Glowria

Infobox Company
company_name = glowria
company_
company_type = Privately Held
foundation = 2003
location = Paris, France
key_people = Mihai Crasneanu, Founder and CEO
products = Online DVD rental, Video on Demand (VoD), IPTV
industry = Electronic commerce
homepage = [http://www.glowria.fr/ glowria.fr]

glowria, operated by venture capital-backed Glow Entertainment Group SA is Continental Europe’s leading independent personalized on demand entertainment provider. [cite news | url= http://www.broadcastbuyer.tv/publish/article_8205.shtml | title= Neuf Cegetel & Glowria Sign Video On Demand Deal | publisher = Broadcast Buyer | date=June 16, 2006]

Corporate history

glowria was launched in 2003 by Mihai Crasneanu based on the Netflix model of online DVD rental service, offering flat rate rental-by-mail to customers in France.

Through acquisition of DiViDi and inVDeo, respectively the 3rd and 4th leading online DVD rental companies in Germany, glowria has also become the second leading player in that market, in terms of subscribers. [cite news | url= http://www.neteco.com/article_20060516101541_glowria_rachete_un_second_specialiste_du_dvd_en_allemagne.html | title = Glowria rachète un second spécialiste du DVD en Allemagne | publisher = NetEconomie | date=May 16, 2006]

The company’s current strategy is to expand both its subscriber base for online DVD rentals and its capabilities to provide VoD and IPTV offerings for cinema, television series, and theater programming through its website, ISPs, and cable operators throughout Europe.

IPTV and VoD

As one of two French companies partnering on Intel’s Viiv platform (along with CanalPlay) as well as author of its own VoD software, glowria has been at the forefront of digital video entertainment. [cite news | url= http://www.dvd-intelligence.com/main_sections/news_archive/2003_free/55_glowria.htm | title= France’s glowria acquires Germany’s No 2 online DVD rentailer | publisher = DVD Intelligence | date=May 16, 2006]

With digital distribution agreements from major studios including Warner Brothers, Fox, Buena Vista, and MGM and an agreement with French triple play provider EDR-IPTVSET, glowria launched the beta version of its VoD services in Pau, France in December 2005. [cite web | author = Guillaume Champeau | date = 16 December 2005 | url = http://www.ratiatum.com/news2682_Glowria_teste_la_video_a_la_demande.html
title = Glowria teste la vidéo à la demande | accessdate = 30 June | accessyear = 2006] An agreement with Neuf Cegetel, the leading alternative telecommunications company providing Internet, TV, and mobile services to more than 3 million French households and the first French company to offer digital television over broadband, was reached in June, 2006. This agreement will allow glowria to provide its video on demand offerings to Neuf customers via TV over DSL and PC. [cite news | url= http://www.broadcastbuyer.tv/publish/article_8205.shtml | title= Neuf Cegetel & Glowria Sign Video On Demand Deal | publisher = Broadcast Buyer | date=June 16, 2006]

In July 2006, glowria launched its own VoD platform via the glowria.fr website. As of March 2006, the company offered 800 titles, estimating the availability of 3000 titles by the end of the year. [cite news | url = http://www.journaldunet.com/reportages/06/0603-glowria/1.shtml | title= Glowria, le making of d'un vidéoclub à domicile | publisher = Journal du Net | date=March 2006]

Rentals

Via partnerships with both major and independent movie distributors, glowria offers over 80% of available titles, the largest catalogue in France. Subscribers may choose one of five monthly flat-fee services for rental of DVD movies at prices between 7€99 and 55€99. [ [http://www.glowria.fr/viewOffer.do Glowria's website] ] Limits, if any, on the number of DVDs and exchanges per month are determined by subscription level.

References