How Ucom launched Uplay — a multi-screen TV and media platform for Armenia

By 2024, Ucom had identified the need to replace its existing TV experience with a unified, multi-screen platform that could keep pace with viewer expectations and compete directly with international OTT services available in the region.

Ucom's previous TV service was rooted in a traditional set-top-box experience. Subscribers watched on the TV at home; everything else — phones, tablets, laptops, second TVs — was outside the operator's reach. Catch-up was limited, the user interface had aged, and there was no way for non-Ucom subscribers to access the content.

Four things had to change at once:

On top of that, Ucom wanted the new service live with a recognisable, modern brand identity (Uplay) — not a re-skin of the old TV product.

Ucom evaluated several middleware options before selecting Smartlabs. The decision came down to five factors — platform maturity, device coverage, content protection, integration depth, and one capability that most competitors could not offer at all:

“Through strategic partnerships with Smartlabs and MediaKind, we've developed a platform that not only elevates entertainment in Armenia but also sets a new benchmark for accessibility and innovation in the region.”

Smartlabs delivered the full software platform behind Uplay. The architecture is built on four integrated systems with clear boundaries between Smartlabs' scope and MediaKind's role on the head-end side.

Legacy STB enablement

Smartlabs brought Ucom's existing fleet of set-top boxes (more than 130K devices) onto the new Uplay platform, including older Linux-based models that other middleware vendors classified as end-of-life. The SmartTUBE client framework supports both legacy Linux STBs and modern Android-based devices, with the same content catalogue, the same entitlement logic, and a unified user experience tuned to the capabilities of each device class.

This was delivered without firmware replacement on the existing boxes — the new Uplay client was deployed to the legacy fleet over the air. For Ucom, that meant no truck rolls to homes, no hardware procurement to replace working devices, and no service disruption during the transition.

Service delivery (SmartTUBE)

SmartTUBE handles subscriber accounts, multi-profile management (including kids profiles with parental controls), the Uplay content catalogue, EPG, entitlement checks at every playback request, and concurrent-device limits. The platform supports up to five simultaneous devices per account — a constraint enforced at the middleware layer rather than relying on app-side checks.

Multi-screen applications

Smartlabs developed and deployed native applications across the full device matrix Uplay required:

• Android-based set-top box — the primary in-home device, with 4K UHD, Dolby Vision, voice-control remote, and integrated YouTube and Netflix.
• iOS and Android mobile apps — published as Uplay Armenia in the App Store and Google Play, with offline downloads.
• Smart TV applications — for Samsung Tizen and LG webOS, distributed through the official TV stores.
• Web app — for desktop and laptop viewing without an additional device.

All clients share a consistent UX — same content rails, same Continue Watching state, same recommendations — synchronised through the SmartTUBE backend so a film paused on the TV resumes on a phone with no manual handoff.

Content protection

Smartlabs Universal DRM provides Widevine for Android, web (Chrome/Firefox), and Smart TVs, alongside FairPlay for the iOS and Apple TV apps. Content is encrypted once using Common Encryption (CENC); the same encrypted package is delivered to every device and licensed at playback time by the appropriate DRM system. This eliminates the storage overhead and operational complexity of maintaining separate encrypted copies per DRM vendor.

BSS/OSS and registration

Smartlabs implemented the integration between SmartTUBE and Ucom's existing BSS for entitlement and provisioning of Ucom subscribers. For external users — the new audience Uplay opened up — Smartlabs built a self-service registration gateway with SMS-based verification and a payment gateway integration that supports recurring card-based subscription billing.

Head-end and encoding

MediaKind provided the live channel head-end and encoding pipeline, feeding SmartTUBE and the Smartlabs delivery layer. The split between MediaKind (acquire and encode) and Smartlabs (manage, secure, distribute, and present) gave Ucom a clear contractual division and removed single-vendor risk on either side of the chain.

The launch was structured as a phased migration. Existing Ucom TV subscribers received Uplay as an automatic over-the-air upgrade — no replacement of hardware, no manual reconfiguration. New subscribers (including non-Ucom users) joined through the public Uplay onboarding flow with SMS verification and online payment.

Uplay launched in 2025 as a multi-device entertainment platform open to the entire Armenian market. Visible service-level results today:

• The full legacy STB fleet brought onto the new platform — every model already deployed in subscribers' homes runs Uplay, delivered as an over-the-air software upgrade. Ucom avoided the capital cost and logistics of replacing working hardware, and existing subscribers experienced no service disruption during the transition.
• 200+ TV channels available in themed packages, alongside a VoD library and an exclusive partnership with Armflix for Armenian films.
• Five concurrent devices per account, working anywhere in Armenia on any internet connection.
• Up to seven days of catch-up on most channels, accessible across all device types from a single account.
• 4K UHD with Dolby Vision on the Android-based STB, with voice control and access to YouTube and Netflix on the same device.
• Open enrolment — Uplay is available to non-Ucom internet users in Armenia, expanding Ucom's addressable market beyond its own broadband footprint.

“Ucom had a clear vision — to bring a world-class media platform to Armenian viewers. We're proud to have contributed our technology and expertise to make that vision a reality. This project reflects what Smartlabs does best: combining robust architecture, intuitive UX, and flexible deployment for telecom-grade services.”

With the foundation in place, the Uplay roadmap with Smartlabs continues into 2026. Planned additions on the SmartTUBE side include AI-powered content recommendations, AI-generated subtitles in Armenian, predictive churn detection in the operator analytics dashboard, and more.