Nike+iPod on CNBC

This small documentary is all about the new kit recently launched together by Nike and iPod. This talks about the technology behind it as well as the customer experience. Really nice video (Courtesy: YouTube)

Nike sings to the tunes of iPod

Nike and Apple couldn't change the way Forest Gump (read Tom Hanks) ran but certainly they are going to do it now. Both are going to create history by launching a Nike+iPod sports kit priced @ $29, which is the first product from their partnership announced in May 2006. All Nike+ enabled footwear will be available at retail for $80-$100 (US).The Nike+iPod Sport Kit requires a Nike+ shoe and a iPod nano with Mac with a USB 2.0 and Mac OS X version 10.3.9 or later and iTunes 6.0.5; or a Windows PC with a USB 2.0 port and Windows 2000, XP Home or Professional (SP2) and iTunes 6.0.5.

The Nike+ kit uses a tiny £19 digital chip placed in the sole of the shoe and a wireless receiver attached to the Apple gadget to collect information on running times, distance covered and the amount of calories burned. Users can then download the details straight from their iPod Nano directly into iTunes, which then automatically compares it to previous workouts via a special website. Distances are measured using a special technology that records when and for how long your feet touch the ground. By cross-referencing this information with the frequency of your steps, Nike and Apple reckon that the equipment is '90 percent accurate' straight out of the box. With some calibration, the equipment should be 100 percent accurate. Runners can also get extra motivation by choosing their own PowerSong at the press of a button, to give them a much-need boost when they "hit the wall". In connection with the Nike+iPod Sport Kit, Nike is also introducing the Nike Air Zoom Moire+ and the Nike Air Zoom Plus+, the first of six styles of footwear that will be Nike + ready by the end of July. Nike+ ready footwear is the only footwear that is compatible with the Nike+iPod Sport Kit. The supporting website will work seamlessly with the Nike+iPod Sport Kit an extensive training log, interaction with other runners and links to exclusive music and coaching tools. A punchline appropriate for this amazing range of futuristic product could be "Shoes that understand your emotions" contributed by Sid.

Breathalyzer Cell Phones

One of the received mails :)

A breathalyzer cell phone, also known as a sobriety cell phone, is a cellular telephone handset equipped with a built-in device for detecting the presence of ethyl alcohol vapor in the breath. The Korean corporation LG (who also made the Internet refrigerator) manufactures a breathalyzer cell phone called the blood alcohol content (BAC) of more than 0.08, the legal maximum for operating motor vehicles in most U.S. states. The user blows into a small opening on the phone set. If the BAC is above the threshold, the phone's LCD produces an
image of a weaving car knocking down traffic cones. Beyond the prevention of drivers operating under the influence, a breathalyzer cell phone may be able to combat the infamous practice of "drunk dialing," where users contact friends and family (or, in the worst case, coworkers and superiors) late at night while intoxicated.

A breathalyzer is a device that can detect and measure a person's BAC based on a sample of exhaled air. The term, now considered generic, comes from the brand name "Breathalyzer," originally coined by Smith and Wesson. Breathalyzer brand names today include Alcotest, Alcosensor, Datamaster, Intoxilyzer and several others. Breathalyzers have also been installed in the cars of chronic drinkers to prevent ignition of the vehicle without a successful negative result.

MSN, Yahoo connect their IMs

Microsoft and Yahoo have started the messaging game (read advertising game) by providing interoperability between the consumer versions of their instant-messaging (IM) clients. Facing threats from third-party applications, like Trillian and Skype, the two tech giants will claim 44% of the instant messaging market. The move creates a global community of nearly 350 million accounts with its beta service available globally in 15 localized languages.

Both the companies will offer limited public testing that enables users of Windows Live Messenger and Yahoo Messenger with Voice to connect to each other through either service. Users can register to sign up in a limited public beta at Yahoo or Microsoft. The process had been expected to be available in the second quarter of this year. Microsoft already has enabled IM interoperability between Live Communications Server (LCS), its enterprise unified messaging software, and IM clients from Yahoo and American Online, as well as its own Windows Live Messenger. Business customers that have purchased LCS and Office Communicator, the client interface for LCS, can connect to all of those IM clients.

Who is next ?

Microsoft is also planning to strike a similar deal to make Windows Live Messenger interoperate with AOL's consumer IM client. This deal, if happens would determine the future of advertising leadership in instant messaging. As AOL is leading the market in instant messaging with distant No.2 (MSN) and No.3 (Yahoo), it would be appropriate for others to be interoperable with AOL but on the other hand Google-AOL deal indicates that the two companies are already working to make their respective instant messaging services interoperate (Google paid $1 billion for a 5 % stake). Another school of thought relates the interoperability gimmick of traditional IMs to get back their users who were once actively using their IM services, to come back. In the six years since AOL, Yahoo! and MSN were not allowing IM traffic from each other on their respective networks, the entire IM landscape has changed. These days it is the success of Jabber’s continued success in the Enterprise IM space and Google’s recent entry into the consumer IM market space that collectively eroded the market share of active IM users away from the "traditional" IM players that finally gave a reason for some of the "traditional" IM competitors to find a way to work together. Coming days will be gold mine for the IMs who can interoperate and encash their ad-network.

Will China be Global Leader in IPTV ?

Despite tight content restrictions, dueling government agencies and an outdated telecom and cable infrastructure badly in need of an overhaul, the world's largest TV market stands poised to become the world's largest IPTV market over the next few years. China, by far the global leader with an estimated 355 million to 380 million TV households and at least 105 million cable subscribers should also become the global leader in IPTV homes by the end of the decade. Because the installed base of TVs is so much higher than that of PCs in China, IPTV services such as TV Gaming and TV Education may help drive Chinese families toward widespread use of IPTV. An additional finding indicates that the Olympic Games being held in China in 2008 may also contribute to substantial growth in IPTV services during the forecast period.

Many major hurdles must still be overcome, however, before the IPTV business can blossom in China. The biggest obstacles include impending launch of DTT, uncertain and conflicting government regulatory policies, tight content controls, an immature broadband infrastructure, the huge cost of massive plant upgrades, low broadband penetration, and high prices in a complex, confusing market.

Due to all these factors, experts' forecasts about the growth of the market range all over the map. It ranges from 4.2 (Source: Kagan) to 18.2 million (Source: In-Stat) IPTV subscribers by 2010. Nevertheless, everybody agrees that China should become the biggest IPTV market on the planet in four years' time, if for no other reason than the huge size of the nation itself.

Major hurdle is government's reluctance to issue more than a handful of IPTV test licenses to the nation's two major telecom firms, China Netcom and China Telecom. Under those test licenses, China Netcom has launched capped market trials in such northern regions as Harbin Province, while China Telecom has rolled out trial IPTV services in such southern areas as Shanghai. Moreover the strict video programming restrictions that the government's powerful State Administration of Radio, Film and Television (SARFT) has imposed on phone companies, cable operators, satellite TV providers and broadcasters alike, particularly concerning the use of foreign content. For instance, SARFT has mandated that no more than 40% of the animation shown on Chinese TV can be produced outside the country.

A compelling service needs compelling content but will China be prepared to relax its foreign content laws to allow IPTV providers to offer a differentiated product? It seems unlikely in the foreseeable future. The only problem with China is that it's a gated gold mine.

IPTV Forecast by Diffusion Group

According to The Diffusion Group'’s latest report, global IPTV subscriptions are expected to jump from two million to 34 million between 2005 and 2010, reflecting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 60%. North America will experience the most rapid rate of growth during this time period with a CAGR of 78%, followed by Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) with a CAGR of 61% and Asia/Pacific with a CAGR of 41%.

While small rural operators dominated in 2005 and 2006 but new entrants like Verizon and AT&T are expected to grow the market accounting for 11.2 mn IPTV subscribers in USA. This will account for 80% on North America EMEA region will perform better in IPTV as several IPTV deployments in the region are on schedule. EMEA will be contributing the IPTV kitty with 14 million subscribers. Asian IPTV market lags despite of the fact that current market leader in the IPTV i.e. PCCW is an asian operator. However several trials are happening both in China and India but regulatory issues & impending launch of DTT in China and low ARPU (read affordability) of Cable TV market looks like a detterent to growing IPTV market in Asia. After many years of political wrangling, the Chinese government is about to announce a single DTV standard for both fixed and mobile services. Once this happens, the government will start pushing more aggressively the distribution of digital set-top boxes as a means of ramping up the number of digital TV subscribers. The Chinese government has stated publicly that this new standard (dubbed 'Digital Multimedia Broadcasting – Terrestrial/Handheld' or 'DMB-T/H') will eventually serve more than half of China's TV viewers, especially those in suburban and rural areas. Until then, analog and broadband based services may well find a healthy market for the few years to come. Kagan's forecast of 25.3 mn IPTV subscribers in 2008 also seems to be in-line of this forecast.

Content going to & fro with Mobile DVR

Sky has come up with DVR (Digital Video Recording) facilities on mobile that lets customers control the recording capabilities on their STB using mobile phone and on the other side Motorola has already launched an advanced version in the form of a content sharing technology designed to let Motorola's digital video recorders to send recordings of programming to motorola phones. It gives a connected experience to the customer who can control the content from anywhere.

SKY subscribers can access this service by text message, simply sending the show title, channel, date, and time to a Sky number. The company will then return a confirmation message and route the recording instructions to the set-top box. Those Sky customers who have smartphones can sign up for a similar Sky service, download the necessary software, and access a seven-day TV guide directly on the phone to configure recording options. SKY is also planning to come up with an online version of remote DVR in future.

Motorola's DVR-to-Mobile service would be offered by cable providers through the Motorola set-top boxes using OCAP, the cable industry's standard interactive-service software. The DVR will have a phone cradle. Once the mobile phone is placed in the cradle, owners use their DVR interface to copy content, including movies and television programs, over to the phone. As of now, the Motorola Razr V3x is the only phone capable of receiving and displaying this content. Consumers will also be able to access their DVR remotely from their Motorola phone by clicking on an icon that then brings them to their DVR interface. From there they would program their DVR as if they were at home. Content, however, can only be downloaded via the cradle.

Now the big question arises. Why didn't Sky offer the DVR-to-mobile service when it is already there? answer comes from the rights management issue. How the Sky will determine the illegal transfer and consumption of content. May be this can be answered with one way around solution by authorizing the cell phones per household to be used with the service but it will take some time to get the buy-in. Motorola is not alone in its effort to entice mobile phone users with broadcast content on their cell phones. SlingMedia has already released the SlingPlayer Mobile which lets consumers remotely watch live TV- and DVR-recorded content, as well as remotely program their Slingbox DVRs. The service works with any Microsoft Windows mobile phone.

So lets wait and watch for SKY to come up with the DVR-to-mobile services ASAP.

Reliance is running towards convergence

Reliance Infocomm's possible media foray might work wonders for it where it will be having content, delivery platforms like Bluemagic (DTH service), mobile and Home Netway (IPTV). Reliance is planning to start three news channels including one for business news and one for general news. Ernst & Young is already working over the financial feasibility of the proposed venture. Reliance is speculated to be in an advanced stage of negotiations with the British Broadcasting Corporation and a New Delhi-based television software company for an equity alliance. Reliance wants a global brand to start with to establish its credibility and infrastructure from local operator. This step is in alignment with its convergence strategy of its acquisition of Adlabs, Primefocus and Paradox studios on content front and multiple delivery platforms for mobility and connected homes through Home Netway.

IPTV in India : Aggressive Reliance Pricing

IPTV and DTH are going to be buzzwords for Indians as everybody is trying to ride over the digital wave be it broadcasters like Star & Zee, telecom operators like Tata, Bharti and Reliance or new players like Atlas. Broadcasters want to reach directly to the customer in order to protect there top lines from Local Cable TV Operators (LCOs). Currently LCOs corner 79% of the total subscription revenue, living very little (17%) for broadcasters. This is the reason that the currently reported ARPU of Cable TV is reported at 125 Rs. To protect there revenues and control over the subscriber, broadcasters are going to other delivery platforms to offer their content. DTH fits the strategy very well as broadcasters lack the infrastructure (read fiber and last mile connectivity) needed to deliver the content directly to the consumer. DTH gives the flexibility to offer the same without the last mile infrastructure.

But it doesn't cost them cheap. Take the example of Zee DTH service which has already consumed the capex of approx Rs 4500 MN and awaited launch of TATA-Sky DTH service is expected to have a capex of Rs 15400 MN. But the DTH service lacks genuine interactivity due to the lack of "reverse path". Here IPTV comes to the rescue which provides enhanced level of interactivity. Indian telecom operators are aligning their capex investment strategy with proposed launches of IPTV. Reliance, MTNL, BSNL and Bharti are already in the pilot phase to test the technology and scalability of IPTV over existing infrastructure. Reliance is doing pilots of Home Netway in Jamnagar and Mumbai to test the Microsoft TV platform with their patented technology for STB (read CHOISpad) and customized pilot (read CHOISer). Reliance is expected to launch its services near the year end. As Reliance is expanding the broadband in over 200 cities therefore we can expect it to launch IPTV not only in the metros but also in some of the Class A cities. Speculated deal of 5 MN set top boxes with Motorola also indicates the same.

As expected Reliance will come with cheap pricing for their bundled triple play packages, if soft billing started by Reliance indicates. Key indications from soft billing are

a) Rs. 100/ month flat fee (base rate)
b) Rs. 50 / month for each movie downloaded (unlimited views/replays in that billing cycle)
c) Rs. 25 / month for each music video or song (unlimited replays in that billing cycle)
d) Rs. 5-10 / month / TV channel (depending on usage - you only pay what you watch!)
e) Bill Statement has the timestamp for each movie download.
f) The threshold levels seem to be about 1 min / channel / month and 10 min / movie after which they are billed
g) Price cuts for movies & songs could be expected for the launch to about Rs. 25 & Rs 10 / month respectively

Considering the capex involved in the IPTV, soft billing indicates that Reliance wants to go for market share in the first 2-3 years and then make money out of it (Just like Google). I personally like this strategy of eating the market, gaining customers' experience and loyalty and then play with volumes. I believe Google also does the same, like it is doing with Orkut, Spreadsheets, etc. Moreover Reliance is going for a long term strategy to create a market for the connected homes where Reliance will be offering a solution of digital platform for households. All the home appliances will be connected and controlled with the same platform.

One important thing is to notice a unique strategy of telecom operators worldwide like AT&T, Reliance , etc where they are going for DTH as well as IPTV together. Telcos want to capture the market as soon as possible and this is little bit difficult to do with existing infrastructure which requires huge investment in network upgradation to either of FTTH, MEN (Metro Ethernet Network) or something else. So it is a practical solution to grab subscribers from cable dry towns with DTH and then upgrade them in future.

Will Microsoft Sing ?

It is going to be a multi billion dollar question, witnessing the success story of Apple's iPod and iTunes. Now Microsoft is speculated to launch its own digital music player around Christmas this year. It will also reportedly carry wireless technology enabling users to download music without linking to a computer. In the past Microsoft has worked with iRiver to create Clix where it provided the underlying software. Microsoft has already introduced other initiatives to compete with Apple's iTunes music service. In May it launched along with MTV Networks the Urge music store as part of the Windows Media Player 11 public beta. The Urge store allows users to purchase songs for $1 and albums for $10, as well as to buy a $15 monthly subscription. The service is not compatible with Apple Macs or iPods. There have been several signs that the world's largest software maker might be planning a music device. The company recently jumped into cell phones with Windows Mobile, and more recently it announced that it was collaborating with France's Bouygues Telecom to launch a new mobile music service in 2007.

If Microsoft plunges ahead with this new approach, the software maker will be in a tricky situation. Because of Apple's leadership position (74% market share), Microsoft needs to drop its current strategy of embracing Apple's solo approach, where songs purchased at Apple's iTunes online music store will only work on its iPods. Songs purchased from Microsoft's new, improved online music service will also likely play on devices made by longtime hardware partners such as Samsung, Creative Technologies, and iRiver.

Better Strategy for Microsoft would be to go for seamless compatibility between player and its hit product Xbox gaming console, giving the flexibility to play stripped down versions of games on its player but in the first version chances are bleak as Microsoft might not be ready with the games for its digital ecosystem. Microsoft's IPTV would be the next one to be integrated to prevent Apple's entry into homes with digital platform for living rooms. However this strategy would be a threat to MS's partners like iRiver and MTV in the digital music space, Microsoft needs to very well execute the plan to rerun the success story of Apple as owning everything doesn't guarantee the success as evident from Sony's fate. Sony owned content, devices, software and an online store and it hasn't enjoyed nearly the success Apple has. What is going to happen with Microsoft will be interesting in its own terms so till then keep your fingers crossed.

Little City preparing for Big IPTV fight

The Little Rock city will soon be witnessing the full-blown competition between Comcast and AT&T as the latter has applied for the franchise agreement. This will see some regulatory hurdles too like "Right of Way" and social services like emergency broadcasting. Main reason behind this is the cherry-picking policy of AT&T. AT&T plans to provide this service to 90 percent of the high value customers, 70 percent of the medium value customers, and just five percent of the low value customers. In case they won't be able to offer emergency broadcast to entire city which is being followed by Comcast Cable.

In a nod to the cable companies’ often-heard complaint that AT&T doesn’t plan to offer the same service to everyone when it comes to IPTV, the agreement goes on to say that AT&T “intends to” offer video service to anyone residing in Little Rock, regardless of income or minority status. In the case of those living more than several hundred yards from an IPTV node, the service offered would be a satellite-based AT&T product called Homezone. Currently, it is technologically impossible to offer PEG channels (city's public, educational and government programming) and local emergency broadcast features over satellite-based television.

In the proposed agreement, AT&T promises to:

• Provide “some form of access” to the city’s public, educational and government (PEG) programming — probably via broadband Internet broadcasts in the short term.

• Pay the city 5 percent of the gross revenue collected for IPTV services.

• Pay the city an additional 10 cents per month per subscriber once PEG channel go online

• Provide an apparatus for alerting IPTV viewers to a public safety emergency “as soon as it is technically feasible to do so.”

Both AT&T and Comcast cable have mounted an extensive lobbying campaign for the coming July 11th meeting. AT&T is banking on "giving choice to consumers" while Comcast is relying on the differential treatment to city people by AT&T. Once AT&T gets this agreement signed, the field will be open to fight for next 3 years.

Who Killed Set Top Boxes ?

Verimatrix is in the process of building a PC application that will allow IPTV customers to watch all of their TV channels from any broadband-connected PC in the home. The software app, code-named "Secure PC Player," will help carriers convince content makers that it is possible to create a media player for the PC that keeps content every bit as secure as a set-top box. Verimatrix system includes a session-based watermarking method that leaves a digital fingerprint on each content stream entering a PC. That way, if the content later shows up on the Internet or somewhere else it shouldn't be, the service provider could conceivably trace the content back to an individual customer.

This technology, which Verimatrix calls "VideoMark," has already been deployed in India in Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd. (MTNL) 's IPTV service, but that deployment was tethered to a set-top installation. As Verimatrix tinkers with the project, it is working on both a "lean forward" interface (one more suitable for use at a PC) and a "lean back" interface (one more suitable for a home media center PC that is operated via remote control from the couch). In homes that already have media center PCs as part of the entertainment center, this kind of technology could eliminate the need for a set-top box altogether. this technology can definitely allow carriers to offer a direct alternative to Sling Media Inc. 's Slingbox, with no additional hardware required.

IPTV Update Plus

STB Killer by Verimatrix

Verimatrix is building a PC application that will enable IPTV customers to watch all of their TV channels from any broadband-connected PC in the home. The software application is code-named "Secure PC Player" and will, reportedly, help carriers convince content makers that their content can be just as safe on the PC as in a set-top box. One feature of Verimatrix's offering is a watermark method that leaves a digital fingerprint one each content stream entering the PC, so if the content shows up elsewhere the service provider could trace it back to an individual user.
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BNS & PTC to supply H.264 equipments to Vietnam

Broadband Network Systems Ltd, together with partner PTC Ltd, has secured a ground breaking deal to provide H.264 SD live encoders and decoders to Vietnam to enable the first broadcast quality video transportation in the country. The Envivio H.264 SD live encoders and decoders will be used for the commercial launch of broadcast quality video transport from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City by an undisclosed top Vietnamese telco.
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TiVo case study by Research & Markets

Research & Markets has announced the addition of Can TiVo Survive? A Case Study in the Perils of First-to-Market Innovations to their offering. The report examines a variety of DVR and digital media subjects, including (1) the unique evolution of TiVo as a company and technology purveyor; (2) the competitive environment in which TiVo now finds itself; (3) profiles of relevant competitors; and (4) the viability and likelihood of partnerships with Google, Yahoo, Apple, Sony, and online content purveyors such as MovieLink and CinemaNow.
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Go ahead for internet television in Netherlands

In May, the Netherlands’ largest carrier KPN (The Hague) launched Mine, its IP controlled TV service, available on domestic television sets via a broadband connection and set-top box. KPN’s customers can call up programs from the three public Dutch channels as long as ten days after they have been broadcast. They can also record up to 100 hours of programs on a recorder supplied via the operating network, and select broadcasts from 65 TV and 60 radio channels using an electronic program guide. KPN also plans to include special interactive programs in its IPTV service. For example, the country’s three largest football teams – Ajax, Feyenoord and PSV – will be providing their own TV channel.
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Weekly IPTV Update

Animo's STB in N. europe's first HDTV service

Set-top boxes (STB) from UK manufacturer Animo have been used in northern Europe's first ever high definition IPTV service. The service was rolled-out in time for World Cup football matches offering viewers greater clarity and detail. By selecting Amino for this deployment, Lijbrandt Telecom BV was able to deploy HD services rapidly. As well as HDTV, the service will also offer triple-play functions; the grouping together of internet access, TV and telephone services into one subscription via a broadband connection. Lijbrandt, the firm being the new service, expects it to attract 120,000 subscribers within three years.
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Verizon sues over IPTV

While Congress dithers over a telecom reform bill that may or may not pass this year, Verizon is moving to the courts to prove its point that a national video franchising law is necessary. Both the Senate and the House are pushing legislation to allow Verizon and AT&T to bypass local franchising authorities in rolling out their Internet Protocol TV (IPTV) offerings. The idea is to streamline the entry into the pay television market to bring another competitor to cable systems.
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Regulatory hurdles worry IPTV industry

Regulations and customer understanding are the two biggest barriers to the success of IPTV (Internet Protocol television), say operators, content providers and vendors that participated in a survey done by the Economist Intelligence Unit Ltd. and Accenture Ltd. Standardization issues and marketing and pricing also ranked high among areas of concern in the IPTV survey.
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Archer launches Indiatvlive.com

Archer Entertainment Media Communications has launched Indiatvlive.com, reportedly one of the first Indian IPTV platforms to stream Indian TV, radio and internet content. Indiatvlive.com will enable all Indian media via IP to deliver television and radio channels in real time, live from India on wired, Wi-Fi and cellular devices across the world. The content will comprise news, sports and entertainment in all languages of India. Full-time broadcasting via indiatvlive.com and indiaradiolive.com will begin by 15 August 2006 to mark the 59th anniversary of India's independence.

Verimatrix is selected for First Moscow IPTV Deployment

Verimatrix, developer of the most widely deployed IPTV content protection system with tier one operators is going to work with Russian systems integrator CTI to secure the content of Central Telegraph's IPTV service for Moscow and the Moscow region. The service roll-out, which will be made available to Central Telegraph's 60,000 broadband Internet subscribers, will be completed by October 2006. The IPTV service will offer interactive television services such as Video-on-Demand (VOD), premium channels, information and interactive services, as well as traditional broadcast and multicast TV and radio channels.
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India: IPTV likely to be under Cable TV act

IPTV is slated to be governed under the cable laws, as stakeholders including broadcasters and multi-system operators (MSOs) have sought the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) to amend the Cable TV Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995, to this effect. Responding to TraiÂ’s proposal of excluding IPTV from the purview of cable Act, both Zee and Star TV have said the foreign direct investment (FDI) limit of 49% on cable services should also be applicable to IPTV. Currently, IPTV attracts 74% FDI cap with Bharti Airtel and Reliance group holding IPTV licences.
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ESPN inks IPTV deal

ESPN Classic has reached a carriage deal with Telefónica’s Spanish IPTV platform Imagenio, reaching more than 250,000 subscribers. Imagenio offers 66 different TV channels, 15 radio stations, a pay per view football channel and interactive information and commercial services. The channel reaches 20 million viewers in over 40 countries, including Italy, France, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Belgium, Monaco, Poland, Portugal and Croatia.

TRAI withdraws paper on IPTV

Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) is set to withdraw a consultation paper on IPTV that it had issued some time back.Though this can be viewed as a small victory for the broadcasting and cable community, which was resisting pressure from telecom companies to take IPTV out of the ambit of Cable TV Networks (Regulation) Act. In its consultation paper, Trai had asked whether itÂ’s feasible to take IPTV out of the purview of the Cable TV Act and have separate licensing norms for it for its growth. The basic intention behind the proposed amendments in the Cable Television (Regulation) Act, 1995 was to keep the IPTV service outside the definition of `cable services.
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Cable Cos using competitive pricing to fight IPTV roll-outs

San Antonio, Texas is a perfect example of this phenomena. AT&T has recently launched its U-Serve IPTV offering in the city prompting leading cable incumbent, Time Warner, to reduce the cost of its television, internet, and phone services, and offer special bonuses like free premium channels and faster broadband connections to loyal customers.
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Tamblin launched the interactive portal for IPTV operators

Interactive TV firm Tamblin has launched a service aimed at telecoms operators looking to add further interactive elements, such as games, forums and advertising, to their existing broadband TV services. The IPTV Interactive Portal is powered by TamblinÂ’s i-ZoneTV technology. Tamblin is working with a number IPTV industry players including Microsoft, Ant and Espial, to help ensure portal can deploy quickly to these leading platforms.

Indiatvlive.com to provide indian content over IPTV

The portal has been launched in the US by Archer Entertainment Media Communications. It will also be launching www.indiaradiolive.com, which will begin by 15 August 2006. IndiaTVLive.com will stream Indian TV, radio and internet content to subscribers over IPTV. It will deliver television and radio channels real time, live and direct from India in high definition television quality on wired, Wi-fi and cellular devices worldwide.