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Though
IPTV still lacks large subscriber
base across the world, the technology
for its mass deployment is in
place. Telecom giants like Verizon,
British Telecom and SBC are
in various stages of deployment.
"IPTV
is the horse that we are backing,"
said Microsoft TV group product
manager Hemang Mehta.
Elaborating
on the advantages of IPTV, Mehta
said the delivery platform had
the ability to offer personalised
content. Unlike cable TV and
direct-to-home (DTH), consumers
could select devices rather
than be forced to buy set-top
boxes (STBs) from the service
operators. "The next generation
of TV sets will be enabled for
IP and broadband. Consumers
need not buy the STBs,"
he pointed out.
On
being queried by Indiantelevision.com
on whether IPTV STBs were expensive,
Mehta said they were available
at below $100.
As
for big daddy Reliance Infocomm,
the bet is on mobile TV around
which the digital story will
ultimately converge. This was
the view expressed by Reliance
Entertainment president Rajesh
Sawhney.
Speaking
at the session, HTMT executive
vice president Ashok Mansukhani
said cable TV was well geared
to meet the challenge from DTH
and IPTV with its digital service.
"Cable TV will offer the
lowest cost digital platform.
It also has the ability to offer
over 300 channels," he
pointed out.
Zee
Group vice chairman Jawahar
Goel said new delivery platforms
were emerging which would provide
choice to consumers.
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