DNA’s cable network, the Finnish digital-terrestrial network over broadband and Ericsson have done a major media and metadata deal.

We’re told that “rich metadata will be used to power content discovery services on DNA’s TV open ecosystem 4K-enabled box, the DNA TV-hubi, which launched last month".

The device combines a set-top box, Chromecast built-in and a Google Play Store, and “comes equipped with two HD tuners, which enables simultaneous viewing and recording; it also includes voice recognition support".

Mikko Nurmi, director, Cable Networks at DNA, said: “High quality, rich metadata from Ericsson offers us a great opportunity to promote all different types of content. It is also an enabler for a great user experience, bringing users into the pay-TV content funnel.”

Steve Nylund, head of Broadcast and Media Services, Ericsson, said: “Content discovery continues to be a major challenge for viewers and a top priority for broadcasters, operators and content owners. The average person will spend 1.3 years of their life perusing the EPG to find something to watch and it’s our job to help our clients to address this challenge.”

Naturally, Ericsson explained its deal with DNA “strengthens Ericsson’s content discovery footprint in the Nordic region".

In Norway, we’re told “Ericsson has provided content discovery services for Get’s TV platforms for over 10 years, including the sourcing and provision of rights information for linear TV to enable catch-up, startover and NPVR functionality".

“Ericsson also provides enriched metadata, program and cast images for Get’s VOD library and powers content discovery for its recently launched OTT service, which is available to around 500,000 subscribers.”

Ericsson also delivers rich metadata to Denmark’s second biggest cable TV company, Stofa, which reaches approximately 400,000 homes.

Adding to this impressive list is yet more astounding Ericsson attention to detail, with the company proudly boasting its “team of 300 editorial specialists aggregate, create, normalize, maintain, and deliver rich metadata, maintaining more than 14,000 sources globally".

In addition, the company’s “global content discovery portfolio spans more than 10 million movies and programme titles, covering over 25 languages, and includes an image database covering over 90 percent of all programming available across traditional TV, VOD and SVOD".

Top all this off with the stat that globally, “more than 200 million people interact with Ericsson's rich metadata each week”, and you have quite the global platform.

Finally, if you’re going to be at IBC 2017 over the next few days (September 15 to 19), then Ericsson would love you to come along and visit its stand.