MEO (Portugal)

MEO
Service of Portugal Telecom
Industry Telecommunication
Founded 2007
Founder Portugal Telecom
Headquarters Av. Álvaro Pais, 2 - Lisboa [1]
Area served
 Portugal
Key people
 Armando Almeida
Products Television
Internet
Telephone
Mobile Phone
Services MEO Fibra
MEO ADSL
MEO Satélite
MEO Go
MEO VideoClube
M3O
M4O
M5O
Owner Portugal Telecom
Parent PT Comunicações
Website www.meo.pt

MEO is a mobile and fixed telecommunications service and commercial brand from Portugal Telecom, managed by MEO - Serviços de Comunicações e Multimédia. The service was started as a pilot test in Lisbon in 2006 and was later extended to Porto and Castelo Branco. The commercial launch of the ADSL2+ service took place in June 2007, and the satellite service began in April 2008, using the Hispasat satellite, soon followed by the FTTH service. The ADSL2+ and FTTH offers reach the various regions of Portugal and include broadband Internet services (at up to 400Mbit/s currently) as well as a telephone service.

MEO service was officially founded after the separation of PT Comunicações and PT Multimédia which this last one changed its name to ZON Multimédia. While PT Multimédia served up from coax cables, after separation, MEO started making use of network cables (copper) serving the telephone signal to transmit the signal IPTV. The television service supplied by MEO within the copper cable network is served on the ADSL line.

In May 2009 PT Comunicações announced, after the TDT (Terrestrial Digital Television) transmissions have started, that the triple play service is also available with the fiber optic which speeds can achieve the 400 Megabits per second.

MEO offers another service that relies on the TDT, MEO TDT which is included in the 3G plates service that is captured through the mobile internet signals from TDT. This service included one High Definition (HD) channel and the five main Portuguese channels: RTP 1, RTP 2, SIC, TVI e ARTV. MEO TDT's service also allows some of the advantages found on the ADSL and Fiber Optic service (pause and recording).[2]

In July 2010 Portugal Telecom informed that MEO has surpassed 700 thousand clients.[3]

In November 2011, MEO achieved one million subscriptions.[4] In January 2014 MEO and TMN become a single brand under a logic of convergence and a new brand was born, MEO Serviços de Comunicações e Multimédia S.A..

Service

MEO surged a little while after the spin-off from the owner of TVCabo at that time, in July 2007. While PT Multimédia changed its name to ZON Multimédia, Portugal Telecom created a service in Portugal that combines three functionalities: television, fixed telephoned and internet, under the naming MEO. The communication campaign invested in a strong advertising effort, protagonized by Portuguese humoristic characters, the Gato Fedorento. In 2013, like other players in the market, MEO launched a quadruple play service called M4O that in addition to the functionalities already referred has added the mobile phone, in a converged strategic logic.[5] In July 2014 MEO launched a bundle which also includes the offering of mobile internet, called M5O.[6]

MEO's technology relies essentially on the transmission of all its contents over Fiber optic and ADSL - either television (IPTV), telephone (VOIP) and internet. For descodifying the signal, MEO ADSL, the service integrate a pack of several equipments to be installed at home: a router with switch, connected to the telephonic plug to descodify and distribute the signal, and another descodifying equipment for the television called MEOBox. There are different MEOBox models, built by Motorola and Scientific Atlanta, with a processor, hard drive (or not), one HDMI slot, two SCART slots, a digital sound slot and a slot for the Ethernet that comes with the router.

On the other hand for the MEO Fiber Optic service, there is an additional equipment called ONT, Optical Network Terminal, that descodifies the fiber optic signal sent to the client’s home and then send it to the router.

Television

MEO offers television content transmissions through four platforms: the ADSL network (IPTV), fiber optic (IPTV), satellite (DTH) and the 3G/4G network inherited from the old mobile communications carrier TMN, funded with MEO in January 2014.

MEO ADSL television service is composed by a basic offer of 120 TV channels. The subscribers can acquire more than 170 TV channels that are offered if purchasing the “MEO Total” bundle which also several HD channels included.[7] In the case of fiber optic (FTTH), MEO is composed by several bundles that are distinguished by the speed of data transmission. Just like MEO ADSL, the basic TV channels offer is of 120 channels.[8]

One of the IPTV technology novelties is that TV channels purchasing can be done through the MEObox remote control, as opposite to the satellite service and coax cable. Another advantage from the IPTV technology is its zapping speed of 200 milliseconds and the possibility of renting movies at the VideoClube (Video-on-Demand) in a virtual VideoClube virtual where several thousand of movies are stored, including the last Hollywood novelties. The IPTV network also enables the customer to play games in the MEOBox and to explore content from the internet and dozens of interactive applications of all kind (Music, Information, Sports, among others). Other functionalities include having the channels programming schedule available at any moment and a “PIP” (Picture In Picture) showing other channels displaying on the TV screen at the same time the spectator continues watching the TV show that is being transmitted. It is also possible to record and pause the show being live transmitted or even watching what was transmitted on the last 7 days (automatic recordings. In geographies where fiber optic or ADSL networks are not available, MEO offers a television service by satellite. The anywhere MEO’s TV solution is called MEO Go.

MEO VideoClube

MEO VideoClube service

MEO VideoClube is a vídeo-on-demand service that is available to all Portuguese citizens and offers a catalog with thousands of entertainment contents (including movie, documentaries and concerts), ranging from the most awarded Hollywood films to the Portuguese film industry.

MEO VideoClube allows renting and watching movies with all the comfort and quality, putting several features available such as: consulting the trailer, sinopse, cast and IMDb rating; creation of a favorites list; watching the movies for 48 hours after renting it as many times as wished; renting HD or 3D movies with dolby surround sound; total control and privacy through a security PIN for “rentings and purchases” and a security PIN to access to adults contents. Available in all screens and anywhere, MEO VideoClube can be used inside or outside home in the following equipments: television with MEOBox; Tablet; Smartphone or desktop through MEO Go service; Connected TV’s; Game consoles. It is also possible to watch movies without an internet connection, using an exclusive MEO functionality, the Download & Play, available on the PC through MEO Go. In 2014, MEO VideoClube for the IPTV MEO service subscribers was totally refreshed and it has an improved image, faster navigation and new features. With the new MEO VideoClube clients started having access to more films and information, and a more interactive and user-friendly experience. Additionally, and following the worldwide payment methods trends, MEO VideoClube offers multiple payment options to its clients more specifically the debit in the monthly invoice and the MEO VideoClube card (pre paid card). With millions of monthly visits, MEO VideoClube is nowadays one of the most used entertainment services by Portuguese people and continues to maintain its focus in technological innovation in terms of new features and improved usability.

MEO Go

MEO Go service

MEO Go is an innovative service available within MEO’s offer that allows the user to watch live TV and video on demand content on Windows, Mac, and mobile devices such as tablets and smartphones via any 3G/4G broadband or WiFi internet connection.

MEO Go allows watching more than 70 TV live channels; thousands of programs with the automatic recordings feature; thousands of movies at the VideoClube; and access to a TV guide (Guia TV) that contains detailed information about all the programs and allows scheduling alerts and remotely recording contents in the MEOBox. MEO Go is compatible with the main operating systems and is available in computers with Windows or Mac OS through the website MEO Go as well as in mobile devices through the MEO Go free app available for the Android, iOS, Windows Phone and Windows 8 operating systems. The service is available at no extra cost to existing MEO TV customers, via MEO’s at home WiFi; or via any 3G/4G and WiFi internet access upon a monthly subscription.

Since MEO Go’s launch, in November 2011,[9] the service has been an innovation pioneer offering new features such as:

• Download & Play feature which allows downloading movies to watch later without internet access in the computer (August 2012)

• Release of the MEO Go app for Windows 8 (October 2012)

• Release of the automatic recordings for the computer (Janeiro 2013)

• Release of new app for tablet (February 2013) and iPhone and iPod Touch (Fevereiro 2014) with a new UI/UX and features, including an innovative remote control, social networks integration, and a share-to-TV feature, to send contents form the mobile device to the TV

In 2013 MEO Go had already more than 100.000 monthly active users, and more than 500.000 app downloads.[10] Worldwide, it has also been recognized as one of the most complete and innovative platforms to watch TV contents everywhere, and was honored in several international awards, including the CSI Awards 2014 [11] and the Stevie Awards 2014.[12]

Internet

The Internet service offers broadband of 24 Mbit/s maximum and 1024 Mbit/s for upstream without traffic limitation, nationally or internationally. In the fiber optic network the service allows downstream speeds until 200 Mbit/s and a higher data allocation. Nowadays it is also possible to subscrive a service that includes mobile internet, named M5O.

Telephone

The telephone service offers charge free calls without limit to all national fixed networks. The line signing costs are also integrated in the MEO service subscription.

Mobile phone

The mobile phone service is supplied through the networks of the “old” TMN brand. Despite the end of TMN brand, the tariffs remained unchanged and the telephonic support line (1696) remained the same as well. According to the market trend across other carriers and the creation of a unique invoice for clients, the telephone service was included in a quadruple play pack, named the M4O.

Channels

The television channel line-up includes the Portuguese versions of international channels such as:

And several European football club television channels such as:

Sponsorship

MEO currently sponsors the "Big Three" from the Primeira Liga (Benfica, Porto and Sporting).

References

External links