Infrastructure Deployments

U.S. IPTV install times worst in world

Tue, 01 Apr 2008 07:59:40 -0400

How many technicians does it take to install IPTV in a household in North America? Sound like a bad joke? Well, the punchline isn't very funny either: Just one, but it takes about 5.16 hours, the slowest install time in the world, according to a study distributed by Research and Markets.

Overall install times across Asia, Europe and North America come in at 3.79 hours from curb to the third STB. For one-STB homes, the install time was 2.25 hours.

Analyst Gary Schultz said North American install times are coming down, but that they take longer because there are more new operators and they're offering more--like triple play services of voice, video and data or, at a minimum, a dual play of high-speed data and video--which adds to the overall install time.

"Another thing that increases the time is if you use wireline versus 802.11 or powerline, it is going to take you longer to set it up," Schultz said. "Europe tends to use more powerline type networking, which means their install numbers are lower. Also, level of experience--how long have you been doing it? If you are an operator that's just starting out, your times are going to be way up there. If you've been doing this for three to six years as a lot of these European and some Asian installations have been doing, that is going to be knocking your times down, because you'll get a lot better at it."

For more on IPTV install times:
- Read the article in Telephonyonline
- Or the release from Research and Markets

Related article:
Simplicity is key to IPTV deployment in U.S.

Korean telecoms plan $15.8 billion outlay for IPTV in 2008

Tue, 01 Apr 2008 07:59:20 -0400

Korea's three biggest telecoms say they'll to spend upward of $15.8 billion on IPTV this year, nearly 68 percent of which will be used to expand and improve broadband networks, the Korea Times reports. KT, the country's largest telephone and broadband player, will pay the biggest portion, about $12.42 billion.

Officials said the nascent industry should see revenues this year of about $5.43 billion from some 2 million customers; officials say they expect the industry to top 3.3 million users by 2012.

For more:
- Read the Korea Times story

Related articles:
U.S. IPTV market to grow to $14 billion by 2012
Global IPTV to see 52 percent annual growth through 2012

Middleware frustrations stymie HD rollout

Tue, 18 Mar 2008 07:59:10 -0400

A number of regional telcos are learning first hand about the pain of moving to HD. As the satellite and cable operators aggressively ramp up their HD offerings--although a rocket failure has delayed both EchoStar and now DirecTV's rollout timetable--the regional IPTV players are under pressure to match the HD offerings. But according to Telephony a number of regional IPTV operators in Minnesota were facing delays getting a HD service rolled out because they don't have the middleware upgrade. They use a Nokia Siemens provider, Myrio, for their middle ware.

How much is a middleware problem and how much a deployment and cost issue is hard to work out. To upgrade to HD requires a more sophisticated set top box with a bigger hard drive for the DVR and it is this upgrade cost which the smaller players are also struggling with. Myrio did not respond to our questions, but the marketing manager was quoted saying the carriers were learning just how complex IPTV was--a patronizing quote sure to endear the operators even more to the European software provider.

Over the winter there has been a sharp increase in the number of HD channels being offered by all providers, although in some cases it is still a pseudo HD rather than the real thing. This is especially so with some of the cable operators. Also contentious has been limitations on the U-verse service which currently allows for only one HD service to enter the home at any one time.

For more:
- Middleware snags delay HD rollout Telephony Article

Related articles:
Who has the most HD TV Article
SureWest recently launched a HD DVR Article

U.S. IPTV market to grow to $14B by 2012

Tom Burton — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 07:59:50 -0400

IPTV revenues will grow rapidly to $14 billion in 2012 up from $694 million in 2007, according to a forecast report by Strategy Analytics. The revenues however will be largely driven by network deployment of the two dominant carriers, Verizon and AT&T. The report is bullish about IPTV revenue growth but concedes this will largely be powered by the rollout of the two IPTV networks FiOS and U-verse.

The report finds providers have only a limited number of "levers" to pull, and should try to think holistically in terms of an overall customer experience. "ARPU is expected to remain relatively stable throughout the forecast period, and service growth will come largely from an increased number of IPTV-passed homes, and higher take-up rates," says report author Ben Piper.

The same point is made by ABI in their Global IPTV Market report which predicts the IPTV market to grow from 13 million subscribers in 2007 to over 90 million in 2013. Report author Cesar Bachelet says U.S. growth will largely be driven by the speed of the fiber roll-outs. ABI sees sharp increases in IPTV growth in Asia as regulatory and infrastructure issues are resolved and solid European growth. Bachelet said he was predicting West and Eastern Europe to grow from 7.2 million subscribers in 2007 to over 30 million subscribers by 2013. To better understand the drivers of European IPTV growth read our special feature.

The ABI report is in the middle of the pack in terms of global IPTV growth predictions. Most bullish is India-based RNCOS that predicts a surge in the Asian-Pacific zone will see IPTV subscribers reach 103 million in 2011. This contrasts with a report by Informa, Telecoms and Media late last year that forecast 38.4 million IPTV subscribers by 2011. At the same time, Research and Markets has predicted the global IPTV market will grow five times over the next four years to 80 million. This is consistent with a report by the MRG group in November that predicted 72.6 million subscribers by 2011.

For more:
Strategy Analytics release
ABI release

Related articles:
Top drivers of European IPTV growth Special Feature Report
Big differences in IPTV forecasts Article
Asian markets expected to drive IPTV Report
Competition and convergence driving IPTV Report

New book explains IPTV for everyone

Tom Burton — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 06:59:20 -0500

A new book has been published for anyone wanting to get their head around IPTV and its complexities. Titled Next Generation IPTV Services and Technologies the book gives a very thorough and easy-to-read tour of the technologies and systems at play in a typical IPTV deployment and related issues. Written by Irish author and telecoms expert Gerard O'Driscoll the book targets professionals who are looking for a solid and objective overview of IPTV. These include system integrators, engineering directors of carriers and MSO's, technicians, IPTV project managers and Software engineers.

Topics covered include a good oversight of the six types of broadband networks used to transport IPTV, compression technologies, multi-casting, the range of consumer devices now being employed and a good walk through of next generation services. Also covered are security systems, the six home networking technologies typically deployed, VOD, the building blocks of HD IPTV and a chapter that describes 16 of the most popular interactive services, including EPG's and caller ID. The final chapter has a comprehensive look at network administration and quality-of-service management.

The book is an excellent reference for all things IPTV and a must read for any one wanting the complete IPTV story.

For more:
The book can be bought from the publisher Wiley direct

Big differences in IPTV forecasts

Tom Burton — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 06:59:30 -0500

Three research groups have predicted widely different take-up rates for IPTV. Most bullish is India-based RNCOS that says a surge in the Asian-Pacific zone will see IPTV subscribers reach 103 million in 2011. This contrasts with a report by Informa, Telecoms and Media late last year that forecast 38.4 million IPTV subscribers by 2011. At the same time, Research and Markets has predicted the global IPTV market will grow five times over the next four years to 80 million. This is more consistent with a report by the MRG group in November that predicted 72.6 million subscribers by 2011.

Research and Markets says the take-up rate is being driven by telco's marketing strategies where as RNCOS says the availability of good broadband infrastructure is the key impediment. It predicts a rapid take up in Asia once the infrastructure is in place because of the lack of cable television competition. None of the reports have factored in the impact, if any, of the recent surge in Internet video and the expected strong growth in Internet television over the next five years. The Diffusion group has predicted this market will be 160 million strong by 2012.

For more:
- Research and Market's Article predicts 80 million IPTV market
- Read RNCOS IPTV report

Related articles:
Asian markets expected to drive IPTV Report
Competition and convergence driving IPTV Report

NBC Universal goes for IPTV solution

Tom Burton — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 06:59:40 -0500

Israel has emerged as a development hot house for the IPTV industry with much of the encoding smarts coming from the region. NASDAQ listed Optibase is based in Israel and recently won a big vote of confidence when NBC Universal chose it IPTV solution to support a 200-channel internal video delivery system.

NBC had a traditional analog platform pushing 100 channels to its production facilities, but it was found wanting when MSNBC moved to NBC's 30 Rock New York headquarters. Because the system has been configured for 200 SD and HD channels, an MPEG4 solution was chosen to deliver the multi-cast feeds, which can now be distributed to any PC in the building. Optibase won the contract for the encoding and decoding, along with Amino for the set top boxes and Cisco for the switches. NBC Universal says it can distribute monitoring video services with far greater reach and flexibility than could have been provided by a conventional cable TV system.

For more:
- NBC Universal overhauls its IPTV distribution system Article
- Optibase Release

Related articles:
Optibase's MPEG4 solution used for fire training Report
NBC Universal ankles Apple for Amazon Report

AT&T to replace 17,000 batteries

Tue, 22 Jan 2008 06:59:10 -0500

After two fires and an embarrassing explosion last month AT&T is to replace 17,000 batteries housed in outdoor telecommunications equipment cabinets and used as a back up power-source for its U-verse IPTV service.

AT&T stopped installing the batteries, manufactured by Avestor, which filed for bankruptcy in October 2006, early in 2007. AT&T resisted changing the batteries after the first incident claiming the risk of a repeat was low, but the December explosion has forced its hand.

The problems associated with premises equipment come as providers are increasingly being called upon to troubleshoot the wide variety of home network solutions and as industry groups push to standardize home networking installations so as to enable lower cost remote management of facilities

For More:
- AT&T to replace IPTV batteries Article

Related articles:
AT&T finds cause of equipment fire Report
-MoCA jolts home networks Report

Fighting fire with video

Tue, 11 Dec 2007 06:59:30 -0500

While most focus on the IPTV space has been around the delivery of residential media a number of enterprises are now deploying a IP video solutions for internal communications and training.

Portland's Fire and Rescue service is rolling out an IP video network to teach firefighters to effectively and safely respond to emergency situations. Portland's steaming solution augments its current analog closed circuit cable system. Portland Fire is using Optibase's H.264 Media Gateway 1100 box to encode and stream at low bit rates directly to three fire stations not currently on their analog cable system. Previously Portland Fire would record the analog video on DVD and send copies to all the stations not on the analog system.

Portland is an example of the increasing use of IPTV solutions at the enterprise level: NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center, uses an IPTV solution to stream both TV channels and live feeds of flight test. The multi screen player allows officers to track important flight test from multiple angles. And in the UK the Humberside Police transmit live video feeds from a helicopter, providing coverage across an area of 1,365 square miles. The feeds are distributed across the force's LAN and can be monitored on multiple PC clients by any authorized personnel in real-time.

For more:
- Portland Fire and Rescue opts for Optibase Release

Related articles:
- Enterprise YouTube planned for Google Apps Report
- IPTV a priority for telcos Release

U.S. technology underpins international launches

Tue, 11 Dec 2007 06:59:10 -0500

Two big international deployments come as the year closes, with Brazil Telecom and Italy's Wind launching their IPTV networks.

Brasil Telecom's Videon IPTV has used UTStarcom to provide the end to end solution, giving the California based company its first major Latin America contract. The video on demand service has been launched in Brasilia with plans to expand the service to additional cities in the country's South and Midwest regions in the coming months.

Wind's service has a subscriber base of 2 million and has opted for a solution developed by Alcatel-Lucent using Microsoft's Mediaroom. Alcatel-Lucent's IPTV service includes an IP/MPLS network infrastructure based on its 7750 service router.

For more:
- UTStarcom Release
- Winds launches IPTV with Alcatel-Lucent Report

Related articles:
- Italy gets third IPTV player Report
- MRG's 2007 global IPTV market leaders report Report