A View on View :: IP-TV Poised for Huge Growth

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IP-TV Poised for Huge Growth

by Mark Evans on Sun 13 Nov 2005 03:50 PM EST | Permanent Link

In what eerily resembles the hype over VOIP, there is growing enthusiasm for IP-TV. Infonetics Research expects IP-TV service revenue will jump to $44-billion by 2009 while the number of subscribers will climb to more than 53 million. The investment required to get this business is starting to pick up momentum - climbing to $4.5-billion in the next four years from $304-million in 2004. So far, Infonetics said a lot of the spending has been on DSLAMs, edge routers and aggregation switches but service providers will need to focus on major investments on VOD servers, encoders and head-end equipment. The Infonetics report comes a couple days after Telus Corp. said it has launched IP-TV (over ADSL) in Edmonton and Calgary following an extensive testing program. For all the optimism about IP-TV, a key consideration will be how it will be different from cable-TV. A $53-billion market in the next four years will not materialize if there is a lack of compelling bells and whistles for consumers. Telus, for example, is hoping it can maintain financial discipline (a.k.a. non-discount prices) to win IP-TV market share. While the carrier hasn't provided many details, its IP-TV service will give consumers the ability to customize their programming. Hopefully, this mean you don't have to take crappy channels within a package just to get "good channels" such as A&E.

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Re: IP-TV Poised for Huge Growth

by Wisemonkey on Mon 14 Nov 2005 01:15 AM EST | Profile | Permanent Link

I cant understand how Telus can say they will be different than cable and will win viewers by offering more to the viewer. Other than offering more HDTV programming I dont see how they can improve on what Shaw offers. If they do find a niche Shaw will just offer the same at the same price with no hassles.
They are not going to offer any extra programming that is in demand (ie HBO/ESPN) as this is controlled by the CRTC.
Dont you think satellite would have offered it if it was possible.
The only thing that will get viewers is an all out price war, still with no guarantee it will work. I sense most Canadian phone companies will not do well with IPTV as Entertainment is not their domain. Let's face this they are a telco. Different mentality.

Re: Re: IP-TV Poised for Huge Growth

by Mark Evans on Mon 14 Nov 2005 06:51 AM EST | Profile | Permanent Link

Hard to disagree with you. one of only ways telus will likely gain a foothold is pushing the bundle concept - but consumers are looking for something other than convenience. in many ways, i see a few paralells to what flock is trying to do in the browser market. every move they to other something different, rivals (firefox, IE) will be able to counter by copying it. hard to create a competitive edge in this environment.

mark

Re: IP-TV Poised for Huge Growth

by Impact on Mon 14 Nov 2005 10:48 AM EST | Profile | Permanent Link

One of the added services that TELUS is touting is the "intelligent home." This could included non-entertainment IP services including security monitoring (how about remote video to bring your living room to a browser?) or monitoring of appliances and heating.

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