Motorola said it can now host switched digital video services for small- and medium-size cable operators.

Motorola said it can provide SDV as a service through its Secure Operations Center in San Diego. The company made the announcement at the Independent Show.

The approach makes use of dedicated narrowcast QAMs to provide dedicated channels. Motorola asserts a channel change can be accomplished in a fraction of a second, so that "the subscriber viewing experience is not noticeably affected."

Even though it's a hosted approach, Motorola said, customers will still be able to reclaim enough bandwidth to make room for other additional features or services, including high-definition television, VOD, 3-D TV and interactive TV applications.

"In today's competitive environment, independent video operators are looking for innovative ways to launch advanced services quickly and cost-effectively," said Bob Wilson, vice president of video infrastructure solutions with Motorola Mobile Devices and Home. "By moving our proven and highly efficient SDV solution into a hosted environment, we deliver the SDV capabilities that independent operators need in a manner that is better aligned with their operational model."