For subscribers, NuVu provides a personalized user interface, bookmarking and content recommendations.
Ericsson has introduced NuVu, a Video-on-Demand subscription service that aims to ride on the rising demand for content carried on mobile devices. NuVu is expected to set the pace before other video-on-demand services like Netflix and Hulu officially make their entrant in the continent.
Ericsson is partnering with mobile service providers to deliver NuVu content as a Value Added Service to mobile operators. In Nigeria, Ericsson is deploying NuVu in partnership with Airtel as discussions with Kenyan operators are in progress. It is expected Kenya will be the second country to deploy the service in 2016.
Robert Rudin, Country Manager, Ericsson Kenya says the streaming service will provide over 3,000 international and local shows and videos for as little as $5 per month ‘all you can eat plan’ or $2 per week for selected content.
“Content downloaded via NuVu will be secure as the platform offers Digital Rights Management. This protects content from piracy, an important consideration especially for content producers,” says Rudin.
The service enables subscribers to download content to their mobile devices at no additional cost by using off peak network hours and has been optimized to be light on battery usage on smartphones.
Using the off-peak download model, NuVu aims to optimize network usage by operators as well as make it cheaper for subscribers to download content.
NuVu comes at a time when telcos are seeking to consolidate data revenues by offering consumers with attractive data bundles. However, Over-the-top barriers like high cost of content and data for consumers, network quality, piracy and low content revenue have prevented consumers to fully appropriate the benefits of connected mobile devices.
Ericsson’s VoD service is fueled by a report by Consumerlab that reveals smartphones and tablets have become the second most popular form of entertainment among Kenyans after television.
According to the report, the versatility of mobile devices has allowed Kenyans to watch TV and video content throughout the day in different locations and on different devices.
“Overall, 46 percent (of the respondents) are interested in mobile video-on-demand with young, white-collar professionals showing the strongest interest at 53 percent. The key barrier to their adoption is lack of speed and reliability of the internet connection,” states the TV and Media report for Kenya.
63 percent of students and 59 percent of young white-collar professionals in Kenya would like to watch content of their choice on a personal device, the report reveals.
In additional to content from Hollywood, Bollywood and Nollywood, Nuvu will provide an opportunity for local content producers to have their content hosted in the platform. Initially available on Android as an app, NuVu will support all popular device types, including PCs, Macs, smartphones and tablets.
