Global Crossing takes aim at Latin America HD TV market
Michelle Clancy ©RapidTVNews | 09-02-2011
Global Crossing is expanding its broadcast and media services to be available across its high-performance IP network in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, Peru, Mexico and Venezuela, and the Caribbean region.
The services, provided via the acquisition of Genesis Solutions, are meant to meet demand in the region for IPTV and HD TV services in general.
The carrier characterises the high-definition television subscriber market as experiencing "rapid growth in this part of the world." In fact, according to research firm Dataxis, the number of HD TV subscribers in Latin America grew from 215,000 in 2009 to more than 3,000,000 in 2010, representing a staggering growth rate of 1,327%.
As Latin America prepares to host the 2011 Pan American games in Guadalajara, Mexico; the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil; and the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, the market opportunity for Global Crossing Genesis Solutions is only expected to grow.
“The Latin American region represents a vast market opportunity for sports, entertainment and event programming,” said Mike Antonovich, managing director of Global Crossing Genesis Solutions, in a statement. ”We’re excited to offer solutions that support both standard- and high-definition video programming from points all over the globe to Latin America, as well as Latin American-based programming out to the rest of the world.”
The Genesis Solutions uses a proprietary customer interface called uCommand/IRIS, which provides a unique 'on-demand' capability that gives customers direct access and control over their global media distribution network and enables self-provisioning and monitoring of all aspects of their transmission services for video over IP. The company is leveraging Global Crossing’s existing Latin American network to roll out the managed media solutions to broadcasters and programmers.
Global Crossing also has 15 data centres in the region, customer-centric managed services and a fully redundant network ring around Latin America.
