Control of IPTV Home Network Improves OpEx & Future Revenue Opportunities

Monday, March 3rd, 2008
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MRG’s Report Describes Next Battlefield for Dominance

SAN JOSE — A new report from the Multimedia Research Group (MRG), ‘IPTV Home Networking Strategies, 2008,’ explores the strategic importance of the Home Network for IPTV Operators. It reveals how effective Home Networking (HN) strategies can improve the competitiveness of an IPTV Operator against Cable and Satellite, reposition the IPTV Operator in the growing battle against the PC and CE (consumer electronics) industries, and can reduce operational expenses (OpEx) through use of best-practices for installing and managing the Home Network. By improving their monitoring and management of the Home Network, IPTV Operators can position themselves for future converged services while reducing OpEx today.

“Winning at the IPTV Home Network game requires a three-prong strategy,” states Jose Alvear, IPTV Analyst at MRG. “Operators need a flexible approach to the physical network in the home along with strong commitment to managing the Home Network and using it as a platform for delivering a rich set of services.”

By examining the HN standards used by the top Operators, the report suggests various strategies and architectures for interconnecting both AV (Audio-Visual) and PC devices in the home, while reducing OpEx and improving opportunities for each strategy.

The report also reviews the results of a survey sent to the top 60 (global) IPTV Operators about home installation best-practices and methods for driving down OpEx. Survey results show that installation times for single- and multiple-TV set households vary significantly across various networking technologies, and across various geographical locations. Also, described are best-practices for cost-cutting, effective training, effective staffing, equipping and management of home installation teams that can have major impact on OpEx.

While there is strong interest in the IEEE 802.11n wireless standard and powerline, no single approach has become dominant; but trends are beginning to emerge. Organizations interviewed include major IPTV Operators, CEA, Cisco/SA, CopperGate, DLNA, DSL Forum, DS2, DVB, Entropic Communications, HANA, HomePlug Powerline Alliance, HomePNA, Intel, MoCA, Ruckus, Siemens, Texas Instruments, UPnP and others.

The 67-page IPTV Home Networking Strategies Report, February 2008 is available in a printed version for $1,995US, as a PDF departmental license for $2995US, and is free as part of the IPTV Tracking Service. To order this report or for more information, contact Rob Smith at rsmith@mrgco.com (408-453-5553).