BSkyB acquires Acetrax

Quietly announced in its financial report released today, BSkyB purchased Acetrax, a small over the top internet TV provider, in April 2012.

Acetrax provides a transactional video on demand service to a wide range of internet-connected devices, often pre-embedded as an app on Smart TVs.

The report states that “the acquisition will support the continued development of Sky’s OTT activities and further strengthen relationships with connected device manufacturers and content providers”.

Speaking to MediaTel’s ConnectedTV product, convergent media specialist Graham Lovelace, director of Lovelace Consulting, said: “This is a smart move by Sky into smart TV. Acetrax has apps in a broad range of connected TV devices available in the UK and Ireland as well as Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Austria and France. Relationships with consumer electronics companies and technical know-how can now be used to power Sky’s roll-out of TV apps beyond its own IP-enabled TV set-top box.

“The acquisition also gives Sky a great deal of user knowledge in the emerging connected TV content market as well as user data which can be used to market its connected TV apps.”