Siemens Communications has acquired Myrio, a supplier of IPTV middleware, for an undisclosed sum. Siemens Venture Capital made a strategic investment in the Seattle-based start-up in late 2003.
Myrio specializes in middleware and applications for home entertainment solutions, which includes components to create a compelling consumer experience and provide network operators with the management systems for pricing, packaging and applications development. The Myrio IP Video Platform consists of two core products, Myrio TotalManage, the back-office subscriber and content-management application, and Myrio Interactive, the full-featured end-user application. The Java-based platform enables the carrier to add new features, such as multiple language support, client Personal Video Recorder (cPVR), and web browser enhancements.
In addition to the account successes with Siemens AG in Europe and Asia, Myrio also has more than 65 other customers globally.
Myrio has about 75 employees.
| The Role of Middleware in Triple Play Networks  As service providers increasingly focus on the operational efficiency aspects of their telco video networks, solution providers have shifted toward the standardization of video system components, particularly the middleware element. |
- In October 2004, Siemens signed a worldwide OEM agreement to sell and integrate the Myrio IP Video Platform with its SURPASS Home Entertainment platform for triple play services.
- In June 2004, Siemens announced that Belgacom was the first carrier to begin testing its SURPASS Home Entertainment solution. For the TV-centric online project, Siemens was working with Myrio for the middleware to enable the application, nCube for the Video on Demand server, Verimatrix for content protection system, and Tandberg Television for the video broadcast equipment.
