Synacor: Our TVE Authentication Angle ‘In Alignment’ with CTAM Guidelines

Noting that deployments of home-based authentication and single sign-on have already reduced friction for its clients, Synacor said its approach to TV Everywhere “is in alignment with CTAM guidelines” soon after CTAM and Adobe announced an “industry standard” aimed at making it easier for pay TV subs to sign on to TVE apps from programmers and MVPDs.

“Synacor’s approach to TV Everywhere authentication is in alignment with CTAM guidelines, including those for Home-Based Authentication, that Synacor has specifically helped shape through our long-standing participation in the OATC,” John Kavanagh, senior director, authentication platform at Synacor, said in a statement to Multichannel News.

Synacor “looks forward to continuing to deploy Cloud ID Advanced Authentication, Synacor's identity management platform that already implements many of CTAM’s recommended HBA & SSO best practices,” he added, noting that the company has been an early adopter of new authentication technologies such as OpenID Connect

CTAM said parts of this solution for in-home and out-of-home TVE authentication will be available this year, and that it’s part of a TVE- focused collaboration between the organization and the OATC (Open Authentication Technology Committee). Several programmers and MVPDs have committed to deploying this new “unified” TVE solution in the next six to 12 months: A+E Networks, AMC Networks, Comcast, Cox Communications, Disney/ESPN, Fox Networks Group, Mediacom Communications, NBCUniversal, Scripps Networks Interactive, Turner and Viacom.

Synacor, a company that specializes in TVE authentication systems and customized portal services, has customers that include AT&T, Armstrong, Atlantic Broadband, CenturyLink, Blue Ridge Communications, Cincinnati Bell, Hargray, Consolidated Communications, GCI, BendBroadband/TDS, Suddenlink (Altice), WideOpenWest, Verizon, Midco, Cable One, Charter Communications, Grande Communications and Hawaiian Telecom, among others. Sling TV, Dish’s OTT-TV service, uses Synacor’s Cloud ID platform.

“Synacor’s deployments of HBA and SSO,” Kavanagh added, “have already reduced friction for our Cloud ID Advanced customers; we’re thrilled that CTAM is ready to push for adoption of similar experiences across the entire industry.”