The UAE telecommunications operator du is close to finalising a deal to offer video on demand (VOD) services over its new web platform and internet TV service.
The company is in discussions with the On Demand Group, the UK company that provides VOD services over du's internet protocol television (IPTV) network. Under an extension of the existing deal that is under negotiation, similar services would be offered over du's Anayou web portal and Nxt internet-TV console.
VOD allows users to watch TV series, films and other video content whenever they want, with the option of pausing and rewinding shows. It is currently available over IPTV in the UAE, through both pay-per-view and subscription models.
"We are extending these content management services for du on the main IPTV platform to be carried on Nxt and on Anayou," said Georges Dabaghi, On Demand Group's general manager for the Middle East.
"We're doing that deal, it's going to be announced in due course," said a senior executive at du, who declined to be named. "We're close to finalising a deal [with On Demand Group]." Extending VOD services over the web will provide a new revenue stream for du.
Anayou - which will showcase music, videos, gaming and news as well as a social network service similar to Facebook - will be geared towards the entire Arab world. It will also be available via Nxt, du's internet TV service that will be offered across the MENA region. The Nxt console will supplement regular TV channels by overlaying social networking, applications and VOD services.
The deal marks "an extension of that [VOD] platform within the umbrella of du services," said Mr Dabaghi.
"Today, we are managing the video-on-demand service for du. And that starts with acquiring the rights of content from studios like Hollywood, Bollywood and some Arabic sources.
"We administrate it, so there is an aspect of compliance: editing it; making sure that it fits to the requirements in the UAE; encoding it to the right format to the platform that will carry it; scheduling it and agreeing the promotional and marketing campaign that du needs to do."
"IPTV … today is restricted to the captive area of du's [network] - in the Marina area and places where du has an infrastructure for IPTV. And what we are doing is extending the content services for Anayou and for Nxt," he added.
On Demand Group, a subsidiary of SeaChange International, also manages the on-demand and pay-per-view businesses of providers such as Virgin Media.
Mr Dabaghi said there was great "growth potential" for VOD in the region. For "transactional VOD", where users pay each time they view a film or TV show, he targeted year-on-year growth "in excess of 50 per cent". And for "subscription VOD", where users pay a flat fee for unlimited access to content, he said "40 per cent-plus" of IPTV subscribers was the target.
The company said it was talking to "virtually every operator" in the Middle East telecoms industry about providing VOD services. "If all these VOD services start to take shape in the UAE, it's infective. Saudi Arabia will want the same and Qatar will want similar. It's a service that matures and the end-user expectation will be driven by what they see in other countries."
Mr Dabaghi also said On Demand Group was in "general discussions" with du's rival Etisalat.
Mario Pino, the director for business development and strategy at Etisalat, confirmed such discussions were "ongoing". He said Etisalat would launch a "competitive" VOD offering by the end of the year.
He did not say whether On Demand Group would be involved in the launch.
bflanagan@thenational.ae
Emergency
Director: Kangana Ranaut
Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry
Rating: 2/5
RESULT
Bayern Munich 5 Eintrracht Frankfurt 2
Bayern: Goretzka (17'), Müller (41'), Lewandowski (46'), Davies (61'), Hinteregger (74' og)
Frankfurt: Hinteregger (52', 55')
MATCH INFO
Borussia Dortmund 0
Bayern Munich 1 (Kimmich 43')
Man of the match: Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich)
More from Aya Iskandarani
The specs
Engine: 2.9-litre, V6 twin-turbo
Transmission: seven-speed PDK dual clutch automatic
Power: 375bhp
Torque: 520Nm
Price: Dh332,800
On sale: now
What went into the film
25 visual effects (VFX) studios
2,150 VFX shots in a film with 2,500 shots
1,000 VFX artists
3,000 technicians
10 Concept artists, 25 3D designers
New sound technology, named 4D SRL
THE BIO
Bio Box
Role Model: Sheikh Zayed, God bless his soul
Favorite book: Zayed Biography of the leader
Favorite quote: To be or not to be, that is the question, from William Shakespeare's Hamlet
Favorite food: seafood
Favorite place to travel: Lebanon
Favorite movie: Braveheart
FIXTURES
All times UAE ( 4 GMT)
Saturday
Fiorentina v Torino (8pm)
Hellas Verona v Roma (10.45pm)
Sunday
Parma v Napoli (2.30pm)
Genoa v Crotone (5pm)
Sassuolo v Cagliari (8pm)
Juventus v Sampdoria (10.45pm)
Monday
AC Milan v Bologna (10.45om)
Playing September 30
Benevento v Inter Milan (8pm)
Udinese v Spezia (8pm)
Lazio v Atalanta (10.45pm)
Paatal Lok season two
Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy
Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong
Rating: 4.5/5
Tips on buying property during a pandemic
Islay Robinson, group chief executive of mortgage broker Enness Global, offers his advice on buying property in today's market.
While many have been quick to call a market collapse, this simply isn’t what we’re seeing on the ground. Many pockets of the global property market, including London and the UAE, continue to be compelling locations to invest in real estate.
While an air of uncertainty remains, the outlook is far better than anyone could have predicted. However, it is still important to consider the wider threat posed by Covid-19 when buying bricks and mortar.
Anything with outside space, gardens and private entrances is a must and these property features will see your investment keep its value should the pandemic drag on. In contrast, flats and particularly high-rise developments are falling in popularity and investors should avoid them at all costs.
Attractive investment property can be hard to find amid strong demand and heightened buyer activity. When you do find one, be prepared to move hard and fast to secure it. If you have your finances in order, this shouldn’t be an issue.
Lenders continue to lend and rates remain at an all-time low, so utilise this. There is no point in tying up cash when you can keep this liquidity to maximise other opportunities.
Keep your head and, as always when investing, take the long-term view. External factors such as coronavirus or Brexit will present challenges in the short-term, but the long-term outlook remains strong.
Finally, keep an eye on your currency. Whenever currency fluctuations favour foreign buyers, you can bet that demand will increase, as they act to secure what is essentially a discounted property.
How to avoid crypto fraud
- Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
- Use an offline private key, a physical device that requires manual activation, whenever you access your wallet.
- Avoid suspicious social media ads promoting fraudulent schemes.
- Only invest in crypto projects that you fully understand.
- Critically assess whether a project’s promises or returns seem too good to be true.
- Only use reputable platforms that have a track record of strong regulatory compliance.
- Store funds in hardware wallets as opposed to online exchanges.
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What can you do?
Document everything immediately; including dates, times, locations and witnesses
Seek professional advice from a legal expert
You can report an incident to HR or an immediate supervisor
You can use the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation’s dedicated hotline
In criminal cases, you can contact the police for additional support
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
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The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Mamo Year it started: 2019 Founders: Imad Gharazeddine, Asim Janjua Based: Dubai, UAE Number of employees: 28 Sector: Financial services Investment: $9.5m Funding stage: Pre-Series A Investors: Global Ventures, GFC, 4DX Ventures, AlRajhi Partners, Olive Tree Capital, and prominent Silicon Valley investors. 