Consolidated Communications said today that it will use Entone Technologies' Hydra IP video gateway to support its rollout of IPTV services.

Consolidated Communications, which serves about 245,000 access lines in Illinois and Texas, picked the Entone gear largely because it allows the carrier to turn up service without using multiple set-top boxes, which are among the most expensive elements in any IPTV deployment.

Entone’s gateway sends up to three independent IP video streams to any combination of up to six TVs in the home using existing coaxial cable. While one Hydra set-top typically sits on the primary television, eliminating the requirement of one set-top for every TV will save in both capital expense as well as installation time.

"We know that installation costs can make or break the business case for IPTV, so going with a solution that eliminates set-top boxes and uses existing coaxial cabling for home video distribution sets Hydra apart from any other solution on the market," Matt Hallam, Digital Video Services (DVS) product manager for Consolidated said in a prepared statement.

While Consolidated doesn’t have to use set-tops for every TV, with some services, it will. Among the more intriguing services that Consolidated will roll out is network-based personal video recording (NPVR). The application uses Entone’s StreamLiner network video recorder, which based on HP’s server hardware. Consolidated, among the most aggressive independent telcos rolling out video, also is using Zhone’s access platform, Tut Systems headend equipment, Myrio middleware and content protection from Verimatrix.