ASX-listed VoIP telephony operator Engin is looking to become a triple-play outfit after signing separate deals with Seven Media Group – to market the TiVo personal video recorder – and with Optus – a wholesale deal that will see it offering consumers ADSL2+ broadband Internet access.
Seven last year paid $26 million to take a 34 percent stake in Engin. Engin claims the new arrangements will “see the company lead the market in a combined triple-play, offering voice, TiVo and Internet access via a high speed broadband connection”. While the Internet connection will be via Optus, customers will not have to pay for line rental.
Says Engin CEO Ilkka Tales: “Engin will allow customers to ditch the middleman and have their line set-up exclusively for broadband and Internet telephony, cutting both telephone and access costs and allowing customers asingle point of contact if they need help.”
Engin points out Optus has more than 270 ADSL2+ enabled telephone exchanges throughout the country, with another 366 due to be commissioned by the end of the 2008 financial year.
The latest Seven deal, meanwhile, sees Engin become a primary distributor of TiVo in Australia, exclusively managing mass retail distribution, according to an announcement to the ASX yesterday. The VoIP company already has retail deals with chains like Dick Smith Electronics, Harris Technology and Crazy John’s for its VoIP gear and can be expected to exploit these further for its triple-play.
The agreement also empowers Engin to coordinate product development and marketing of the TiVo brand in Australia; to manage the TiVo Web site; and direct sales efforts.
