Akado rolls out interactive set-top

Russian service provider Akado has begun rolling out advanced interactive set-top boxes to its Moscow region subscribers.

Akado said that rollout meant that its interactive TV offering could now be used with “any TV” as well as via smart TV, computers, tablets and smartphones.

New functionality available to users of the Akado interactive set-top include access to 14-day catch-up TV, as well as an interactive programme guide. Other features include pause live TV and the ability to stop watching on TV and pick up from where the viewer left off on a mobile phone and tablet with the Akado TV application.

The console can be connected to home WiFi networks both in the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands.

Akado tapped Russian technology outfit LifeStream, its existing partner for the smart TV and mobile device-based service, for the set-top rollout. The operator is using LifeStream’s Android-based Smoshtreshka box

Akado launched the interactive TV offering on mobile and smart TV platforms in February with 170 channels, making the service available to users outside their home and outside the Moscow region in which it operates.

The operator signed up its first 1,000 customers for the new service in May.