Free TV looks to Redge Media for streaming launch

New Israeli multiplay provider Free TV, has tapped technology outfit Redge Technologies, Redge Media offering for its planned streaming TV service.

Free TV, a joined venture of Keshet media group and RGE group, is a new Israeli telecom operator which plans to bring to the Israeli market combined streaming TV and fibre-based internet services offered independently or as a premium bundle.

Free TV is expected to be launched by end of 2022.  The deployment is the first in the MENA region for Redge Media, the market it is targeting first following deployments in central and eastern Europe.

Content and media group Keshet’s holdings in Israel include Channel 12, the country’s most popular TV channel, news app N12 and entertainment portal Mako.

RGE is a major player in Israel in the fields of sports and children content.

Free TV has selected Redge Media as the new platform providing a complete ecosystem of front end, back end and video processing. According to Redge, the partnership aims to deploy the largest streaming platform in the MENA region.

Redge Media is a video streaming platform for broadcasters and telcos comprising a Service Delivery Platform and Video Delivery Platform.

The platform is designed to enable telcos to provide VOD and video streaming services. The Redge Media SDP consists of digital asset management, a content management system and applications for a range of end platforms including connected TVs, game consoles and mobile devices.

The VDP comprises transcoding, origin, multi-DRM and CDN distribution of multimedia content.

“We have chosen the best video platform ecosystem to suit our vision, extensive requirements, and high standards. The Redge Media video solution and its talented team are tailored to the scale and requirements of our project, and we trust that this exciting cooperation will result one of the best promising and exciting streaming experience in the MENA region,” said Rami David, chief technology officer of Free TV.

“Winning the FreeTV tender is the greatest recognition for Redge Media technical excellence, strengthening our global position. In a globalised world geographic business boundaries are blurring; we are able to implement projects for the clients from the other side of the world. I’m excited that Redge Media will be responsible for the deployment of the largest OTT project in the MENA region. It is a great privilegem” said Andrzej Nowak, implementation department director at Redge Technologies.