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Networks & Infrastructure
Results from IPTV trials revealed
More approachable IPTV services, improved interoperability standards needed
by Kendrick Struthers-Watson
Two European telcos have disclosed the initial results of their
IPTV consumer trials, with both firms expressing the need to
make the usage of IPTV services more approachable for the
consumer and for improved interoperability standards.
Speaking at the London-based SOFNET exhibition, Lars
Adolfsson, a network strategist with Telenor, said that the
company planned to continue with more IPTV consumer trials,
but with an increased focus of better understanding what
services are of interest to the consumer and the overall
experience they provide.
“Specifically, we need to investigate why some user devices
will not work with a particular server, how consumers can more
easily locate content, understand why there is a need for so
many ‘boxes’ in the home to receive IPTV, and better
understand the interface logic.”
Adolfsson added that aspects of the residential equipment
were becoming increasing complex, which was worrying for an
operator given that this was the entry point into the
home. “Also, the situation today where each IPTV player has
a different GUI is not acceptable — there needs to be a
generic control point.”
Support for these viewpoints was also forthcoming from Luca
Pesando, the coordinator of fixed access and IPTV for
Telecom Italia. “We must see IPTV becoming more user
friendly, and there needs to be an effort to join together the
many technologies involved. The growth in devices supporting
IPTV willl not happen until there is a more comprehensive
approach to standardisation.”
Pesando claims that the IPTV market is more of a promise
than a reality today. “The traditional TV broadcast market is
falling by around 7 percent each year, with satellite and cable
operators being the benefiting from this. “IPTV can offer
much more than traditional TV — interactivity being the
easiest to understand, but it also holds the real potential to
deliver time shifted TV, home networking, push services and
download-and-play HDTV.”
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