Altice USA said it has inked a new, extended multi-year deal with Amdocs that will lead the unification of the operator’s business and operational support systems.

That agreement will accelerate the move to put the U.S. cable systems that Altice has acquired so far – Suddenlink Communications and Cablevision Systems/Optimum – on the same platform and help to modernize technology operations, they said.

As Altice USA integrates its Cablevision and Suddenlink legacy business and operating systems and platform, it’s using a hybrid approach that combines an architecture developed by Altice Labs and systems from Amdocs.

That will enable Altice USA to quickly and flexibly design and launch new offerings and bundles, and future-proof its systems to for next-generation products and services, they said.

 “As we focus on the future needs of our customers, having a simple, flexible and efficient support system is a vital part of our strategy,” Hakim Boubazine, co-president and COO of Altice USA, said in a statement. “By combining the technological strengths of Altice with the capabilities of Amdocs, we are creating a unique infrastructure that will enhance and unify the customer experience we offer in the U.S. as we launch new, innovative products and services for our customers. Amdocs is a valued, long-standing partner for Altice USA and we look forward to working together to create the backbone that will enable best-in-class connectivity solutions for years to come.”

Shedding some light on the technical underpinnings of Sony Pictures Home Entertainment’s new 4K streaming service, "Ultra," CSG Systems International said its Ascendon digital service platform is helping to power the offering, which launched April 4.  

That service enables consumers to buy and stream movies and TV shows in the Ultra HD format via Sony Bravia 4K TVs that use Android TV, including some titles that employ High Dynamic Range (HDR). Customers can also visit the Sony Pictures Store site to redeem UltraViolet codes that come with the SPHE 4K UHD discs sold in the U.S.

Launched about a year ago, CSG’s Ascendon is a digital services platform that can be overlaid on existing business support systems to help service providers rapidly launch new digital services without uprooting existing infrastructure. Others using it include Comcast (for its Xfinity On Campus product), Cineplex Entertainment, and ESPN, among others.

“This latest step we’ve taken with CSG allows us to bring new 4K video to market in a way that pairs the highest possible TV viewing quality with an intuitive and powerful consumer experience,” said Jake Winett, vice president of Consumer Services and Platforms, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, in a statement. “Sony Ultra4K brings together a strong catalog of content with a portfolio of devices that creates a stunning consumer experience that is unmatched in the industry.”

Customer care and billing services company CSG Systems has launched Ascendon, a digital services platform for its raft of services partners,  a group that includes cable operators.

CSG said Ascendon can be overlaid on existing business support systems, enabling service providers to rapidly launch new digital services without uprooting existing infrastructure.

Ascendon supports a number of digital hooks, including support for elements such as digital lockers and device management, enabling services such as electronic sell-through, transactional video-on-demand and potential pay-for-bandwidth applications.

According to Kent Steffen, CSG’s president of digital services, Ascendon has three primary target markets – communications service providers, retailers that are also digital content aggregators, and content providers that are going direct to the consumer.

Some initial adopters of Ascendon include Comcast, which is using it for the MSO’s new IP-based multiscreen Xfinity On Campus service, which allows students to log in with their university credentials. ESPN is also using it to manage premium services such as ESPN Insider and its fantasy products, and  Sony is tapping in for EST offerings in multiple countries, using Ascendon in support of digital lockers and the service’s ties to UltraViolet.

“Service providers worldwide are seeking a less disruptive way to enter, maintain and compete for position in the digital services market to help them take advantage of immediate opportunities,” said Ken Kennedy, CSG’s chief technology officer and senior vice president of product management and software development, said in a statement. “Ascendon reflects a multi-year effort, working with some of the world's most innovative brands, to deliver digital services through various business models.”

NetCracker Technology said Bright House Networks has wrapped up the first phase of a large-scale business support system and customer experience transformation program.

Financial terms weren’t disclosed, but the program covers billing system consolidation and replacement, new customer relationship management and e-commerce implementations and a managed services relationship, NetCracker said.

In phase 1, NetCracker worked with BrightHouse to consolidate third-party legacy billing systems across six markets to the vendor’s Revenue Management platform. The MSO also launched a new NetCracker residential CRM platform during that phase. Moving forward, Bright House will extend the CRM to business services.

“After an extensive evaluation, Bright House Networks chose NetCracker because of the quality of its integrated solutions, ability to execute on large-scale transformations and customer focus in managed services,” Jake Perlman, chief information officer at Bright House Networks, said in a statement. “The close alignment of our vision for time-to-market sensitive solutions that empower operational efficiencies and customer self-service was paramount in selecting NetCracker.”

Other NetCracker customers include AT&T, C Spire, Telefonica, BT, Bouygues Telecom, CenturyLink Communications, Cogeco, Kabel Deutschland, RCN, China Telecom, Cincinnati Bell, Blue Ridge Communications, Virgin Media, WideOpenWest, and Lightpath, Cablevision Systems’ big business services arm, among others.