WISI Communications, together with Saudi Aramco today announced the biggest end-to-end IPTV installation in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. With the city of Dhahran expanding – where villas and apartments are constantly emerging to create a new, more modern living standard – the demand for high-speed Internet and IPTV has soared. A new GPON network now delivers highspeed Internet in this part of the city, and thanks to WISI now also includes a future proof IPTV system. Capable of delivering 300 free-to-air, 45 pay-TV and 12 free-of-choice encoded video on demand (VOD) channels.

A representative for Saudi Aramco said the company sought out one vendor to provide most of the technology needed. He added that with the new GPON network, the company was seeking a partner that could feed the network with a secure, high-quality and reliable IPTV system.

The IPTV system which WISI Communications supplied to Dhahran is based on two globally deployed platforms: Tangram and Chameleon. With three WISI Tangram chassis mounted with GT34 modules, video streams can be acquired from satellite transponders, while GT31 modules are used for terrestrial channels.

CAM descrambling of satellite content is performed by Tangram’s GT42 modules. And for a 24/7 IPTV experience and N+1 redundancy, each chassis also has an active backup module. Power redundancy, and space for future module extensions has been left in each chassis. Together, the Tangram chassis with modules forms a highdensity reception, decryption and playout headend.
Chameleon Encoders are used to feed the network with a unique VOD offering. Along with WISI’s intuitive and fast middleware, WISIOn, this setup becomes an end-to-end IPTV system that now serves 3,700 TV points, or as mentioned above, 1,600 homes.

“This project shows that WISI can offer an end-toend IPTV solution to green and brown field projects,” says Ali Ghosein, General Manager WISI Middle East. “We believe customers want a single contact for technical knowledge. So, everything from the headend to our new IPTV middleware are provided by WISI.”

To learn more about WISI’s end-to-end IPTV solutions, please visit wisigroup.com or send an email to info@wisigroup.com.