Minerva Networks today announced a major update to its leading Cloud TV service with the addition of Dynamic Ad Insertion (DAI) and Free Ad Supported TV (FAST) capabilities. These new features allow operators to better monetize existing pay TV services and also offer a free TV offering suitable for all broadband subscribers. Operators will also be able to seamlessly upgrade broadband subscribers from a FAST service to a full featured premium Pay TV solution.
Dynamic Ad Insertion has quickly become table stakes for premium video services. Personalized ads carry higher value and generate higher revenue for content owners and operators while giving advertisers better analytics and measurement tools. The Minerva solution uses a common ad insertion architecture for both FAST and premium video services and supports spot and programmatic advertising models.
“Our unique solution let’s operators deploy and earn ad revenue for both FAST and premium Pay TV services all powered by a single scalable platform,” explains Jean-George Fritsch, CTO of Minerva. “In addition to making the broadband service more sticky with a FAST offering, the built-in simple upgrade path from free to premium TV provides a compelling upsell opportunity for service providers. A single multi-purpose platform simplifies customer care, field engineering, marketing and sales.”
The initial Minerva FAST service features 25 channels and it will be available to Minerva’s Cloud TV customers in the US.
“Operators face challenges with stiff broadband competition and rising costs of content. Our new FAST and DAI capabilities provide marketing teams with a differentiated free video service to promote broadband. The free service is also a great prospecting and conversion tool to drive broadband subscribers to adopt premium pay TV,” says Randy Osborne, VP of Sales at Minerva. “FAST is a win-win-win-win for operators, consumers, content owners and advertisers.”
Minerva’s Cloud TV service is available to operators throughout the United States, with partners operating similar services in both Canada and South America. In addition to Live TV, Catch-up TV, Restart TV, Personal Video Recordings, On-demand and Personalized Recommendations, the service offers highly differentiated features like Smart Recordings that automatically turn a personal recording of a sports event into customized highlight reels. Operators can upgrade from their legacy cable or IPTV solutions to Minerva’s Cloud TV service in less than 90 days.
