Leading UK entertainment and home communications provider, Sky, supports international work to improve digital home services

4 March 2013 HGI, the leading global organisation representing service providers and manufacturers for the broadband home, has announced that Sky is the latest service provider to join the organisation.

HGI's members enable advanced in-home services through the specification of service provider requirements and technical solutions for the Home Gateway and related infrastructure.

Sky is one of the biggest investors in content in the UK & Ireland and has a commitment to providing direct-to-home entertainment and broadband services, which aligns perfectly with HGI's mission. Sky reaches more than forty per cent of homes in the UK with its range of services. It joins other industry leaders in the telecom sector already contributing to HGI, including founding members Belgacom, BT, Deutsche Telekom, NTT, Orange France Telecom, Telecom Italia and TeliaSonera.

"Sky is committed to providing the best broadband experience to each and every one of our customers, and HGI's work on hardware, software, and test requirements complements this goal," said Daniel Fox, Research Manager at Sky. "Becoming a member of HGI allows us to both benefit from and contribute to the standards-setting that is underway."

Duncan Bees, Chief Technology Officer for HGI, added: "HGI is delighted to welcome Sky, a leading innovator in delivering satellite and broadband services. We look forward to Sky's contributions to HGI's specifications in a variety of important and timely areas such as smart home services and media gateway requirements."

This news follows the recent announcement by HGI that it has published an updated specification for improving Quality of Service (QoS) with the Home Gateway.

HGI will soon be hosting an open forum to present the latest smart-home developments and demonstrating the real-world practical applications of the significant work in this field at Telecom Italia Labs Auditorium in Torino, Italy on Tuesday, March 19.

For more information about HGI follow @hgibulletin or visit www.homegatewayinitiative.org

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About the HGI http://www.homegatewayinitiative.org/
The HGI, founded in 2004 by nine telecom operators, is shaping the next generation of internet and media services. Starting from use-cases and service needs, the HGI sets requirements for Home Gateways, infrastructure devices and the home network. The HGI now has over 60 members from around the globe, representing the entire spectrum of players in the broadband home area.

For all media enquiries, please contact Martyn Gettings (martyn.gettings@proactive-pr.com) or call +44 1636 812152.