German telco will launch with both MPEG-4 Part 10 and VC-1 codecs. The 100 channel TV and VOD service will include HDTV from the outset and will quickly follow the ‘lighting up’ of T-Com’s 10 city VDSL network

The German incumbent has announced its choice of Microsoft TV middleware but has revealed few other details about its hardware equipment vendors. The company will use retail sales (via T-Online’s own shops) and self-installation, although it is still considering other installation options. When the system launches there will be 100 broadcast TV channels, including HDTV from the outset, plus movies and television on-demand. The company is declining to comment about its PVR plans (network or home recording).

A spokesman says IPTV will be introduced very quickly after Deutsche Telekom’s VDSL network goes live in the ten major cities targeted, which include Berlin, Cologne and Munich. “Mid-year” is the target switch-on date for the new 50Mbps fibre/copper network. The company is introducing a Greenfield VDSL network that will run parallel to the existing DSL infrastructure below the Central Office (CO). From the home, VDSL or DSL customers will use the same copper line to a street cabinet, but at this point VDSL lines will transfer to fibre (via a DSLAM) while DSL connections continue on copper to the CO. Television services will only be available on VDSL connection.

Deutsche Telekom (via its fixed network infrastructure division T-Com) will expand VDSL to a further 40 cities by the end of 2007, putting 11 million homes within reach of its planned IPTV service.