HBO Nordic) or even peruse all available instalments of a particular film franchise (e.g. Batman films).  

The service includes designated kids’ areas; children’s TV shows are displayed in stripes, while content assets, including games and audio, are curated and grouped by character (e.g. SpongeBob). Teddy-bear shaped icons and control buttons make choosing what to watch extra fun.

Altibox can dynamically change any style, branding, layout, content and settings on any platform on the fly thanks to 3READY Control Center. Features and sections can be configured and changed, to optimize the experience on the Android TV platform, at any moment Altibox chooses.

3READY Control Center also enhances Altibox’s ability to promote content. Programmes and films can be showcased in many different locations within the UX, thereby increasing the likelihood of being selected. Targeting and A/B testing empower the operator to quickly and clearly understand which existing and new features appeal to viewers. By choosing 3READY, with its flexibility and real-time unified experience management capability, Altibox can accelerate time-to-market for new features, kickstart revenues, and innovate rapidly, with confidence in user acceptance.

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Automated Testing for superior customer experiences

Additionally, 3SS is providing Altibox with Automated Testing as a Value Added professional service. The value of automated testing is that the operator can ensure high performance and robustness across more test cases than otherwise possible.  

Being able to test the user experience on the Android TV set-top box with a high degree of automation means that superior UX quality is assured, no matter the context in which the user engages with the service. And this quality assurance is achieved earlier in the project.

Additionally, post-launch, the operator can be more confident about future releases. They can roll out new versions of apps faster, with certainty of high UX quality. Release cycles can be speedier thanks to automation at the heart of testing operations.

“Altibox has taken the user interface to the next level, and we congratulate them for creating a new benchmark for content display, functions and features for subscribers, helping them to more easily find great entertainment,” commented Kai-Christian Borchers, 3SS Managing Director.  

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About Altibox
Altibox is a company in the Lyse Group, delivering broadband, entertainment and communication services in the Norwegian and Danish market since 2002. The company employs around 250 people with headquarters in Stavanger, and bases its business on an affiliate model, distributing its branded services through partnerships with over 30 local and regional fiber networks. The Altibox partnership has a TV audience of 1M+ viewers, and with more than 740,000 broadband subscribers, it is also the largest fixed access broadband operator in Norway. www.altibox.no  

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About 3 Screen Solutions (3SS)

Since 2009, 3SS has been delivering world-class software solutions to service providers and technology innovators to bring video to any screen. 3SS is an acknowledged leader in system integration, app development, UI/UX design innovation and solution architecture. 3SS designs and engineers front end and back end platforms for major operators and broadcasters worldwide to make customer experiences easier and more personal. 3SS’ customers include major satellite, cable, IPTV, OTT and mobile TV operators, including Swisscom, Com Hem (Tele2), Allente, Proximus, TCC Uruguay, FreeCast (SelectTV), Elisa Estonia, Altibox, ORS (simpliTV), Yes (STINGTV), Vodafone Kabel Deutschland, Stofa, Liberty Global (UPC, Unitymedia), SES, Eutelsat, and O2/Telefonica. Broadcast customers include ProSiebenSat.1, Joyn (ProSiebenSat.1/Discovery), SUPER RTL (TOGGO), n-tv, Blockbuster and Viacom, among others. 3ss.tv, 3ready.tv