Medianet achieves success with SmartLabs multi-screen
IPTV provision in the Maldives
Medianet, the largest independent cable television provider in Maldives has chosen SmartLabs to
offer a multi-screen, multi-network IPTV streaming solution. The offering has gone live to
Medianet’s existing subscribers and has the capacity to support a much higher number of users
when tourism returns to its peak following the Coronavirus pandemic, where during its busier
periods, the population in Maldives swells to 1.5 million.
During the first half of 2021, Medianet launched its new mobile service, Multi-Screen, and its STB-
less solution MSTV SmartLabs. Medianet has enabled free mobile hotspots around Male’ and
Hulhumale where customers can seamlessly connect and watch Multi-Screen rather than being
hampered by crippling mobile data costs.
SmartLabs has used Medianet’s existing hardware and migrated its previous offering to Android
AOSP for set top boxes, saving Medianet both time and money. Medianet is using the full suite of
SmartLabs’ solutions including SmartMedia for its interactive features and the SmartCare analytics
engine, which helps operators and content providers understand audience behaviour and changes in
viewing habits, enabling them to reduce customer churn and offer a better customer experience.
As part of the solution, SmartLabs was tasked with specific features including bespoke messaging,
where it adapted its existing messaging platform to enable a call to prayer feature to pop up on the
screen five times a day. Medianet wanted a lower cost, practical and pragmatic way to control the
illegal use and sharing of its content. SmartLabs has introduced a watermarking messaging solution
that comes from the SmartTUBE headend so that messaging appears on all devices. The service
provider is also using SmartLabs Mosaic Channel feature, which lets users view multiple channels on
a single screen. Medianet knew its customers liked this feature and wanted to bring this
customisation across from the cable to the IP world.
Gary Hamer, SmartLabs’ SVP Sales and Business Development, says: “After an initial meeting, all of
the solution requirements, technical development, R&D, installation and technical support has been
done remotely because of the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns. We have offered a
customised, cost-effective solution and Medianet is delighted. We are thrilled Medianet chose
SmartLabs as part of its growth strategy and are looking forward to working with it on new
developments in the future.”
Ahmed Shafeeu CEO, Medianet, says: “SmartLabs has supported us through the migration of our
Ahmed Shafeeu CEO, Medianet
platform with a step-by-step approach, keeping us ahead of any challenges which has made the
whole process smoother for our business and seamless for our subscribers.”
About SmartLabs
SmartLabs is the leading provider of multi-screen, multi-network solutions for the video streaming sector.
SmartLabs’ solutions deliver content services to over six million subscribers around the globe on multiple
devices from set-top boxes to mobile phones. Its client base includes O2, Rostelecom, Baltcom, PrimeTel and
OptiTV to name a few. SmartLabs partners with 25 IPTV market leaders including Apple, Microsoft, Google,
Samsung and LG. It has offices in Berlin, London, Moscow and St Petersburg and has over 10 years of
experience creating innovative solutions for the interactive TV market.
For more information, visit:
smartlabs.tv