Communications Regulatory Authority

TV” service in several cities (Madrid, Valencia, and Zaragoza) at the end of May. This
service comprises over 40 channels and a video-on-demand service; the set-top box
provided by the operator also makes it possible to receive digital terrestrial channels.
In the United Kingdom, this coming autumn British Telecom will launch an
Internet television service called “BT Vision”, which will also include VoD services
and the possibility to receive digital terrestrial channels. The service follows by a
number of years the launch of HomeChoice by the alternative operator Video Networks,
whose offering still has only 37,500 subscribers. On the other hand, the other British
IPTV operator, Kingston Communications, has ceased providing the service. The
offering had never succeeded in reaching more than 10,000 subscribers, and recently
this number had fallen to a few thousand.
In Germany, Deutsche Telekom will launch its IPTV service during the second
half of the year. This follows, in chronological order, the recent launch of “Alice Home
TV”, offered by the alternative operator Hansenet (Telecom Italia group) in Lübeck and
Hamburg, which comprises 100 television channels, a premium package, and a VoD
service.
As for Holland, an IPTV service was launched this year by KPN under the
“Mine” name. The service includes around 50 television channels, radio stations, and a
VoD service. The operator offers a PVR capable of storing up to 100 programming
hours.
Lastly, IPTV services are present in Belgium (offered by Belgacom with around
20,000 subscribers), Finland (Alcom, with 1,000 subscribers), and Sweden (TeliaSonera
and Bredbandsbolaget, for a total of around 10,000 subscribers), while experiments are
being conducted in Portugal (Novis).
Mobile television (DVB-H and other technologies)
Alongside Internet Protocol television, a great deal of attention is also being
attracted by the possibility of distributing television content by cell phone. In Europe
the standard being experimented the most is DVB-H. For a detailed description of the
experiments taking place in Europe and Italy and the marketing status of the services,
refer to paragraphs 1.1.1. (for the world’s offerings) and 1.2.1. (for the service in Italy).
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