DT's initial launch will exclude interactivity

Deutsche Telekom plans to launch its IPTV service next month as scheduled, but the initial service will not include interactive features, which many believe is the breeding ground of killer apps for IPTV. "We're going to start by offering soccer and some other television programs and add interactive services later this year, such as video on demand, electronic program guides and on-demand TV archives," DT spokesman Martin Frommhold said. "Some say we're delaying interactive TV services but we never actually said when we plan to offer them." The telco wouldn't comment on whether Microsoft's IPTV software was part of the hold up, which reportedly was the case for Swisscom's delay of IPTV services last year.

For more on DT's initial launch without interactive features:
- check out this article from Network World