Stratacache works partnership with Canadian telecom TELUS

September 15, 2011 by Dave Haynes

Stratacache has announced what looks like a pretty nice deal with TELUS, one of the big three telecoms in Canada, to market and deliver digital signage services up here amidst the moose, Mounties and Two-Fours.

Says the release:

This newly formed agreement brings together STRATACACHE’s digital signage software—ActiVia for Media—and TELUS’ national Canadian wireless network to create a new digital signage and broadcasting service that allows businesses to use digital signs to communicate with customers or employees with high-definition graphics. Called TELUS Digital Media Solutions, the service will allow businesses to easily place digital signs on their premises and adjust the content over a simple wireless interface running on TELUS’ powerful 4G network.

“This strategic agreement brings together a unique combination of resources and technology, a powerful edge in an industry that is growing at an exceptional pace,” said Chris Riegel,STRATACACHE CEO. “Our dynamic digital signage technology paired with TELUS’ telecommunications network will allow for a highly advanced managed digital signage offering backed by specialized expertise and immense experience from both companies.”

TELUS’ new service includes digital video and audio content caching and streaming for advertising, webcasting, and digital signageto companies ranging from small businesses with multiple locations to large enterprises. It will allow, for example, restaurants to advertise daily specials or large corporations to broadcast live interviews with executives to multiple locations.

TELUS Digital Media Solutions offers a comprehensive service for installation, management, operation and maintenance of the multimedia network.

“Today, many organizations are looking to capitalize on digital media to build brand awareness, increase their competitive advantage and strengthen customer relationships,” said Tony Krueck, vice-president of Business Products and Services at TELUS. “TELUS’ new digital signage service, running on Canada’s fastest coast-to-coast 4G wireless network*, and powered by STRATACACHE’sActiVia for Media software, means customers now have the necessary tools to assemble engaging content and communicate with their audience at the right place and time.”

Anyone who has tried to work with heavily silo’d, move-at-molasses, why-have-one-meeting-when-you-can-have-15 telecoms will know these sorts of deals look great in principle, but are really tough to activate and make worthwhile. All of the telecoms in Canada have been in and out of this space multiple times and had dedicated people and then not had them. This is well outside the core telecoms offer, so getting the sales guys to peddle it effectively is a challenge.

However, and it is a big however, this deal would have been done directly by Riegel, and he is not someone who does stuff for the optics and press release value.  My guess (only) is Telus enterprise sales people get the meetings but Riegel (who does most of  Stratacache’s big ticket selling himself) runs point on them.

Interestingly, ADFLOW Networks has all the retail business with TELUS and its wireless flanker brand Koodo Mobile.

 

  1. Bell says:

    EK3, ADFLOW, MediaTile, Stratacache….who is next to announce their partnership with Telus?

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