Inter BEE 2014 Fuji TV: "Fuji TV NEXTsmart" is your 4th TV, viewable on smartphones; cloud-based transmission, using smartphones to spread a new TV culture

　Fuji Television (booth 6704) is showcasing its 24-hour comprehensive paid Internet channel "Fuji TV NEXTsmart" (http://www.fujitv.co.jp/nextsmart/). Fuji Television officially launched Fuji TV NEXTsmart on March 14 and has positioned the service as "your 4th TV," after terrestrial broadcast, broadcast satellite, and communications satellite. Theirs is Japan's first 24-hour comprehensive paid Internet TV channel.

■ Enjoy live programming from communications satellites outdoors
　Fuji TV NEXTsmart is a 24-hour simultaneous live streaming service based on the Fuji TV NEXT Live Premium communications satellite broadcast. The service can be viewed with an Internet connection on PCs, but also on smartphones and tablets. Smartphones & tablets must be compatible with iOS 5.0 or later or Android 4.0 or later. The service supports transmission bit rates from 200k to 2Mbps. Multiple bit rate transmission allows the service to automatically select the optimum transmission bit rate for network conditions. Visitors can experience actual Fuji TV NEXTsmart programming through smartphones & tablets available at the Fuji Television booth.
　"So far, communication satellite broadcasts have been usually viewed on stationary TV sets, but Fuji TV NEXTsmart is innovative in that it allows viewers to enjoy CS broadcasts on the go—wherever they go. We want to develop a new audience that hasn't been served by existing satellite broadcasts or cable TV. Viewers can also Tweet their friends while watching Fuji TV NEXTsmart, which we believe creates a viewing environment that increases enthusiasm for the program," tells a presenter.
　The service will also offer a wide variety of programming best viewed live, such as F1 racing, Bundesliga & NBA matches, live music and live comedy shows.
　F1 racing & sports programming will be available for repeat viewing for a limited time after their initial broadcast; viewers can enjoy their favorite scenes anywhere, any time. Fuji Television plans to expand the programming available through NEXTsmart as demand increases. The service costs 1,200 yen per month (plus tax).

■ Japan's first IP simulcasting infrastructure using cloud technology
　Another feature of Fuji TV NEXTsmart is its use of cloud technology. Fuji TV NEXTsmart is currently accessible through the Fuji TV on Demand and SKY PerfecTV! On Demand services; it also began broadcasting through the Niconico Channel on October 1. Its transmission infrastructure was developed based on the Microsoft Azure cloud service. The initiative is Japan's first use of cloud technology for IP simulcasting.
　Taking advantage of cloud technology for NEXTsmart's video transmission platform enables the service to be extremely flexible and respond rapidly to surges in viewership and service expansions. One channel can be transmitted from several points in the cloud, and the infrastructure can automatically switch between transmission points. The system not only reinforces the redundancy essential to 24-hour, 365-day nonstop broadcasting but also provides additional support for NEXTsmart's backup and disaster planning, Fuji says.
On the first (Nov. 19) and second (Nov. 20) days of the Inter BEE exhibition, the Fuji TV booth will feature a "Goals for Fuji TV NEXTsmart" presentation. Fuji aims to whip up enthusiasm for "your 4th TV," and promote the future possibilities of the service.

Fuji Television
2-4-8 Daiba, Minato-ku, Tokyo
URL：http://www.fujitv.co.jp/
Inter BEE Booth: ICT/Cross-Media/Hall 6/6704