Latens Announces Deep Integration of its CA/DRM Solution With Minerva Networks iTVManager Platform


Tight integration with Minerva's service management platform significantly reduces solution cost and interoperability concerns

Latens Systems, the leading provider of software based Conditional Access (CA) Content & Revenue Protection systems, announced that its FCAS Content & Revenue Protection has been tightly integrated with the Minerva iTVManager platform. Operators worldwide will have access to a highly secure and cost effective end-to-end IPTV service delivery solution.

"Latens FCAS solution combines operational flexibility with carrier-grade robustness and scalability," says Matt Cuson, Director of Marketing at Minerva Networks. "The Latens protected Minerva iTVManager platform will offer excellent content packaging, scalability and robustness."

This deep integration between a leading middleware platform and a state-of-the-art content protection system is great news for all 

concerned," said Andy Mathieson, Director, Latens. "The close integration means that IPTV operators 'have fewer moving parts in their end-to-end solution', removing all concerns over interoperability between conditional access and middleware while providing a cost-effective route to market. We already have joint customers in the USA and I look forward to many more Minerva powered IPTV operators being secured by Latens FCAS."


Entone Announces World's HIGHEST PERFORMING Video On Demand Server with HP


Entone announced its collaboration with HP in launching the world's highest performing video on demand (VOD) server solution that will significantly lower the total cost of ownership (TCO) for video service operators.

The breakthrough VOD server solution achieves single-server throughput of over 100 Gb/s. The Entone platform on a 64 processor 

 HP Integrity Superdome server running Microsoft® Windows® Server 2003 delivers over 27,400 simultaneous MPEG-2 video streams at 3.75 Mb/s per stream or over 50,000 MPEG-4 streams at 2 Mb/s per stream.

The world-leading performance of the Entone VOD platform is enabled by Entone's StreamLiner XL software coupled with HP Integrity servers. Entone's StreamLiner XL and HP Integrity servers provide an extremely reliable, scalable, and flexible VOD platform with a track record for supporting 24x7 operations for many of the world's most demanding workloads. This combination of performance and reliability is unprecedented in the industry and can result in a significant reduction in the TCO for operators deploying large-scale, carrier-class VOD services.

"There was a time when deploying a video server of this scale was impractical due to technical and cost limitations," said Tim Warren, Entone CTO. "By working closely with HP for the past 18 months, we have jointly developed a solution that sets a new performance and TCO standard for the industry."

Libraries of video assets for the Entone StreamLiner XL platform running on HP Integrity servers can reside in RAM, on disk, or a hybrid of the two. The HP Integrity Superdome server is massively-scalable and capable of supporting multiple operating systems and up to 1TB of RAM, 128 Intel® Itanium® 2 processors and a virtually unlimited amount of disk storage.

HP Integrity servers run many of the world's mission-critical businesses and are widely deployed in the communications and media industries," said Rich Marcello, senior vice president and general manager, Business Critical Systems, HP. "The performance and TCO results we have achieved with Entone 

 


 
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urther demonstrate the deep solution capabilities that surround HP Integrity servers."

Focusing on digital content distribution and digital content management, HP enables services such as Live TV, VOD, and other interactive TV and content delivery services via its HP IPTV solution. The HP Digital Media Platform and HP Media Storage solutions manage the workflow of digital rich media content in media and service provider environments.

Entone's StreamLiner unique architecture enables flexible configurations of RAM, SCSI, and SATA storage. The StreamLiner architecture can scale from small system deployments of hundreds of streams to the world's largest and most demanding deployments that may involve 100,000's of streams. When coupled with Entone's Armada intelligent asset management system, the StreamLiner platform can be deployed in a widely distributed environment or on a large-scale central server platform. Most operators choose to deploy a hybrid configuration involving a centralized library server and distributed edge servers, with assets stored in a mix of RAM, SCSI, and SATA storage.

"Beyond the industry-leading performance numbers sits an extremely reliable and widely deployed server platform that significantly reduces the risk of operators deploying large-scale VOD services," said Mark Evensen, Entone's VP of Product Development. "We believe this will leave operators wondering aloud what they have to gain by deploying proprietary hardware platforms that are so limited in performance, streaming media options, and system flexibility."

Entone's solutions are field-proven and widely deployed at a number of the world's leading video service operators including Consolidated Communications, Lyse Tele, PCCW, Pioneer Telephone, Sky Italia, and Telewest just to name a few

ANT Expands Korean Presence with Micro Network

ANT plc has announced that it is working with Micro Network Korea Co. Ltd. for local sales and technical support as part of an expansion into Korea.

ANT recently announced three new customers in Korea who have licensed ANT Galio through the company's relationship with Micro Network: Kaon Media, Homecast and InfoEq.

"Micro Network is a well respected company in Korea with excellent links into the Korean digital TV market," said Stephen Reeder, executive director, sales and marketing at ANT. "Their positioning, coupled with our growing presence in the Asia Pacific region, is a natural fit for both companies."

"ANT delivers powerful set-top box and TV UI applications, providing proven solutions that are a great attraction to many customers in the Korea market as demonstrated by the design wins with these major IP set-top box companies," said J.H. Jang, president and CEO, Micro Network Korea. "ANT's worldwide brand and leading technology, together with our own capabilities, is proving to be a real winner in Korea."

ANT's three new customers in Korea are:
Kaon Media, a Korean R&D and manufacturing company focused on the digital terrestrial and satellite broadcasting receiver sector, which has licensed ANT Galio for integration into an IP set-top box and PVR (personal video recorder). The products will be targeted to operator customers in Europe, the Middle East, India, Korea and China. 

Homecast, a global set-top box supplier in Korea focused on research, development and manufacturing of receivers for digital satellite, terrestrial and cable broadcasting, will also target Europe, the Middle East, India, Korea and China with an IP set-top box featuring ANT Galio. 

InfoEQ is a leading manufacturer of IP set-top boxes and video-on-demand systems in Korea. The company will use ANT Galio in targeting customers in Japan and Korea with a new IP set-top box. 

ANT Galio provides a new IPTV Client Software Platform for highly dynamic user experiences. Galio enables fast, compact and easy-to-build, mixed-media IPTV applications, combining local device set-up menus and controls with interactive applications and EPGs. This flexibility provides operators with the ability to evolve their service offerings to meet new heights of customer service delivery.

ANT continues to expand its presence in Asia Pacific as this announcement follows news that ANT's Fresco browser and PurePlay digital media manager technology have been licensed by Askey Computer Corporation and Alpha Networks, both of Taiwan, for integration into IPTV set-top boxes. In addition, Coship, one of the largest set-top box manufacturers in China, has licensed ANT Fresco to target global IP STB market opportunities, primarily in Europe and Asia.

 

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Motorola Shows Carriers More Ways to Deliver IPTV at TELECOM '05

Motorola, Inc. (NYSE: MOT) has demonstrating its continued leadership in next-generation fiber access solutions with several new technologies that are expected to accelerate the deployment of IPTV-based entertainment services. The offerings-including Internet protocol television (IPTV) over GPON and BPON, high-density optical networks terminals, and high-definition television (HDTV) and multi-stream IP residential gateways-extend the ways carriers can cost effectively bring digital video entertainment, high-speed Internet and telephony services to subscribers.

According to Multimedia Research Group (MRG), the worldwide IPTV market is poised for explosive growth over the next five 

years, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 78 percent, from 3.7 million subscribers this year, to 36.9 million in 2009. Motorola is capitalizing on this trend with its recently announced next-generation AXS2200 optical access portfolio and proven Multi-Service Access Platform, which introduce operators of all sizes to flexible delivery options for broadband services such as high definition television, digital video recording, video-on-demand, and robust interactive gaming applications.

When used in tandem with the Motorola AXS2200, the ONT6000 MDU/MTU Optical Network Terminal is a low cost, ITU compliant Optical Network Terminal that acts as the service delivery point to turn "buildings passed" by fiber into living units served by triple-play services over a single fiber passive optical network (PON). The ONT6000 delivers a full range of residential and business services, such as broadband data, HDTV, video on demand and games online-to multiple dwelling unit (MDU) complexes and office buildings (multiple tenant units (MTUs)). 

Three other new technology components provide additional options through Motorola's market-leading Multi-Service Access Platform, helping accelerate the value carriers can bring to their subscribers through DSL and Passive Optical Networking based IPTV solutions. These include:

Motorola RG3000 Residential Gateway: The RG3000 helps to protect telecommunications operator investments in equipment by giving them the ability to provision and deliver triple-play services that now include high-

definition television. This advanced VDSL-based residential gateway connects to Motorola's Multi-Service Access platform to support HDTV quality video, along with robust capabilities, including high-speed Internet access, on-screen caller ID, pay-per-view and interactive television.

Motorola BPON Card: This Broadband Passive Optical Network (BPON) card erases the limitations inherent in fiber-to-the-node (FTTN) access platforms. By enabling all-IP services over a standard fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) interface, operators using the Motorola Multi-Service Access Platform and existing management and middleware solutions, can easily and cost effectively upgrade infrastructures with a plug-and-play FTTH end-to-end IPTV solution.

Motorola RG2400E Residential Gateway: This all IP multi-stream RG2400E residential gateway provides the functionality of multiple set-top boxes by operating as a single access device for the home capable of delivering three concurrent streams of IP digital video. The RG2400E is integrated into the Multi-Service Access Platform via its integrated FTTH BPON architecture and delivers true IPTV services.

Motorola continues to supply network technologies for FTTN and FTTP to a growing list of customers in North America with recent deployments by several telecom companies. These deployments further Motorola's heritage in helping traditional carriers transform into successful entertainment providers by supplying economically viable, scalable infrastructures for IPTV and other bundled 

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services. 

"Our goal is simple: help our customers deploy the converged service delivery platforms that enable them to improve their bottom lines," said Bruce Swail, general manager of FTTN for Motorola Wireline Networks. "Our latest offerings allow operators not only to operationalize multiple technologies using both existing and new platforms, but also to add new value through the delivery of competitive voice, video and data services."

Motorola's solutions will be on display in booth #711 at TELECOM '05. In addition to these technologies, Motorola is sharing its strategy for WiMAX, along with seven technology demonstrations, including advanced video wireless broadband, embedded computing, seamless mobility, IMS, mesh networking, IPTV entertainment and MicroTCA™.

Previewing a proof-of-concept communications server based on the MicroTCA specification, Motorola underlines its commitment to focus on key technologies that maximize and accelerate the benefits of open industry standards. The smaller form-factor and lower entry cost of MicroTCA communications servers supports a "pay-as-you-grow" business model, allowing service providers to enter a market with less initial capital expenditure and to expand their computing platform capabilities in small, low-cost increments as demand for the new service increases. MicroTCA leverages both the AdvancedTCA® system architecture and the AdvancedMC® framework and applies them to higher-volume cost-sensitive market segments. 

BigBand Networks unveils Solution for networking and processing television From Super Headends through fiber-to-the-premises ACCESS

BigBand Networks, Inc., a leading provider of broadband multimedia infrastructure for video, voice and data, has announced availability of a new solution for the networking and processing of video programming for delivery to FTTP (fiber-to-the-premises) access networks. This solution combines platforms located at super headend, video hub office, and video serving office facilities, and is designed for control of channel line-ups of content from disparate sources, reliable transport between facilities, insertion of local advertising, and performance of network edge processing required for reception by popular analog and digital subscriber devices. FTTP access networks have been chosen by several prominent incumbent and independent local telecommunications operators who aspire to rapidly, easily and efficiently launch and scale video services. 

"Telecom operators are responding to a highly competitive market environment by selecting FTTP strategies to build best-of-breed network infrastructures that minimize

time-to-market with capabilities to serve current and future subscriber interests," said John Connelly, BigBand Networks' executive vice president of marketing and business development. "BigBand Networks has worked closely with several of the leading incumbent and independent local operators in order to achieve an end-to-end solution optimized for their needs. The solution is designed to reliably provide high quality video content to a range of digital or analog subscriber devices, with capabilities for additional functionality including participation in lucrative local advertising markets, switching of content for personalized services, and an open path toward delivery of television over IP access networks in addition to RF." 

Operators typically have super headend facilities in one or a few locations in order to source national program feeds delivered across all systems. The BigBand BMR® (Broadband Multimedia-Service Router) can be located at that facility in order to access and distribute programming and advertising content allowing control over channel line-up. Localization occurs with the inclusion of content on BMRs at video hub offices, which are regionally located in metropolitan areas. 

BigBand BMRs can finalize line-ups at video serving offices typically based in central offices, including accessing PEG (public, educational and government) programming, switching to EAS (emergency alert services) when necessary and geographically targeting advertising. This content can be multiplexed with programming transported from the other telecom facilities, which have their video quality and availability enhanced by network edge de-jittering, and reliability automated by redundancy triggered when problems are encountered with particular feeds or transport links. In addition, Edge-based BMRs are designed to distribute directly to standards-based televisions and set-top boxes by decoding content for analog delivery with modulation and upconversion of both analog and digital programming. 

BigBand Networks' launch of its FTTP 
 
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solution builds on a record of providing robust platforms for video programming delivery. The BigBand BMR is currently used for delivery of live programming to tens of millions of analog and digital subscribers on cable networks. The company has also participated in several pioneering video service launches by prominent independent telecommunications operators including SureWest Communications, Comporium and Hargray Communications. 

BigBand Networks' FTTP solution is designed to provide operators with:

· Grooming capabilities that allow increased control over channel line-ups and 

the bandwidth efficiency and video quality of each digital program;

· Standards-based insertion of local advertisements within broadcast programs; 

· Improved media quality and availability through the interface of real-time content onto multiple types of optical networks for distances up to thousands of miles with de-jittering at termination; 

· Increased availability and quality of transport links and individual video programs by automated switching to redundant sources in problem conditions; 

· Customizable targeting of local programming and advertising to geographic 

areas of specific interest; 

· Switching at VSO to emergency alert services feeds when necessary; 

· Analog derivation allowing digital content within network to enhance transport reach, reliability and video quality, and decoding and modulation to interface with analog subscriber equipment; 

· Edge processing of content to interface with digital subscriber equipment; and  Platform upgradeability that leverages the programmable BMR architecture to enable operator migration toward switched services including switched broadcast and IPTV.
 
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Tut Systems Showcases Leading MPEG-4 AVC Technology and Announces Certified Program Insertion Solution at TelcoTV

Tut Systems Inc. (Nasdaq: TUTS), an industry leader enabling the delivery of next-generation data and video services over broadband networks, has showcased its industry-leading MPEG-4 AVC solutions for encoding and transcoding. In addition, the company is pleased to announce the availability of a fully-integrated, tested and deployed Digital Program Insertion Solution.

Tut Systems' carrier class Astria content processor (CP) platform extends its industry leadership with the addition of the world's most deployed MPEG-4 AVC encoding and transcoding functions in the telecom marketplace. With more than 1000 channels and numerous 100+ channel headend wins in various stages of deployment, the Astria CP, and its recently released Multi-Stream Processor (MSP) card, are leading the telco market for MPEG-4 AVC.

In addition, the Astria CP is extending its functionality for existing MPEG-2 digital headend customers that serve a video subscriber base large enough to support ad insertion business models. Tut Systems certified

Digital Program Insertion Solution allows service providers to deliver advertisements and programs on analog and digital channels using common equipment and software and ensures interoperability with leading third-party components.

"As the leader in the Global IPTV video headend market, Tut Systems is proud of our growing success in the emerging MPEG-4 AVC headend space," said Mark Tiedeman, Vice President of Marketing for Tut Systems. "Our internally developed MPEG-4 AVC technology and our certified Program Insertion Solutions show that Tut Systems is committed to delivering world-class video processing solutions to our new and existing customers."

Motive and THOMSON showcase IPTV Management at Telecom '05

With millions of potential users of IPTV, service providers are looking for opportunities to speed their time to market with a managed IPTV solution. Motive, Inc. (NADSAQ: MOTV) and Thomson (Paris Euronext: 18453) (NYSE: TMS) will be the first to demonstrate automated management capabil

 

 ities that help providers accelerate and scale the delivery of new IPTV services, and simplify the user experience for subscribers. 

"Motive is working with industry leaders to not only speed the deployment of IPTV, but also to give service providers the tools to be successful in making the first experience a positive one for IPTV subscribers," said Sanjay Castelino, Motive's vice president of industry marketing. "Because IPTV services are complex, delivering the service can put a tremendous strain on the provider's customer service resources. As the first vendors to demonstrate these abilities, Motive and Thomson are helping service providers to build efficiencies into the IPTV deployment process, and increase the customer adoption and satisfaction."

Independent research firm Multimedia Research Group forecasts IPTV subscriber revenue growing from $635 million in 2005, to more than $1 billion in 2008. To realize this revenue opportunity, providers must address the challenges associated with managing the complex IPTV service ecosystem - the devices, middleware, network hardware and software required to deliver next-generation services to subscribers.

"There is a clear need to help service providers identify and address IPTV service management issues before they go to mass deployment," said Karsten Verhagen, Vice President, IP Video Solutions, Thomson. "This demonstration will show how interoperability between Thomson, Intel and Motive solutions can help service providers accelerate their time to market and reduce operational costs by greatly facilitating installation, management and on-going support of IPTV services." 

Interoperability Demonstration of the IPTV Service Ecosystem 
The demonstration will feature Motive's IPTV FAST™ solution, integrated with the Thomson family of set-top boxes (STB), including the IP900 and the Intel-based IP1000, to show how providers can use intelligent automation to streamline IPTV activation and fulfillment and gain real-time visibil

 

 

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ity and control over STB and residential gateway devices. Specifically, the demonstration will showcase the following capabilities:

Intuitive subscriber and customer service representative (CSR) user interfaces that reduce unnecessary support calls or provide diagnostic data to CSRs when necessary, removing guesswork and the potential for errors;

The marriage of essential set-top identification information to other systems such as billing systems, that are important to the IPTV provisioning process; 

The use of standards such as TR-069 and TR-064 to gain visibility and control over customer premises equipment (CPE) that support the delivery of IPTV services in the home, regardless of vendor type;

The collection of real-time diagnostic information from set-top boxes and residential gateways to compile, analyze and identify faults, and ultimately reconfigure CPE devices to resolve IPTV services problems; and
These enhanced IPTV service capabilities will provide the following benefits:
Reduce technician time on-site during activation process by verifying that IPTV services are operating correctly before the technician leaves the subscriber's home; 

Empower subscribers to self-resolve common issues intuitively and proactively with an on-screen management interface; and
Optimize the interaction between the subscriber and the CSR to help providers decrease average call handle time and increase first call resolution.

"Consumers already have high expectations for television and a positive consumer experience is critical for the early success of IPTV," said Kevin Cornelius, General Manager, Intel Consumer Electronics Group Strategic Alliances. "As a supplier of technology for digital set-top box, digital media recorders, and digital TV, Intel has an interest in seeing the seamless rollout of IPTV technology."


Project Lightspeed Timing, Milestones at Analyst Conference 

Providing an update on Project Lightspeed, SBC Communications Inc. (NYSE: SBC) announced the SBC companies have recently concluded a technical field trial of IP-based services, which successfully demonstrated that the technology works in a real-world environment.

During the two-month trial, which concluded last month, SBC companies successfully delivered Internet Protocol (IP)-based TV programming, video-on-demand (VOD), high-speed Internet access and other features to employee households in San Antonio. This was the second of two employee field trials.

"The conclusion of our field trials and successful delivery of these new IP-based entertainment services was a significant program milestone," said Andy Geisse, chief information officer, SBC Services, Inc. "IP is the next big thing. We're going to change the face of television with an IP-based platform that enables integration, personalization and a high-quality entertainment experience." 

Addressing a group of industry analysts hosted by IBM in New York today, Geisse confirmed that the next phase of Project Lightspeed - a controlled market entry - is set to begin around the end of 2005/early 2006 in 

neighborhoods in San Antonio, Texas with a limited number of subscribers. SBC companies expect to scale the offerings beginning in mid-2006 - adding features and functionality and entering more markets across the companies' 13-state operating region.

The technical field trial tested IPTV and high-speed Internet access at approximately 40 SBC employee homes. The trial evaluated the installation process, platform capability, and network equipment and customer-premise equipment performance.

Using VDSL in conjunction with gigabit Ethernet technology, bandwidth of 20-25 megabits per second bandwidth was achieved, sufficient to provide four streams of high-quality video (including one high-definition stream) per line, high-speed Internet access and, in the future, consumer VoIP service. 

"We've taken our plans to deploy this new, IP-based technology from concept to reality in one year," said Geisse. "While there is still work to be done, I'm encouraged by our fast progress and confident in our ability to scale this market-changing entertainment technology." 

The SBC companies are evaluating the results of the field trial and evolving its offering, systems and equipment. Ongoing lab testing will be conducted in part at a systems integration lab jointly created with Alcatel and housed at an Alcatel facility in Plano, Texas. The lab tests the end-to-end functionality of the IP-based platform. SBC companies will use a similar approach to prepare for the scaled launch.

About Project Lightspeed
Project Lightspeed is the SBC initiative to expand its fiber-optics network deeper into neighborhoods to deliver SBC U-verseSM TV, voice and high-speed Internet access services. SBC companies expect to reach approximately 18 million households by the first half of 2008 as part of initial deployment, using fiber-to-the-node (FTTN) and fiber-to-the-premises technologies. Using FTTN, the companies plan to bring fiber to within 3,000 feet on average of customers' homes.

Instead of using a traditional broadcast

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

video system, in which all content is continuously sent to every customer's home, SBC companies will use a switched IP-video distribution system. In the switched IP-video network, only the content the customer requests is provided to the customer, freeing up bandwidth to be used for other applications and more content.

SBC is using the Microsoft® TV Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) Edition software platform and working with Alcatel to provide access, routing, and aggregation infrastructure equipment and video system integration services. 

SBC companies are working with Scientific-Atlanta to provide IP video network equipment that would enable SBC to acquire, process, encode, and distribute digital media content to subscribers.

The company is working with Amdocs for billing, customer relationship management (CRM), ordering and payment mediation products, and Amdocs consulting and systems integration services. 

SBC companies will use next-generation Internet Protocol TV (IPTV) set-top boxes from Scientific-Atlanta and Motorola for the scaled launch.

IBM servers will be used in SBC IP video offices. These servers - including acquisition, distribution, notification, video-on-demand and other servers - will encrypt video, add digital rights management, allow for fast channel change and other features that will allow delivery of a high-quality, IP-based video service to customers. Additionally, SBC companies are working with IBM to develop a service delivery platform (SDP) that will be used to collect and aggregate transactions from the billing, customer relationship management (CRM), ordering and billing systems. SBC plans to use Leapstone software, which provides subscription and content management capabilities, channel mapping information, and product package information within the SDP.

ILC Teams with Envivio to Help Service Providers Rollout IPTV Services

While analysts expect IPTV services to generate more than $600 million in 2009, ILC and Envivio Inc. have teamed to help service providers make these predictions a reality. Pairing ILC's network control software MaxView® with Envivio's complete line of MPEG-4 encoders, middleware and decoders, the two companies have created solutions that allow service providers to quickly and cost-efficiently rollout and fully manage premium IPTV services such as video on demand (VoD), digital video recording (DVR) and interactive TV (iTV). 

"In order to deploy end-to-end broadcast, mobile TV and IPTV solutions, Envivio was seeking a proven, operator-grade, network management system. Integrating our line of MPEG-4 systems with MaxView enables broadcasters and telcos to better manage and assure 24/7 delivery of subscriber services," said Julien Signčs, President and CTO of Envivio Inc. 

Envivio has deployed a MaxView-managed solution at Japanese satellite broadcaster mbco, the first to deliver digital radio and video programming to mobile subscribers. MaxView's sophisticated network management and automatic redundancy switching combined with Envivio's encoding systems minimizes its bandwidth costs and ensures 

service availability for mbco.
"Envivio's MPEG-4 systems and solutions complement ILC's broadband network management strategy for service providers," explained ILC President and CEO Richard Graham. "Combining our systems offers broadcasters and telcos open standards-based solutions that can be tailored to their IPTV deployments."


Siemens Making IPTV a Reality for more than 75 U.S. Regional Operators
Siemens Communications, Inc., today announced that its SURPASS® Home Entertainment portfolio of broadcast server provider solutions has made IPTV a reality for more than 75 U.S. regional operators as well as many more worldwide. Siemens has the most IPTV deployments in the United States, with two-thirds of its customers making Internet protocol television solutions commercially available to subscribers. Siemens IPTV contracts now cover more than 38 million broadband lines worldwide.

The operators supported by Siemens have IPTV up and running successfully today, said Chris Coles, president and CEO of IPTV middleware leader Myrio Corp., now a Siemens company. “IPTV is already a blockbuster for both customers and providers.

Global IPTV revenues could top $17 bil


lion by 2010, according to TDG Research. Research firm CreditSights estimates the market opportunity of the digital home at $250 billion in the United States and $1 trillion worldwide in three to seven years. In the United States and abroad, Siemens is supporting end-to-end IPTV solutions for providers such as Consolidated Communications, Inc., Pioneer Telephone Cooperative Inc., CT Communications, Inc., South Slope Cooperative Communications Company, as well as KPN Royal Dutch Telecom and Belgacom in Europe and Advanced Datanetwork Communications (ADC) in Thailand. 

Siemens™ IPTV deployment success is built on delivering home entertainment solutions that are convenient, TV-centric and easy to use for consumers and, for operators, enabling the deployment of the most open, secure and scalable standards-based technologies that the market offers. The SURPASS Home Entertainment solution includes centralized back-office management platforms for service providers, complete branding con

trol and tools for tailoring the look and feel of all user interfaces, including program guides and Web portals. Complete vendor interoperability is also provided for digital rights management and head-end components.

Siemens brings a full range of next-generation IPTV systems and services to both wireline and wireless carriers globally, said Bob Larribeau, senior analyst, Multimedia Research Group. Siemens offers the full range of strategic technologies that will be required for the coming convergence of IP-based voice, data and entertainment technologies. This includes IPTV middleware, voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) and IP Multimedia Systems (IMS) that will bring together the home network with game consoles, mobile devices and Wi-Fi services that will create significant new opportunities for carriers.

With an initial goal to quickly enable service providers to get up and running with IPTV home entertainment and home network communication offerings, Siemens is now working to develop broader smart home net

works that can be managed by users from anywhere and from any device. Siemens is now developing relationships in the health care and security industries to help operators launch home-based health care services, including video conferencing between patients and doctors as well as remote home control and surveillance capabilities. For example, Siemens smart home vision includes the use of a mobile device, from a remote location, to activate and set a DVR to record a show or even to turn off a stove or operate other home appliances.

User-friendly gateways of IPTV and smart home solutions are key components of the Siemens LifeWorks philosophy, a vision for anytime, anywhere digital media delivery without barriers. Consumers will want to do everything, everywhere, Coles said. With IPTV and home networks in place, were ready for a quantum leap forward.