[Satellite News 01-06-11] Video transport solutions provider Nevion expects to produce double-digit revenue growth in 2011, which follows a strong performance in 2010, CEO Oddbjørn Bergem told Satellite News.
    “Our own products and offerings are constantly improving and I am confident this will contribute to our success. In particular our portfolio of video-over- IP products has generated a lot of interest and we expect this trend to continue in 2011,” he said.
    With pay-TV operators and broadcasters looking at multi-faceted content offerings, the challenges for a provider such as Nevion become ever more complex, and Bergem believes broadcasters have become “more professional” in their purchasing activities. “A few years ago, decisions were, to a large extent, driven by engineering demands,” he said. “Today, I see much more of a professional attitude on behalf of the purchaser. They have a much stronger say. It is more focused on making the right investment, rather than having the best technical solution, and I think it is very important to make sure we present them with a solution that is technically less complex than it used to be. Rather than looking at advanced technical solutions, they are looking at things that are easier to understand, easier to use and require less training. They are more focused on lifetime costs, whereas before most of the focus was on the initial capital investment.”
    The push for 3-D TV also presents more opportunities, but despite having a strong heritage in 3-D, Bergem is unsure how this market will play out. “Our products can transport 3-D and are doing so. Nevion has been in the 3-D market for several years selling equipment used for 3-D purposes. One example is with a project with NASA where we helped transport video from multiple cameras for 3-D debris analysis of two space shuttle launches. We are 3-D compliant in terms of our products and solutions. I think it is still to be seen whether broadcasters or service providers will invest significantly in 3-D TV. So far, the majority seem somewhat reluctant to invest heavily waiting to see whether 3-D’s just a hype or whether it is a true customer requirement,” he said.
    However, customer demands and what technology can provide is a “mismatch” at the moment, he said. “While the customer is talking about 3-D and 3G with 1080p, in large parts of the world, service providers and broadcasters are struggling to justify the investments from SD to HD, and even in some cases from analog to digital. I think it is important for solution providers like Nevion to understand this. It is tempting to put ourselves on the bandwagon and just go with the newest technology without thinking of the consequences to the customers.”
    Nevion also plans to invest heavily in research and development in 2011 to keep pace in the video transport arena. “In 2011, you’ll see more solutions for contribution and production networks, and video-over-IP will be a focus area for us,” Bergem said.