Portugal’s Sonaecom unwires IPTV

Sonaecom, Portugal’s second-largest telecommunications provider, is deploying an 802.11b/g in-home wireless multimedia distribution system from Ruckus Wireless to support its Clix SmarTV IPTV service.

Launched in April 2006, Clix SmarTV was the first IPTV service offered in Portugal and remains the only one available. Susanna Barbato, Sonaecom’s director of IPTV, said in a statement that the carrier’s goal is to move to a self-install model where consumers can receive the Ruckus MediaFlex system from Sonaecom or purchase it in a retail outlet and install the system themselves. “Self installation allows the subscriber to drive the installation process when it is convenient for them without being handcuffed by the operator,” she said.

Longer term, Sonaecom can use the Ruckus system to support both IPTV and data within each subscriber’s home, according to Ruckus. Each Ruckus MediaFlex router supports multiple wireless networks, each of which can be devoted to a specific service with distinct parameters and security settings.