Ghislain Lescuyer,executive vice president of access platforms and gateways at Thomson, believes PVRs (Personal Video Recorders) are now a key feature in pay-TV operators’ strategies going forward. Thomson is one of the major suppliers of STBs (Set-Top Boxes) to satellite pay-TV operators worldwide. Lescuyer told Satellite Today, “PVR is a key feature in operators’ service strategy moving forward. This is not to say that the basic STB has had its day, it is after all the cheapest method to acquire a pay-TV subscriber. However, the PVR is also driving new applications and new ways of watching TV, which in turn are opening up new revenue streams to operators.”

In a separate announcement, Thomson announced that it acquired Inventel, a provider of innovative voice and data solutions to telecom operators and ISPs. This deal will strengthen Thomson’s capabilities of being a major player in the IPTV space.

An exclusive in-depth interview with Ghislain Lescuyer can be found in the March 30^th issue of Inside Digital TV. For more information about subscribing to Access Intelligence’s satellite newsletters, visit our Web site at https://www.satellitetoday.com.