Wire: The Tasmanian Government and Hybrid TV unite to launch the Hybrid SmartStreet Project

Tasmania, Australia, (Inquisitr Wire): Hybrid Television Services (ANZ) Pty Limited, the exclusive licensee of TiVo(r) in Australia and New Zealand along with Tasmanian Premier David Bartlett, today announced the launch of the “Hybrid SmartStreet Project” in Tasmania.

The Hybrid SmartStreet Project runs for 12 months across existing fibre-connected homes on the TasCOLT network currently serviced by TasTel Community Telco. Households who opt in to the Project will receive a TiVo media device and access to broadband movies, TV and music as well as services developed specifically for the television for access and control using their TV remote.

The aim of the project is to facilitate greater awareness and understanding of the tangible benefits the National Broadband Network (NBN) will bring to Australians.

The Project will demonstrate the value of converged digital broadcast with broadband content delivered over high speed internet through the TiVo media device. The TiVo device currently provides access and control of all the Freeview channels and is HD Digital Ready to the Federal Government’s Get Ready for Digital Scheme. In addition to digital TV access, is Hybrid TV’s new content and service platform, CASPA(tm). CASPA(tm) On-Demand is the most comprehensive broadband entertainment service made for television. This combination of digital TV and broadband entertainment forms the ideal solution for testing consumer behavior and adoption of broadband entertainment in parallel to free-to-air TV consumption.

The research will provide an understanding of broadcast TV behaviour – both live and time shifted viewing as well as broadband entertainment usage in a high speed, unlimited data consumption environment.
CASPA, will launch with more than 1000 hours of on-demand movie, TV and music content as well as core services. Specific Government and community services will also be rolled out under the Hybrid SmartStreet Project via the CASPA platform, including education, health and emergency services.

“Many people do not understand what the NBN is – let alone the impact it will have in our own home. People want to understand the ‘why’ and the ‘how is it better than what we have today’. Our aim is to demystify what the NBN means, remove technological jargon from the equation and enable Australians to understand how a product such as a TiVo can be turbo-charged by an internet speed up to 200x faster than the average internet connection.

“A National Broadband Network is not about faster web browsing, or quicker emails. It is about high resolution video content delivered outside the PC and onto the television – as entertainment, as education and a variety of services in the home never before experienced over broadband – let alone a television. We are proud to partner with the Tasmanian Government on this journey of exploration and learning. Premier Bartlett understands the importance of this mission and we look forward to sharing our findings with the rest of Australia in the lead up to the reaslisation of our broadband connected country.” said Robbee Minicola, CEO of Hybrid TV.

“This Project is another important step in realising our goal for Tasmania to be the most connected place on the planet by 2014. We were the only State in the nation to commit to the $5 million bond required by the Commonwealth to bid to be a part of the National Broadband Network process.

“The debate now has to move from broadband infrastructure and rollout schedules – to showing people what can be done as a result of having it. The NBN has to move from the minds of technology boffins to the kitchen tables of working families. At every step – we have put up our hand in Tasmania and said we are ready to be digital leaders – the Hybrid SmartStreet Project is yet another example of our proactive stance in building a connected future”, said Premier Bartlett.