Telstra's scoops in-house YouTube contender
Injects US$35m into Ooyala
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Telstra’s Application and Ventures group, quietly created last year and headed by Deena Schiff, has made its first international play leading a US$35 million investment in video platform Ooyala.
Ooyala is part of a slew of competing YouTube-for-enterprise styled IP video companies currently vying for acquisition or additional capital. Founded by a cabal of former Googleplexers, Ooyala differentiates itself by hosting promotional and brand integrated videos and is bolstered by back end smarts that track audience engagement.
The timing of the investment and blossoming relationship is curious as Telstra’s IPTV operations undergoes its biggest review to date under its new group managing director, Digital Media, Rick Ellis. The review has already resulted in the loss of a stream of Telstra digital media executives and much speculation as to the future viability of the IPTV division .
As part of the investment Telstra is in the midst of broking a commercial agreement where the carrier will become a client and reseller deploying Ooyala software, analytics and service offerings throughout Australia. According to the Ooyala announcement Telstra’s current multi-device IPTV offerings will be “enhanced” through the integration of Ooyala’s online video technology and analytics.
The announcement adds that “Telstra will work closely with Ooyala to allow for the smooth transition of services and allow customers to reap the benefits of the new model,” but did not outline how existing services would be change and if any existing supplier agreements would be affected.
Ooyala said it would use its Series E funding to support the expansion of its international operations, building on its existing footprint in Europe, Asia Australia and Latin America . It will also focus on meeting increased demand from multi-service operators and TV programmers.
Telstra, led the round, with prior investors Sierra Ventures, Rembrandt Venture Partners and CID Group participating in addition to other strategic investors. Telstra media director Gary Traver, said, “with Ooyala’s robustness and focus on personalization and profitability, it is becoming the platform on which the next generation of large-scale deployments are built.”
Telstra will join Ooyala’s network of major reseller partners that include Telefonica and Yahoo! Japan. ®
COMMENTS
"promotional and brand integrated videos"?
I assume this means ads.
I can't wait.
Telstra - meaning the people who run it and work in it....
It's one of the fucking worst companies EVER, that I have had to do business with.
When I dumped them and went to another service provider... they then put the EX customers on a hassle plan to make them sign up. And they do these calls every three months and they keep on doing it every three months... even after you tell them to fuck off and not ring your number again.
And their re-recruit the EX customers calls are typical corporate moron bullshit calls... their offers are the worst and most expensive on the market, and they know you went to another provider, that is doing 3 to 5 times the data at 1/3 the price and they make an offer of delivering the same services at the same price, that was so bad and such a rip off - which were the grounds for sacking them the last time...
Like "Oh Duh" .
The last time I got one of these idiot calls, my answer came to this, "Can you match or beat the prices and plans that I am currently getting?" (usually 1/3 to 1/4 of Telstras prices)
"No."
"Then what are you ringing me for?", followed by, "I fired you, meaning this corporation, because of the blatanly rip off prices and extremely bad service - and you can't or won't match the better service providers prices and standards of service - so why are you ringing me up to waste my time with your bullshit offers?"
(No answer)
I close the deal with, "Take my number off your list of people to call - and never ring me again - OK."
3 months later, another idiot customer re-recruitment call.....
"Hi...... Who is the national sales manager? Ohhh OK.....Can you forward this message to Mr So and So, your Australian sales manager, "I have asked you not to call me again and to take my number off your list for the "recruitment of ex customers" drive. It hasn't been done. The next time you call me, you can tell him that I will be coming to his place at a time that suits me, probably about 2 or 3am, and I will be knocking on his door, and I will be telling him in no uncertain terms, to fuck off and never call me again."
This seems to be the ONLY way that these arseholes take the hint.
The bullshit, the lying, the ripp off prices, the scams and the covering ups, and the totally bullshit service...
Telstra media director Gary Traver, said, “with Ooyala’s robustness and focus on personalization and profitability, it is becoming the platform on which the next generation of large-scale deployments are built.”
Sounds like a big girls blouse. Hot air and nothing to say.
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