IPTV: Maximising the Entertainment Experience

By Nick Fielibert, Scientific-Atlanta’s Vice President, Chief Technology Officer and Chief Architect for Europe and Asia.

The digital revolution marches on and the battle to be supreme service provider is being fought hard. Internet Protocol Television (IPTV), as part of triple play, is set to transform our homes with multi-channel interactive TV, telephone and high-speed Internet integrated into one system. In the competitive market for entertainment video delivery, IPTV has given a new lease on life to telecoms operators.

Although interactive television has been around for almost a decade, IPTV is set to raise consumer interactivity to a whole new level. Nick Fielibert, Scientific-Atlanta’s Vice President, Chief Technology Officer and Chief Architect for Europe and Asia, discusses the opportunities and challenges faced by operators looking to introduce IPTV. Not only should the set-tops be flexible in terms of formatting and content access, the necessary infrastructure should also be in place to minimise the needed bandwidth. Ultimately, operators must maximise the entertainment experience to ensure that the service exceeds customer expectations.

From its humble beginnings over 75 years ago, the evolution of television has been marked by some remarkable milestones. From black and white to colour, from mono to stereo, and more recently, with the introduction of digital technology, TV has changed our viewing habits. Spawned from the digital revolution, Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) is set to transform our homes forever.

To begin with, it’s best to start with what IPTV is not. It is not TV that is delivered via the Internet. True, the "IP" in the name stands for Internet Protocol, but that doesn’t mean you’ll log onto a favourite Web page to view television programming. The IP is in reference to the method of delivery for the video using a secure, highly managed network that can provide viewers with an exciting, versatile entertainment experience. To compete effectively with cable TV and satellite broadcasters, telecoms operators have been quick to see the business potential that IPTV video service has to offer. Not only will it help them acquire new customers, it will also help them retain existing voice and data customers.