OTTAWA, Nov. 15, 2012 /CNW/ - Espial, a leader in on-demand TV software and solutions, today announced that Robert Hopkins, the company's vice president of sales and managing director for EMEA, is a panelist for an interactive discussion at the  IP Cable World Summit 2012, Nov. 27-28 in Berlin. During the forum scheduled for 3:20 p.m. on Nov. 28, Hopkins will join a distinguished group of industry experts to discuss set-top box (STB) and IP home networking strategies for cable TV operators.

"Given the constraints of set-top boxes that are currently available on the market, cable operators are finding it challenging to deliver an application-centric user experience to their subscribers," said Hopkins. "At the IP Cable World Summit 2012 forum, I will explain why embracing open Web standards and IP video service delivery enables MSOs to support a compelling and interactive service that enhances the multiscreen cable TV user experience."

As part of a panel that includes professionals from Cable Europe Labs, Numericable, and the Broadband Forum, Hopkins will explore a wide range of critical issues facing today's cable operators, including the current and future state of STBs as well as requirements of next-generation connected devices. The panel will identify technology and business changes needed to support an IP video service delivery platform that offers a seamless user experience across multiscreen devices.

At Espial, Hopkins has been instrumental in increasing company sales for tier 1 telco and cable operators delivering hybrid cable/IP and pure DSL IPTV services to the EMEA region. He is an expert in communications and software engineering and also has a post graduate degree in business marketing. Prior to joining Espial in 2008, Hopkins was most recently the managing director and vice president of sales for Kasenna, an IPTV company that provided video-on-demand content and MPEG-4-ready IPTV applications for triple-play services over broadband networks. He has also held business development and marketing leadership positions at information technology company Dataflex as well as satellite, telco, and consumer electronics vendor Amstrad, respectively.

More information about Espial and the company's products is available at www.espial.com.

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About Espial (www.espial.com)
Espial is a leading supplier of digital TV and IPTV software and solutions to cable MSOs and telecommunications operators as well as consumer electronics manufacturers. Espial's middleware, video-on-demand, and browser products power a diverse range of pay-TV and Internet TV business models. Over 10 million licenses of its patented software are in use across the world. Espial is headquartered in Ottawa, Canada and has offices in the United States, Europe, and Asia. Visit www.espial.com or contact via phone at +1 613 230 4770. 

SOURCE ESPIAL GROUP