Accelerating the emerging race to ubiquitous IPTV and video, Cisco said it is acquiring ExtendMedia, a provider of video content management systems. The acquisition is part of Cisco’s multiscreen-TV strategy to help service providers deliver IP video on PCs, mobile devices, TVs, and tablet computers.
"ExtendMedia will strengthen Cisco's position in the delivery of IP video services by enabling service providers to provide a more interactive and personal experience and to optimize quality for consumer viewing devices," said Enrique Rodriguez, senior vice president and general manager for Cisco's Service Provider Video Technology Group, in a statement. Rodriguez joined the network equipment giant earlier this year from Microsoft
Founded in 1999, ExtendMedia makes software for content management systems that enable video to be distributed over many types of networks, to many types of devices. In partnership with Bell Canada, the company recently launched a ubiquitous-TV service. After being folded into Cisco’s current IP video line, Extend’s software “will be a core component of Cisco's next-generation video architecture," the company said.
Since its acquisition of set-top box maker Scientific Atlanta five years ago, Cisco has sought to become a major force in the emerging architecture of IPTV and streaming video systems. That puts it in competition with big cablecos like Comcast, which itself acquired CMS provider thePlatform back in 1996.
"thePlatform has consistently predicted further consolidation in the white-label OVP (online video platform) space, and today's acquisition of ExtendMedia by Cisco is simply part of this trend," said thePlatform, which has continued to serve other MSOs, along with Comcast, in a statement. "Serving the premium video market requires scale and resources, as thePlatform knows from a decade of experience.
The purchase will also further enhance Cisco’s new CRS-3 carrier router system, released in March, which is designed to enable ultra-fast downloads of movies and other video content.
