February 11, 2009, Moscow: COMSTAR – United TeleSystems (JSC COMSTAR-UTS, LSE: CMST), the leading supplier of integrated telecommunication solutions in Russia and the CIS has announced launch of the new IPTV service user interface in Moscow. From now on, Moscow users of Internet+TV (STREAM trademark) have an opportunity to manage their digital TV more quickly and efficiently; they also get access to interactive services.

The new TV interface is designed to ensure enhanced comfort in service use. It is much quicker as compared to the previous version; it features easy and intuitive programs, movies and additional services navigation. The interface enables on-line search: the software searches for a required movie or program on its own; users just need to enter first letters of the name of what they are looking for. Users may also create their own list of favorite channels. The interface supports both standard and HD television sets.

COMSTAR-UTS plans to use this new TV interface to arrange subscription to additional information services, such as weather forecast, currency rates, traffic jams, accessibility of photo albums at STREAM24. Moreover, COMSTAR plans to enable access to Internet video services from the TV screen.

The interface may be provided to the whole current subscriber base and new customers. New users will get access to the service step-by-step over 2 months; new subscribers of IP-TV service will use the new interface.

“Television is a source of home information and entertainment, which is important for each family. Launch of the new TV interface and further introduction of interactive services will make use of this “door to the world” even more enjoyable and convenient, – said Sergey Terpugov, COMSTAR-UTS Commercial Director for Mass Market Operations. – Today we offer to our users broadcasting of over a hundred TV channels, including HD quality, interactive services, such as video on demand and cinema library, and unique service called STREAM karaoke. The new interface is intuitive and it will help them quickly digest the whole variety of TV content”. 

Philosophy of the new interface has been developed by NDS (Great Britain), a global leader in interactive television, and it has been implemented by SmartLabs, one of the leading interactive IP-TV solution developers in Russia. The interface is based on Qtopia technology by Nokia.