Report: Telco/IPTV Households Hit 14 Million Worldwide

DALLAS, April 14:
According to a new report from market research and consulting firm Parks
Associates, the number of households worldwide using telco/IPTV services jumped
from 4.7 million in 2006 to exceed 14 million in 2007, with Europe accounting
for nearly 60 percent of the total.

The new report, titled TV
Services in Europe: Update and Outlook,
analyzes key television services and offers growth strategies and
recommendations for providers worldwide and for Europe in particular. Europe
experienced a growth rate of 250 percent between 2006 and 2007 for telco/IPTV
services, defined as landline-based multichannel and on-demand video services
provided by a telephone operator. According to Parks Associates, operators
should examine network and customer premise equipment upgrades for features and
applications that can personalize the entire television experience and build
customer loyalty.

"Telco/IPTV services
provide European operators with a critical toehold in attracting and retaining
customers," said Kurt Scherf, the VP and principal analyst of Parks
Associates. "However, IPTV is a small part of a crowded market of
terrestrial, satellite and cable offerings, and the competition will be
intense."

Continued Scherf:
"Service providers must view advanced technology capabilities on two
levels. There is certainly a cost-savings perspective, but we would encourage
service providers to also view customers as active participants in the
convergence of entertainment and communications."

—By Irene Lew