Bulgaria Sat selects Ericsson to enable high-quality UHDTV across the Balkans

Bulgaria Sat, one of the leading content providers in the Balkans, has selected Ericsson to deliver media processing hardware which will help deliver Standard Definition (SD), High Definition (HD) and 4K channels to TV subscribers across the region.

As part of the deal, Ericsson will deliver its AVP 4000 system encoders to Bulgaria Sat, an affiliate of Bulsatcom, 56 High Definition MPEG-4 services, three High Definition HEVC services and 46 Standard Definition MPEG-4 services. The solution will also offer the first 4K services delivered via the new Bulgariasat-1, the first geostationary communications satellite in Bulgaria’s history, which launched in June this year.

The deal represents the continuation of a long-standing relationship between Ericsson and Bulsatcom, the largest pay-TV provider in Bulgaria. The two companies have worked together for over 10 years to deliver more than 100 digital TV channels and broadband internet access to over one million subscribers.

Maxim Zayakov, CEO of Bulgaria Sat and Bulsatcom, says: “The launch of BulgariaSat-1 marks a clear intention to expand the reach and scope of our content distribution. As a long-standing strategic partner of Bulsatcom, Ericsson has consistently provided the very best technologies and solutions to enable us to give our subscribers a wide range of services and content. With this latest agreement, we will be able to deliver a series of enhanced services – as well as our new 4K service – underlining the level of trust we place in the quality of Ericsson’s technology to deliver the performance and reliability our subscribers have come to expect.”

The Ericsson AVP 4000 platform is powered by the company’s first video processing chip, designed to deliver outstanding picture quality at HD and SD, in both MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 AVC and offers a strong roadmap for operators who wish to extend their service offerings to 4K and high dynamic range (HDR) technologies. The Ericsson AVP 4000 System Encoders respond to the high-quality system encoding requirements of IPTV, cable, satellite and broadcast operators.

Arpad Jordan, Head of Media Processing & Delivery, Media Solutions, Ericsson says: “As demand for ultra-high definition and 4K content increases, service providers need to transform their delivery to allow for greater reliability and efficiency to ensure their subscribers receive a high-quality viewing experience. The AVP 4000 compression platform offers the necessary operational flexibility through its modular design allowing service providers to expand their channel offerings and move towards higher definition content in the future. Through our continued partnership with Bulsatcom, we are providing an encoding platform that meets the complex video processing demands of today’s TV and media market.”