iWorld
Etisalat goes live with cloud OTT service using Synamedia’s Infinite Platform
KOLKATA: Synamedia today announced that UAE’s largest operator, Etisalat, has launched SwitchTV, a new direct-to-consumer (D2C) service based on Synamedia’s Infinite cloud TV platform and its end-to-end video network portfolio.
Etisalat, the leading telecommunication operator in emerging markets, chose to work with Synamedia because its technologies provide the flexibility, security and agility needed to support, monetise and scale a multi-screen service with both free and premium live TV channels, catch-up and on-demand. Of particular importance is Synamedia’s private CDN, allowing Etisalat to leverage its infrastructure and private cloud solutions to deliver content to large audiences.
With Infinite, Etisalat can process, secure, distribute and monetise video to all consumer devices. Benefits include the flexibility to offer a choice of SwitchTV subscription packages and different movie rental models. Users can also enjoy a personalised viewing experience, making it easy to find their favorite content and deepening their engagement. With Synamedia’s cloud DVR solution, viewers can record programs in the cloud and watch them on any of their devices. Synamedia also supports Etisalat’s multi-language requirements with channels offering Arabic, Western and Asian content.
In addition, Etisalat is deploying Synamedia’s end-to-end video network to reduce latency at every stage of the video workflow – from encoding through to the CDN and player – while also minimising bandwidth requirements. This ensures that SwitchTV gives viewers a highly reliable, consistently high-quality viewing experience with no interruptions or buffering.
Infinite is pre-integrated with Evergent’s market-leading global revenue and customer lifecycle management platform, giving Etisalat the advantage of a comprehensive carrier-grade subscriber management solution. The integration with Evergent’s multi-tenant platform made it easy to launch SwitchTV and grow the business with targeted promotions, advanced product and offer management and bundling with other Etisalat services.
"The SwitchTV OTT service represents a step change for the residents of UAE," said Yves Padrines, Synamedia CEO. “Thanks to our comprehensive solution, Etisalat has a flexible offering that appeals to a broad range of audiences – from those looking for free programs, to those wanting premium live experiences or to rent movies. Users have started downloading the apps and feedback on the quality of experience and features is extremely positive.”
"SwitchTV is a game-changer for viewers across the region. Evergent complements the Synamedia service with pre-integrated, advanced and innovative monetisation options that contribute to a seamless customer journey. Evergent is thrilled to be part of Etisalat’s digital transformation strategy with SwitchTV," said Vijay Sajja, Evergent founder and CEO.
iWorld
T20 World Cup ’26: India–England semi-final sets global streaming record of 619 million views on JioHotstar
India–England semi-final records 65.2 million peak streams
MUMBAI: The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 set a new milestone in global sports streaming, as the India–England semi-final drew record digital audiences on JioHotstar.
The match on 5 March registered 65.2 million peak concurrent viewers, the highest ever recorded for a live event on any streaming platform worldwide. The semi-final also generated 619 million views, making it the most streamed T20 international match in history.
The landmark audience numbers were driven largely by viewers in India, setting a record achieved within a single market, rather than through aggregated viewership across multiple countries.
The high-scoring encounter between India national cricket team and England cricket team produced 499 runs across both innings, fuelling widespread fan engagement across platforms.
According to the International Cricket Council, the digital record surpassed the previous global benchmark of 65 million concurrent viewers, set in November 2024 by another international streaming platform.
Across television and digital platforms combined, the semi-final reached more than 320 million viewers, while total watch time exceeded 23 billion minutes, making it the most watched T20 international match ever.
“This World Cup demonstrates the immense passion of cricket fans and the progress made in bringing the game closer to audiences worldwide,” said ICC chairman Jay Shah.
“This moment reflects the scale of cricket fandom in India and the technological capability required to serve hundreds of millions of viewers simultaneously.”
JioStar vice-chairman Uday Shankar, said the audience surge underscored the future of large-scale digital entertainment.
“One in every three Indians tuned in to watch the second semi-final. Delivering such an experience at scale requires the very best of technology,” he said.
The 619 million views during the match also eclipsed the 533 million views recorded during the final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024.
With the final yet to be played, the 2026 tournament has already set multiple benchmarks in audience reach and digital engagement.
India will face the New Zealand national cricket team in the final on 8 March at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The match will be broadcast on the Star Sports Network and streamed on JioHotstar.
