INVIEW's TV tech brings digital delights to the masses worldwide

The UK company specialises in software for set top boxes, supplying viewers with television guides, programme recording and video on demand.

With a platform where both broadcast and internet content such as video, streaming and social media can be available to viewers, it has expanded to develop bigger picture solutions for countries switching off their analogue signals and Pay-TV operators.

“We’re the TV gateway for tens of millions of homes worldwide,” says chairman Nick Markham of the company that was founded in 2004 by vice chairman Ken Austin and his chief executive wife Julie. 

“Digital opens up many more channels and opportunities for people, places and their governments,” Markham explains.

“Our platform is efficient and seamlessly flexible. That lightness enables it to deliver all the features viewers want, but in a cheap box.

“Our proprietary software allows companies in the developed world to upgrade their set top boxes with the latest technology and save millions of pounds.

“In the developing world we can support an entire move from analogue to digital. That is proving especially powerful in places where fast broadband has arrived and there is a huge call for video on demand, but accessibility can be difficult.

“We’re so confident though that our services will be popular we often run them on a success fee basis.”

It was Inview that supplied the world-leading technology for the Freeview system when the UK switched, acquiring valuable operational know-how in the process.

Now it is succeeding in replicating that model internationally and forecasts a £25 million turnover for 2018.

Currently used in 10 million set top boxes, that is on track to double by 2019 as its exports the technology to Nigeria, Ethiopia and other sub-Saharan states as well the Philippines and Mexico.

Africa’s giant Nigeria had been trying for a decade to make the switch and now it is doing so with Inview launching the first digital TV service in partnership with the state’s broadcasting commission.

Millions are set to benefit from a brave new world of entertainment and education as the country adopts Inview’s model with customers buying a £6 set top box together with a £4 annual licence instead of a costly subscription fee.

Company revenues will come from a small percentage of the box’s purchase price and collecting the licence.

Out of 150,000 homes in one Nigeria’s biggest cities, Jos, so far 100,000 have converted and a similar activations rate is now happening in the capital Abuja.

“This is our poster child for Africa’s digital switchover as we continue our roll-out,” says Markham, a former director of strategy for ITV.

“Our work has a social dimension that we are proud of and at the same time we have to deliver in very competitive and challenging markets. 

“It was hard to break into big organisations at the outset. From their perspective it was a big risk for them as their whole service depended on the technology we, a relatively small company, were offering.

“We have a great product, but it has also taken a lot of persistence and visits to boardrooms providing assurance and credibility to get to where we are today.” 

Based in Cheshire where the business employs 100, it has taken £40 million to build Inview.

The private funding has come from more than 100 investors, many encouraged by the tax relief available under the Entrepreneurs Investment Scheme, and includes well-known names such as Martin Edwards, former chairman of Manchester United, and angels of the north Bill Holroyd and Sir Norman Stoller who were original backers of online electrical retailer AO.

And now Inview is being saluted by the US after its system was recently chosen to keep its armed forces content and able to watch American TV wherever they are stationed.

“This is proof our technology can be truly universal. We know what customers want,” says Markham who is now setting his sights on Bangladesh and Afghanistan. 

www.inview.tv