NEC Expands Reach of Vukunet
NEC Display Solutions says it wants to accelerate the growth of digital signage. To that end, the company is making its full Vukunet digital signage software management platform available free of charge to any signage network operator.
NEC Display Solutions says it wants to accelerate the growth of digital signage. To that end, the company is making its full Vukunet digital signage software management platform available free of charge to any signage network operator.
The Vukunet Content Management System is a software-as-a-service (SaaS) solution that is fully hosted, managed, and supported by NEC. Developed by NEC, the Vukunet CMS was designed to include the capabilities of commercial SaaS digital signage solutions but with none of the startup or monthly subscription fees.
“NEC is making it easier for companies to run digital signage networks by empowering them with tools that take out costs and help grow their businesses,” said Pierre Richer, president and chief operating officer of NEC Display, in a statement. “We are trying to simplify the complexities of the signage market and drive this industry forward with a free CMS solution. The fragmentation of this industry is the biggest obstacle to growth, and those days are finally over.”
Launched in November 2009, the CMS solution is part of a suite of software products that make up the Vukunet platform. Vukunet also includes a universal ad-serving solution with modules that enable network operators to make money through advertising. The Vukunet solution creates a marketplace that bridges ad buyers with networks and largely automates the scheduling, playback, and reporting.
When Vukunet was first launched, the CMS solution was made available either to networks that registered for ad-serving or to clients buying NEC Display products. Under the new plan, any network, regardless of what display panels they use or whether or not they will make programming time available for Vukunet-served ads, can take advantage of the free CMS.
“We strongly believe Vukunet helps networks and the industry as a whole to succeed by offering a reliable, free solution that lets networks put their operating expenses instead into critical areas like content development,” explained Richer. “And then we offer a very simple way to generate new ad revenues, with NEC doing all the selling, execution and admin work for them.”
