BT’s media management product Mosaic is to become part of a new worldwide digital collaboration service following the sale of its assets and staff to India’s Tata Communications.

The cloud-based, open-source platform will be merged with Tata’s new video delivery network, Video Connect, and Tata’s uplink and playout capabilities. The enlarged division will operate under the Global Media & Entertainment
Solutions (GMES) banner.

The result will be an end-to-end collaborative content management, distribution and delivery service for broadcasters, studios, producers and facilities.

Tata Communications’ chief operating officer, Vinod Kumar, said: “We are now able to create a unique platform that can take care of content workflow from production to distribution across the world.”

Video Connect uses Tata’s global network infrastructure to provide permanently available bandwidth and transmit video at constant bit rates, while Mosaic provides secure web-based access to video content for storing, searching, editing, conversion and distribution.

GMES will employ 70 people, including 20 from Mosaic. Tata plans to invest more than $50m in its hardware
and software capabilities over the next two years.

Current Mosaic customers, including ITV (Marple, pictured), will continue to receive support through a sales channel agreement.

Financial details were not disclosed for the Mosaic deal but the value of the un-audited gross assets that are included was £500,000 on 30 September 2009.

Tata Communications was previously the government-owned Indian telecom company Videsh Sanchar Nigam. It was privatized and bought by the Tata Group in 2002.