Liberty Global plc (NASDAQ: LBTYA), one of the world’s leading converged video, broadband and communications companies, this month introduced its "greenest-ever" set top box, which it says delivers a world-class viewing experience while dramatically reducing energy consumption and the use of plastics.
Designed in-house by engineers at Liberty Global and manufactured by Commscope, the compact, multi-faceted 4K Mini TV Box combines a high-quality customer experience and choice of content with extremely low power consumption and a casing that’s partially made from recycled plastic.
The 4K Mini TV Box is available to UPC Poland customers and will be introduced in other Liberty Global markets in due course.
According to Liberty Global, despite its small size, the new media box gives customers more control over their entertainment experience by providing access to the full spectrum of content including live TV, replay TV, on demand content and access to a range of in-built OTT apps, all appearing in image quality up to 4K, combined with Dolby sound.
Additionally, the 4K Mini TV Box allows users to stream self-generated content from their phones directly to their TVs, and is operated by a Bluetooth-connected voice-enabled remote control.
Built with a seamless user set-up experience in mind, the 4K Mini TV Box is powered by Liberty Global’s next-generation TV platform, Horizon 4. It is the company’s first all-IP device, meaning that all it needs to run is a Wi-Fi or Ethernet connection from a cable, fiber or mobile source. It can also run on the power from a TV’s USB input, which means it doesn’t require access to a power socket.
Combining innovation with sustainability, the set top box is made from 35% recycled plastic and uses no single-use plastic in its casing. Additionally, according to Liberty Global, the 4K Mini TV Box reduces energy consumption by 77% compared to previous set top boxes, and has a maximum power usage of under 5W, even when watching 4K content.
The 4K Mini TV box is being positioned as "the perfect TV companion" to customers receiving UPC Poland’s new fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) product, which launched earlier this month. As a result, including agreements with its fiber partners, the provider expects its current reach of 3.5 million households in its UPC network to expand by an additional 1.7 million premises by 2023/24.
Enrique Rodriguez, Chief Technology Officer, Liberty Global, commented: “Our new 4K box is very small in size, but it packs a mighty punch, giving our customers a cutting-edge 4K viewing experience across the full spectrum of live, on-demand and streamed content. Moreover, the 4K Mini TV Box combines technological innovation with our long-standing commitment to sustainability, delivering a world-class viewing experience while reducing energy consumption and use of plastics.”
Robert Redeleanu, CEO Liberty Global, Eastern Europe, concluded: “At UPC Poland, customer satisfaction is paramount to us, so we are committed to delivering outstanding customer care combined with best in-class connectivity and entertainment, anytime and anywhere. I am thrilled that Poland is the first country within Liberty Global to launch the new 4K Mini TV Box, and confident it will help us further enhance our unique customer experience. As we bring new innovations to our millions of customers and new premises, we are well on top of the convergence game in the market.”
Liberty Global operates in six European countries under the consumer brands Virgin Media, Telenet and UPC.