Authors include: - Connect-World
Authors include: - Connect-World
Authors include: - Connect-World
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Triple play<br />
other technologies, a key difference<br />
withIPTVisthebusinessopportunity.IPTVisthemissinglinkneededto<br />
help service providers deliver a new<br />
generationofintegratedservicesinto<br />
thehome.Somepeoplerefertothisas<br />
the triple play, or quadruple play,<br />
when mobile services are <strong>include</strong>d,<br />
togetherwithvoice,videoandbroadband.<br />
IPTV,though,isreallyaboutdelivering<br />
the single play – a full range of<br />
seamlessly integrated communication,<br />
entertainment and information<br />
services and experiences to subscribersoverasingleconnectioninto<br />
thehome.<br />
The broadband connection behind<br />
next-generationTVserviceswillyield<br />
an exciting new range of TV content<br />
choices, personalisation, and connected<br />
experiences for consumers,<br />
regardless of where they are, what<br />
devicetheyareusing,andwhatkind<br />
ofphysicalnetworktheyareconnectedtoatthetime.<br />
IPTV’s architecture enables sending<br />
individualvideostreamstoindividual<br />
devicesinthehome,incontrasttothe<br />
broadcast model used by legacy TV<br />
distributionplatformswhereallchannelsaresenttoallsubscribersallthe<br />
time, which requires a massive<br />
amountofbandwidthtocarryallthat<br />
programming. IPTV’s much more<br />
Figure 1: Analysts at Multimedia Reasearch Group predict<br />
that there will be 27 million IPTV subscribers worldwide by<br />
2008.<br />
"Like the transition from<br />
black and white to<br />
colour TV, IPTV will<br />
usher in the<br />
next-generation TV<br />
entertainment that<br />
consumers will come to<br />
expect as the norm. "<br />
efficientuseofbandwidthmakespossibleanear-limitlessnumberofchannels<br />
and access to a huge library of<br />
live, on-demand and time-shifted,<br />
digitalvideorecorded,content,tothe<br />
consumer.<br />
By taking advantage of the two-way<br />
architecture of broadband, IPTV<br />
eliminatesthebandwidthconstraints<br />
inherent in broadcasting TV today,<br />
where operators face challenges to<br />
add more programming choices,<br />
especiallyondemandhigh-definition<br />
programming, in their space-constrainednetworks.<br />
IPTValsotakesadvantagesofthelatest<br />
in set-top box technology, with<br />
more powerful, broadband-enabled<br />
devices that will lead to significant<br />
advances in interactive programme<br />
guidesandnewviewerinterfaces.The<br />
same advances will enable advanced<br />
searchcapabilitiesaswellaspersonalisation<br />
and predictive<br />
guidance based on viewer<br />
preferencesandbehaviour.<br />
Nowthatthetechnologyis<br />
inplacethechallengeisto<br />
build and market a successful<br />
service to consumers.MarketersofIPTV<br />
services must clearly differentiate<br />
their offering<br />
through service capabilities,<br />
packaging, pricing<br />
and distribution.<br />
PackagingIPTVwithexisting<br />
primary services, such<br />
as high-speed data or<br />
telephonyservices,enables<br />
the network operator to<br />
reinvigorate his business<br />
whilesignificantlydecreasing<br />
subscriber churn.<br />
Subscribersbenefitfroma<br />
better total value propositionofintegratedcommunication<br />
and entertainment<br />
services, and in particular,<br />
a far better TV<br />
experience.<br />
More and more, consumersarebecomingused<br />
to interacting with digital entertainment.IPTVextendsthisconceptand<br />
enables next-generation TV services<br />
that consumer value, including the<br />
following:<br />
Networkedandremotedigitalvideo<br />
recording<br />
DVRs are all about watching television<br />
in your time. Adding the television/set-topboxtoanIP-basedhome<br />
networkincreasesthatabilityforconsumers,<br />
enabling TV watchers in the<br />
family room to record a football<br />
match while someone in the master<br />
bedroom records their favourite<br />
movie. IPTV also makes it easy to<br />
remotelyprogramtheDVRfromyour<br />
PC at the office or another Internetconnected<br />
device such as a mobile<br />
phone.<br />
Advancedcommunications<br />
features<br />
Today’s generation is conditioned to<br />
communicatewithfriendsandfamily<br />
in new ways. IPTV enables service<br />
providerstobetterleveragetheirmultiple<br />
products and build integrated<br />
messaging services where voicemail,<br />
SMSandevenemailcanbeaccessed<br />
viatheTVscreen.<br />
Next-generationinteractiveTV<br />
features<br />
IPTV’s always on, two-way connection<br />
is ideally suited for advanced<br />
interactivity that involves the viewer<br />
intheTVexperience.TV-basedapplicationssuchasvoting,changingcamera<br />
angles, real-time shopping and<br />
matching wits with game show contestantsareamongthemanypossibilities.<br />
Targetedadsandprogramme<br />
recommendations<br />
Since IPTV uses a broadband, not a<br />
broadcast, architecture, it means<br />
there is a two-way, 1:1 relationship<br />
betweenthenetworkoperatorandthe<br />
television viewer, which enables the<br />
deliveryofmore-personalisedcontent<br />
basedonasubscriber’sviewinghistory<br />
or "opt-in" personal information<br />
fromtheconsumer.<br />
Instantchannelchanging<br />
DigitalTVisgreat,butitcantakeup<br />
to two seconds just to tune a new<br />
channelonbroadcastdigitalTVplatforms.IPTVcanoffersoftware-based<br />
tuning that enables a subscriber to<br />
zapthroughchannelsinmilliseconds,<br />
actually faster than the blink of an<br />
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