The evolution toward new generation networks is the key for telecommunication operators to offer TV over IP (IPTV), according to what was proesented by technology providers in the second day of the National Triple Play Congress that Convergencia is presently carrying out in Cordoba.
The most commented case is of Telecom Argentina that at the end of last year summoned a meeting with technology providers with the aim of obtaining information on solutions they had for IPTV (a Request For Information - RFI).
One of the providers that participated was Alcatel. According to Pablo Scinardo, IPTV Solutions Sales Support executive at Alcatel Argentina, the plan is that within a few months, Telecom advances a few steps more, from the results of the RFI. I summoned a price and model proposal (Request For Proposals - RFP), so that the first pilot test is carried out in the 2Q, to start offering the service between the end of 2006 and the beginning of 2007.
As the French provider is the main triple play service provider for Telecom Italy, which launched the service in Italy last December, they are optimistic to obtain a contract from the Argentine operator, because Telecom Italy is the main stockholder of Telecom Argentina
It is commented that a special day to try the IPTV service locally, would be the Soccer World Cup, which would be carried out from June 9 to July 9 in Germany, due to that Telecom Argentina has the broadcasting rights in the country.
At the same time, there are multiple challenges to transform these services to massive use, according to Rodolfo Vigliano, Optical Business Developments responsible at Nortel for CALA: to widen the bandwidth offered to users, unify operators` networks, reduce service costs and articulate new devices under this triple play model appear.
Together with these challenges, providers propose that important digital content developments to transmit through IPTV should be made. One of them is the ESDC, the business unit of Claxson that distributes digital music and audiovisual contents through their own platform as well as of several telecommunication service operators.
For example, Patricia Tomasini, Broadband and Internet Contents director at Claxson, explained that they have launched a music download service of Grupo Clarín, through Ubbi, with an online pay system, with a direct user collection schedule, of which already registered 17,000 paid downloads this week.
According to Tomasini, not only are these digital contents transmitted through IPTV, but also through cable TV operators and ISPs. Inclusively, from her understanding, the PC will be transformed into a digital entertainment center that will interact with TV, meaning that the Windows Media Center would be one of the audiovisual content platforms that will be distributed under this convergence model.