|
No 03/00 • October 2000 Telenor has entered the exciting digital market with the launch of Zonavi, the first interactive TV service provider I WANT MY iTV! Text by: Alexander Wardwell With the launch of Zonavi, the first interactive TV service provider in the Nordic region, Telenor has entered one of the most exciting new markets of the digital age. For almost fifty years, television has been one of the world’s most effective, fastest-growing tools to reach the mass market. This growth has been spurred by the introduction of colour, stereo sound, improvements in picture quality and cable systems that provide viewers with more channels than ever before. But for all its advantages, watching television can often feel like having a one-way conversation with a fast-talking salesman who won’t let you get a word in edgeways. Until now. “iTV allows TV viewers to become TV users,” says Espen Asheim, Zonavi’s new managing director. “Zonavi will allow TV users to control, communicate and interact not only with their TVs, but with individuals on TV and other users.” Eventually, Zonavi will provide users the opportunity to shop, play games, exchange messages with other users, participate in interactive gaming and have more control over a broad spectrum of their TV’s functions. Good market, easy sell As the Nordic region’s first interactive TV company, Zonavi will benefit from the first-provider advantage. But according to Asheim, the company faces many challenges. “We are not simply offering a new product, but introducing a whole new concept to the market,” he says. He explained that educating the market on the advantages of iTV is a key step and that unless they design a service that appeals to the end-user, the technology might not catch on. “It is important that people understand that iTV is not simply Internet on TV,” he says, “but enhanced TV.” While competing systems exist in the United States and Europe, Asheim believes the Nordic region is an ideal test market. “The Nordic region leads the world in Internet penetration and mobile phone use, and consumers in these markets are quick to adapt to new technologies,” he says. For this reason, Zonavi has plans to launch in both Norway and Sweden before offering services to other markets in Europe. Walled garden Zonavi will be available sometime next year. Early users will be able to navigate through what Asheim describes as a “walled garden” – a safe, interactive virtual playground of options and services. As new features become available and TV shows begin to respond to demand for more interactive content, Zonavi will offer more interactive services. For instance, a football supporter will be able to vote for player of the game, join a chat room, exchange messages and buy team merchandise – all with a click of his remote control. While Zonavi will be launched on Telenor’s own network, it will function as a “content aggregator”; a company that will seek partnerships with third-party service providers, such as clothing, CD or electronics vendors. In this way, the service will act like a portal, and because Zonavi is focused on open standards, it will allow any company to develop and offer new services for Zonavi. Asheim is quick to point out that ITV users, unlike surfers on the Internet, will be offered quick access to popular pre-selected products. Zonavi has already secured agreements with 20 third-party service providers, but within the next five years, Asheim believes that number could grow to 150. “Part of Zonavi’s success will depend on both the number and the quality of our third-party service providers.” Killer apps Like many other new technologies or applications, Zonavi must prove itself to be as indispensable to modern life as the telephone, refrigerator or home PC in order to make a real impact. And while these “killer applications” are notoriously difficult to predict, Asheim believes that simple messaging and related interactive services will help create a virtual community that will change how people view their TVs. “Zonavi will enable people to interact through a familiar medium in an enhanced TV environment,” he says. It is for this reason that designers at Zonavi are determined to make the system easy to use. “Content is King,” says Asheim. “Many companies offer broadband services, but it is content, not technology, that drives demand.” NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION IN THE UNITED STATES, CANADA, AUSTRALIA AND JAPAN Direct to: Press releases | Annual Report - 1999 | Telenor Xpress | Sitemap Last updated: 18.10.00. Feedback ^ Top of page © Telenor 2000 |
|
| aus der Diskussion: | Internordic: Seit Ihr eigentlich blind????? |
| Autor (Datum des Eintrages): | junkstro (23.11.00 11:05:21) |
| Beitrag: | 2 von 47 (ID:2404139) |
| Alle Angaben ohne Gewähr © wallstreetONLINE | |