Re: Digital TV - Can Twisted Pair Compete?
Thread- The view below sure seems counter to what we are seeing rollout today. -MikeM(From Florida)
**************************
Telcos Take on TV, Increasing Demand for Video Equipment
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., September 27, 2000 - Telephone companies around the world are counter-attacking the advances of digital cable TV and digital satellite TV services by becoming involved in the TV business themselves, according to Cahners In-Stat Group. The high-tech market research firm forecasts that, as a result, the worldwide market for video equipment being sold into telephone company central offices will top $2.5 billion during 2005.
There are four principal reasons why telephone companies (telcos) are looking to deliver video, according to Gerry Kaufhold, Principal Analyst for In-Stat's Multimedia Broadband Services:
-Competition from cable TV
-Availability of newly opened markets
-The need to maximize the value of their existing twisted pair infrastructure
-The desire to follow a long-term strategic vision for the future
New "video via xDSL" technologies like Passive Optical Networks, and Full Service Access Networks (G.983), being proposed by the International Telecommunications Union, offer a complete service "bouquet" including traditional analog voice telephony, new voice-over-IP telephone services, high speed Internet access, interactive services, home banking and e-commerce services, video networks (USA, Disney, CNN, ESPN, Etc.), near video-on-demand services, and true interactive video-on-demand services.
"In order to upgrade their infrastructure to make it capable of delivering video services," says Kaufhold, "Telephone companies must set up video distribution points, or headends, that receive TV signals from the networks. In addition, these companies should purchase and install video servers to support interactive products such as video on demand. All of the equipment used by telcos will be connected to the residences of end-users through the existing base of local telephone switches." |
