Accenture Buys IPTV Assets From Nokia Siemens Network

Accenture has acquired the software and related assets of Nokia Siemens Networks’ IPTV business, which the global consulting firm said will beef up its offerings for building over-the-top TV services.

Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. About 20 NSN employees located in offices across Europe and the U.S. are transferring to Accenture as a result of the deal.

Accenture said it will integrate NSN’s IPTV software, assets and capabilities with the Accenture Video Solution, a software product and a suite of services designed to let companies launch Internet-delivered TV and video services while reducing the initial costs of IT and infrastructure setup. According to Accenture, the breadth of its offerings span virtually any video content in any format, across every network on any device, including smartphones, tablets, PCs and television sets.

Customers of the Accenture Video Solution include The Netherlands’ KPN and Mediaset, Italy’s largest commercial broadcaster, which launched an OTT television service called Premium Play combining linear TV and interactive IP video services.

“The combination of Nokia Siemens Networks’ IPTV assets with Accenture’s over-the-top TV software and capabilities, will deliver an exciting new combination of services to the global video industry,” Marco Vernocchi, managing director of Accenture’s Media & Entertainment industry group, said in announcing the acquisition. “The scalable and flexible end solution we are creating will help video service providers dramatically change the way they approach content distribution while balancing costs.”

Accenture, whose headquarters is in Dublin, Ireland, has 257,000 employees serving clients in more than 120 countries. The company generated net revenue of $27.9 billion for the fiscal year ended Aug. 31.

Nokia Siemens Networks, a joint venture of Nokia and Siemens, is a telecommunications-equipment company based in Finland.