PRESS RELEASE
Transformative new UK TV service YouView marks full commercial debut of Huawei's UK set-top box business and demonstrates its new UK tech leadership
London, UK, November 23, 2012: Huawei, a leading global information and communications technology (ICT) solutions provider, today announces the commercial debut of its UK set-top box business with roll-out of its YouView box nationwide. The move goes further to establish Huawei as a technology leader and a powerful new brand in the UK consumer market.
Backed by some of the UK's biggest names in TV and broadband - the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5, TalkTalk, BT and Arqiva - YouView brings a fully integrated TV service to homes via a hybrid set-top box, connected by internet and television aerial.
In October UK broadband and TV provider TalkTalk embarked upon a major installation programme of Huawei's YouView set-top boxes in British homes. Currently running at 1,000 connections per day, 29,000 homes are already watching YouView over the TalkTalk network via a Huawei set-top box.
Strategic partner
Huawei is a strategic partner to YouView and exclusive hardware supplier to TalkTalk at launch of the service. TalkTalk is providing free Huawei-branded set-top boxes to customers taking the YouView service with its broadband packages at no additional subscription charge.
The TalkTalk partnership will contribute immediately and majorly to Huawei's UK growth story. It reinforces both Huawei's brand and technology leadership in the UK consumer market, and reaffirms its commitment to bring ground-breaking technology to the UK consumer mass market.
Huawei UK and Ireland Executive Vice President Mark Mitchinson said: "This is an era-defining moment in British television, just as the introduction of 4G services is for the UK mobile market. Huawei's technology is at the heart of both of these revolutions. YouView delivers a comprehensive and easy-to-use TV experience, which is hugely compelling, and will come to define British TV viewing habits going forward.
"Our partnership with TalkTalk is strategic and long-running, and goes to a new level with this project. TalkTalk's strategy for YouView is to bring pay-TV services to a wider mass market. This chimes with our own ethos - that cutting-edge technology can make lives better and should be accessible to as many people as possible."
Integrated proposition
YouView combines digital TV and radio with seven-day catch-up - from BBC iPlayer, ITV Player, 4oD and 5 on Demand - plus on-demand services and a developing range of premium video content. The easy-to-use service has over 70 live digital channels and additional content from Now TV, milkshake! and STV. It includes record, pause and rewind functionality, as well as a simple search feature.
TalkTalk's proposition includes the TalkTalk Player, offering additional content including premium Sky Sports and Movies on a flexible monthly basis.
YouView Chief Executive Officer Richard Halton said: "YouView seamlessly combines catch-up and on-demand television offering consumers a fantastic way to enjoy their favourite TV. Huawei has been a great partner and met a challenging timescale to deliver its product. Through its work with TalkTalk, it has played a key role in bringing YouView to the widest possible audience."
Challenging schedule
Huawei was inducted as YouView partner in the final wave of hardware manufacturers in late December 2010. Real engagement started subsequently in February 2011, when first-wave manufacturers had been on board for up to a year already. Following the withdrawal of certain manufacturers from the process, Huawei accelerated development to meet TalkTalk's demanding delivery schedule.
TalkTalk Chief Executive Officer Dido Harding said: "This was a challenging project from an engineering point of view, and Huawei has delivered at every turn. It came on board relatively late in the programme and its R&D functions in the UK and China have done all that we asked of them. Huawei has demonstrated phenomenal commitment and expertise to deliver a set-top box and software solution which offers outstanding performance and quality."
Huawei will launch new YouView set-top boxes through 2013, as the YouView service gains increased momentum and Huawei's UK business and consumer brand expands.
Huawei has recorded remarkable growth in its set-top box business since its foundation in 2004, with more than 30 service providers now taking its solutions in 10 international markets. In the past five years, it has recorded compound annual growth of 40% per annum. Its global shipments so far this year total seven million units. The YouView box is the first set-top box Huawei has launched in the UK.
About Huawei Device:
Huawei Device products cover a wide range of market sectors including mobile phones, mobile broadband devices, and home devices. Our products also include the Hi Space App Store and the Management Cloud, which are solutions that make devices smarter and easier to use. With our primary focus on the consumers, Huawei Device is committed to creating the most influential smart device brands in the world, providing user-friendly mobile Internet experiences. As of the end of 2010, Huawei Device's products were available through more than 500 operators all over the world. Huawei Device has established strategic partnerships with many of the world's leading operators including Telefónica, China Mobile, Vodafone, T-Mobile, BT, China Telecom, NTT Docomo, France Telecom, and China Unicom.
About YouView:
YouView is a subscription-free and easy to use TV service with over 70 live digital channels. It seamlessly combines seven day catch-up on BBC iPlayer, ITV Player, 4oD and Demand 5 with a library of on demand television programmes, films and radio. A range of quality content is available from partners including Now TV powered by Sky, milkshake! and STV. YouView has record, pause and rewind TV functionality as well as a simple search feature.
YouView is offered as part of broadband bundles from TalkTalk and BT. It is also available to buy from all major retailers and many independent electrical stores including John Lewis, Currys Digital, Argos, Tesco, Amazon, Richer Sounds and Euronics.
For more information visit: www.youview.com and on Twitter @YouView.
