MRG's Global IPTV Market Leaders Report Reflects Significant Shifts

AMSTERDAM, The Netherlands — MRG Inc. announces new leaders in the Global IPTV Market Leaders Report — August 2008, which tracks the top 100 IPTV vendors in 24 regional sub-segments based on the installed base of 6 video systems products in over 660 IPTV Operations. Continuing growth of orders are reflected by increased deployments of IPTV products in Europe, Asia, Rest of World, and even in North America.

The merger and acquisitions activity continues with news from Viaccess’ purchase of Orca and Espial’s acquisition of Kasenna, leaving ripples of change throughout the Middleware, VOD and Content Protection sectors. For the first time, Microsoft has moved upward to third position globally in Middleware, VOD and Content Protection, as other Middleware and VOD providers brace for further rolling swells from the software giant. Verimatrix again scores in the top 5 vendors in all 4 regions and as #1 globally in Content Protection, showing a significant consistency in all major markets in the world, and indicating how difficult this sector is to lead for more than 18 months.

In VOD, Thomson pulls to Number one globally for the first time, leaving SeaChange in second place. In STBs (set-top boxes), Motorola remains in the global lead while competitors Sagem, Cisco and Amino are showing the ability to close the gap in front of them.

“Some IPTV market segments are more volatile than others and will certainly see some changes in the future,” says Jose Alvear, MRG Analyst. “However, one thing is certain: the IPTV market is still going strong. Not only are subscriber numbers rising, but new Operators are still in the midst of deploying IPTV systems all around the world.”

Companies like Ericsson, Thomson, NEC, Nortel and Cisco Systems are expected to create strong “turn-key” alliances with best of breed companies on a regional and local basis, to compete with the strong regional successes of companies like UTStarcom and ZTE. “Turn-key system strategies on a regional and even a local basis marks a new era in vendor strategies to develop stronger and more flexible local marketing as a means of helping IPTV Operators to control and accelerate trialing and early deployment stages,” says Gary Schultz, President, MRG, Inc.