Virgin Media Unveils New FAST Channels Powered By Amagi And 24i

Amagi, a global provider of cloud-based SaaS technology for broadcast and connected TV, in collaboration with 24i, a video streaming user experience expert, today announced that U.K. telecoms, media and internet company, Virgin Media, has used its integrated solution to launch and monetize a new line-up of themed free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) channels on Virgin TV.

An initial selection of 14 channels have been rolled-out to Virgin Media’s V6, TV 360, and Stream set-top boxes (STBs), allowing customers to instantly access an extended range of attractive content monetized through advertising.

Harnessing the Appstage application framework within the 24i Mod Studio streaming platform — which is integrated with Amagi’s playout solutions — the project introduced the FAST channels into Virgin Media’s Electronic Programming Guide (EPG) without making any changes to existing STB configurations.

Through a collaborative effort with Amagi’s technology partner, 24i, the app was “configured to perfectly align with Virgin Media’s UX, facilitating a seamless integration of channels into Virgin Media’s EPG, providing an enhanced user experience for their customers on V6, TV 360, and Stream STBs running the RDK and Opera operating systems,” according to Amagi.

Srinivasan KA, Amagi co-founder and CRO at said, “Our collaboration with Virgin Media has been an excellent opportunity for us to showcase our technical prowess. Our achievement in integrating multiple FAST channels into Virgin Media’s STB environment through a unified gateway has significantly enriched user choice and paved the way for incremental revenues.”

Donald McGarva, CEO of 24i and its parent company Aferian plc, said: “This has been a real team effort to give Virgin Media’s customers access to a range of exciting new streamed content with a great user experience. The successful and seamless roll-out to a variety of device models already in the field is a testament to the powerful and flexible combination of 24i’s Appstage Big Screen client, cloud-based Backstage content management system, and Amagi’s unrivaled FAST solutions.”