[Satellite TODAY Insider 03-25-11] Amino Communications is shopping for partnership deals with satellite pay-TV providers to deploy its Over-The-Top (OTT) television box Freedom Jump, Amino CEO Andrew Burke told Satellite TODAY Insider at the IP and TV World Forum in London.
    “It is out in trial now with a number of satellite and cable operators,” said Burke.  “They are testing it to see whether those customers would enjoy that enhanced experience. Some of them are even using it to improve the communications side of things. We are quietly confident that this solution is a good interim step for operators and we hope to win one of those deals this year for a potential deployment in 2012.”
    Amino’s Freedom Jump device aims to help pay-TV operators add OTT content without costly existing device change-outs. The box works alongside a cable or satellite set-top box to add a new layer of content to an operator’s branded consumer offering. The box also was designed to give operators the opportunity to provide content on Internet platforms through a custom interface.
    Burke believes the solution could make a lot of sense for satellite pay-TV providers. “With the Amino Jump Box, you can put it in the homes of that 10 to 15 percent of the customer base who want these services. What you suddenly get is a full OTT experience laid over the existing pay-TV experience. We think it is a very effective way for pay-TV operators to get into OTT without fully committing to swapping out a significant amount of equipment. For those people who do not adopt this kind of solution this year, they are going to miss this boat in five years time. It is a big year for satellite and cable providers. They have got to at least put their toe in the water regarding OTT,” said Burke.
    While Amino’s core business is focused on IPTV set-top boxes, Burke said current usage trends and convergences are opening up more satellite opportunities for the company. “We were previously telco based, but now we’re talking to more satellite and cable providers because OTT is not just about IPTV anymore,” he said. “It has expanded our customer base significantly. The opportunities for us are significantly greater. For us, we want to be front and center for the OTT revolution. The market is moving very fast.”

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