Heuking Kühn Lüer Wojtek supports Eutelsat on leap to IP distribution

Heuking Kühn Lüer Wojtek supports Eutelsat visAvision GmbH, Cologne, in establishing a new digital platform for the distribution of TV and video content via the Internet Protocol technology. For this purpose, Heuking Kühn Lüer Wojtek advised Eutelsat on matters of media regulatory law and copyright law and supported the company in negotiating contracts with service providers.

Eutelsat visAvision GmbH is the German subsidiary of Europe's largest satellite provider, Eutelsat S.A., headquartered in Paris, France. In Germany, Eutelsat offers KabelKiosk, a digital program platform for the distribution of free and pay TV content by independent cable network operators. Eutelsat now expands its existing product portfolio with a new program and video platform for the distribution via IP technology by means of IPTV and Over The Top (OTT). The platform will be provided as white label solution to network operators and in particular will offer different innovative multi-screens applications via TV, PC/Mac, tablet and smartphone.

In the preparatory stages of the project, initially several matters of media regulatory law and copyright law had to be clarified. A substantial part of Heuking Kühn Lüer Wojtek's work existed in supporting Eutelsat in the negotiating of contracts with numerous service providers supporting Eutelsat in setting up the new IP platform. Particular emphasis was placed on the negotiations with Israeli-based TVINCI Ltd., which supplies the backend software for the platform, and Harmonic International AG, Switzerland, which provides the video encoding hardware.

Heuking Kühn Lüer Wojtek has been advising Eutelsat visAvision GmbH for a long time, particularly on matters of media law, contract law, copyright law and antitrust law.

Counsel to Eutelsat visAvision GmbH
Heuking Kühn Lüer Wojtek, Düsseldorf:
Dr. Philip Kempermann, LL.M. (IT, Data Protection, Lead); Michael Schmittmann (Media Regulation, Copyright Law); Oliver Brock (IT).