Rostelecom launched a pilot project using 4K ultra-high definition television image technology in St. Petersburg. This standard is just beginning to be used, but is one of the most promising for the HoReCa segment (hotel, restaurant, cafe) – hospitality services.

4K technology is gaining popularity among small and medium-sized businesses, whose activities are associated with the translation of current TV content – sports bars, restaurants and hotels. Using 4K allows you to get image of high accuracy on large screens – one section of the screen has four times more pixels than in HD standard. New features of the technology are provided by increased technical requirements: to ensure the 4K standard, it is necessary to provide a minimum screen refresh delay of 60 frames per second, data transfer speed of 15 Mbps, as well as a large screen size – from 40 inches or more.

“For a long time Full HD standard remained the best quality standard for TV services, but now comes the era of Ultra HD (UHD, 4K). 4K technology is gaining market and becoming one of the most promising for television development,” commented on pilot project Valery Ermakov, Rostelecom Vice President for corporate andgovernment segment. – We expect that in 2018, the driver of the development of ultra – clear television (UHD TV) in Russia will be the World Cup – thousands of viewers will watch matches of the Championship on screens of sports bars”.

Now Rostelecom has launched the first pilot project of service based on 4K TV technology in St. Petersburg together with network of rest-bars FullHouse. In the framework of pilot project Rostelecom will provide broadcast of TV signal in 4K technology on all screens installed in the rest-bars of the network. As part of package of services –there is high-speed Internet, guest Wi-Fi and interactive TV from “Rostelecom”. Together with Rostelecom interactive TV set-top box, two set-top boxes with 4K support are used for tests.

“Rostelecom” develops cooperation with companies of small and medium businesses by expanding the list of services and formation of a favorable package of proposals on the most popular services. According to the report of TMT Consulting, Rostelecom is number 1 company by the number of B2B subscribers of pay-TV services in Russian Federation (42%), with a significant part of income provided by representatives of HoReCa segment (Restaurants, cafes and bars). The launch of services based on 4K technology is one of the points of growth for Rostelecom, which is transforming from operator to a digital IT company that brings innovative for Russia products to market”, – says Danila Burmetyev, Director of product management at the corporate and government segment of “Rostelecom”.

“Sports content is the most interesting for our clients: during the live broadcasts of sports matches, average check of the place increases by 30%, and the number of visitors by 10%. Our visitors want to watch best matches live and in the best quality – to see all the emotions of athletes, details of each transfer, each goal. We hope that our visitors will appreciate the quality of the image by 4K technology and by the beginning of the Championship all seats in our halls will be booked,” says Alexander Vanin, managing Director of FullHouse rest-bars.

Functionality of “digital bar” is implemented at pilot sites in FullHouse rest-bars: managing a variety of TV screens through a single tablet computer, display information about upcoming events on multiple screens, the ability to conduct interactive quizzes, informing visitors about promotions and discounts, creating a welcome screen with current offers of the place and announcements of sports matches.

The pilot project demonstrates that Rostelecom is ready to withdraw new digital services for the HoReCa segment on the eve of one of the most important world sports events – the 2018 FIFA world Cup.