BNI Video, a software company backed by Cisco, Comcast Interactive Capital, and Time Warner Cable, launched today with the announcement of a video control plane that enables video service providers (VSPs) in the cable, telecommunications and wireless industries easily add functions like search or social networking to TV services. The company also announced that it has raised more than $16 million from its industry backers, as well as from venture capital firms Charles River Ventures and Castile Ventures.

Founded in 2009, BNI Video claims that it has dedicated its resources to addressing the crucial problems facing VSPs by developing a software platform and accompanying products and services that will allow them to accelerate new content features and services to their subscribers, irrespective of platform or device.

BNI?s video control plane allows operators to extend their services to incorporate different forms of content from multiple sources. The company?s software gives VSPs the functionality and control they need to deploy video and other next-generat in reduced operational costs and complexity.

"BNI?s technology has the potential to change the game for video service providers," said Louis Toth, senior managing director at Comcast Interactive Capital. "This platform gives providers additional capabilities and greater flexibility to enrich the consumer experience."

BNI?s software serves a strategic role in the VSP?s video ecosystem, connecting content to subscribers, enabling transcoding and digital rights management, invoking quality of service to ensure the content produces the appropriate user experience, and interfacing with billing and entitlements so that it is correctly monetized. With its flexible, Web services-based architecture, BNI?s video control plane empowers VSPs to:

- Reduce time to market for testing new capabilities and functionality;
- Incorporate virtually any application ? search, recommendation, social interactivity ? into service offerings;
- Assume more control over system maintenance and service delivery;
- Achieve high transaction rates with fast response times for session requests;
- Automatically upgrade the network without shutdowns or manual intervention;
- Deliver richer, more personalized subscriber experiences;
- Transition smoothly to all-IP networks;
- Leverage technologies already in place, and;
- Lower total cost of ownership.

BNI Video?s first two products, a video control plane and CDN manager, are available now.