After launching IPTV, we will initiate a project to provide mobile TV thanks to the participation we have in Tigo," said Andrés Betancur, IPTV Project manager of UNE-EPM. However, he acknowledged that for now, the project is in stand-by because "the regulation is still in its infancy differently from IPTV in where the government regulates spectrum to offer mobile TV" he said.

According to the executive of EPM, tests on the new service will be made with GSM/DVB-H. "At the moment, the only test carried out was a demo with a local video," said Betancur, who assured that the commercial launch can be expected for 2009 along with vendors like Nagra and Konax.

Regarding developments in IPTV, EPM is in the process of revising its way to provide the service. According to Betancur, they are experimenting with Ruckus Wireless, which provides a wireless system within the home. Telefónica del Sur (Telsur) in Chile was the pioneer in applying this approach: in its case, the low satellite signal goes to FTTc networks, then through copper cables to the home and inside the house implements a system that allows to mobilize TV without cables. "Undoubtedly, the trend is going in this direction," said the executive of EPM and said that the implementation of this system will be segmented due to its high cost to the user, which adds some US$ 200 to the price of the service.

Moreover, other tests are being carried out like PLC (provide the service through electrical wiring) and the MOCA, which converts cable to Ethernet for IPTV, to make better use of the existing infrastructure.

The IPTV manager of EPM said that instead of serving customers from the plant to provide Triple Play and IPTV, their strategy is based on going "from the customer to the central" establishing points every 500 meters to meet a radius of 2 km with 6Mbps. The "core" of our project is currently focused on the customer, "said Betancur.

So far, EPM invested some US$ 13 million in IPTV: US$ 10 million for licenses, set top boxes and middleware and US$ 2.5 million on boards for TV channels.

Currently, the company offers IPTV through trials to 1,000 commercial customers, but the service has no interactive applications, which will be incorporated in the second half of 2008. Betancur said that by the end of the year there will be 45 thousand customers in Medellín and 12 thousand in Bogotá, "in fact, the demand will be higher but those numbers are based on existing purchases," he said.