Ensequence Lands Cox
By Karen Brown -- Multichannel News, 4/2/2006 8:00:00 PM
Interactive-TV technology provider Ensequence got a major boost this week, announcing a deal with U.S. cable operator Cox Communications Inc.
The 6-year-old Portland, Ore.-based firm also released new software for developing TV services.
Atlanta-based Cox can use Ensequence's software to launch future interactive-TV applications, such as at-your-fingertips access to video clips, biographies and other background on sporting events.
Ensequence's signature product is on-Q, a set of software tools to help developers and content providers create, manage and broadcast interactive shows and commercials. Its focus so far has been in the United Kingdom, where it has landed contracts with the British Broadcasting Corp. and satellite provider British Sky Broadcasting plc.
While the on-Q software will help Cox create its own interactive offerings, one of the first such applications may actually come from Ensequence. Even before the Cox deal was announced, Ensequence had been working with the cable operator and World Wrestling Entertainment Inc. to create an on-demand sales application that will provide added information — including video from past matches and wrestler biographies — for pay-per-view events such as the WrestleMania series.
“It gives you a lot more information, a lot more video, with related fights and fighters, etc.,” said Ensequence vice president of marketing Aslam Khader. “Then it basically prompts you to respond and buy the pay-per-view that is coming up.”
Neither Cox nor WWE have bought a license to deploy the application as yet.
Meanwhile, Ensequence is also pulling the wraps off on-Q Publish, a new interactive content-production software package it will formally roll out in May. On-Q Publish offers cable operators a way to quickly update and publish interactive TV content.
Cost depends on how many user licenses the customer wants, but the on-Q Publish software starts at $25,000.
A lack of tools has hindered the development of interactive-TV applications and advertising, said Gary Schultz, president and principal analyst at Multimedia Research Group Inc. which has been tracking developments in both those fields. That's where Ensequence plays in.
“I see them sort of trying to position themselves as a DreamWeaver for ITV,” he said, referring to the Macromedia software for creating Web sites.
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