Back in 2004 it seemed that hardly a week went by between Microsoft announcing a new tier 1 IPTV partner somewhere around the globe, but since the first 14 or so went to work making the system actually function, the announcements have been thin on the ground.
So the fact that a Russian service is about to be launched using Microsoft’s Mediaroom software, can be seen as a sign that all those years of work have now paid off and new customers are emerging. In November Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer signed a $500 million deal with Reliance of India for the system, but Reliance had effectively had a five year trial of the service and had always been one of the Microsoft early partners. We raised the question that the time that $500 million was an unlikely amount for Microsoft ever to get out of such a deal, given that it didn’t get that much from AT&T.
The deal is with VimpelCom Communications and services will be delivered in Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States (‘CIS’) through Corbina TV, powered by Mediaroom and operated by Corbina Telecom, a subsidiary of VimpelCom.
Ballmer once more flew out to Russia to sign the deal with Jean-Pierre Vandromme, EVP of Networks at VimpelCom and the service will have VOD, DVR, and fast search to look up shows using keywords.
Corbina TV will use this to front a triple play service launching any time now, and will use Motorola set tops to deliver a 100 channel service.
Corbina Telecom has fiber in most apartment buildings in Moscow and many other Russian cities