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How many other countries are planning an IPTV service like Youview?
The Turk
Posts: 5,148 Forum Member
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Just out of curiosity is virtually every developed country planning their equivalent of Youview? Does anyone know? And if so, who would you say is the furthest ahead with the IPTV project?
Im also curious to know whether people think this form of tv will one day become standard not only in the UK but virtually around the world? By that I mean could it make terrestrial, cable and satellite obsolete one day?
I can't help wondering whether SKY are already thinking this because while they initially opposed Youview, they suddenly decided to join the platform. Sounds to me like they're planning ahead for a satellite dish-free future.
I could be utterly wrong of course. What do others reckon?
Im also curious to know whether people think this form of tv will one day become standard not only in the UK but virtually around the world? By that I mean could it make terrestrial, cable and satellite obsolete one day?
I can't help wondering whether SKY are already thinking this because while they initially opposed Youview, they suddenly decided to join the platform. Sounds to me like they're planning ahead for a satellite dish-free future.
I could be utterly wrong of course. What do others reckon?
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Dealing with each of these in turn:
- DTT (or at least the DVB-T implementation of it) exists in around 43 countries around the world. However, the next generation DVB-T2 (in layman's language: the version which gives us HD) has so far only been deployed by two countries: the UK and Sweden. This map will give you an at-a-glance view of adoption around the world. Confusingly, there are multiple standards for DTT around the world but the DVB-T(/2) version we have in the UK is determined by the D-Book specification. D-Book 6 - the version of the specification which set standards for offering HD channels and IP-streaming services (iPlayer etc.) was introduced two years ago, while the seventh edition of the specification, setting the standards for a more sophisticated YouView-type landscape was released to manufacturers just a month ago. Note how TVs and set-top boxes with HD/VOD services baked-in only really started trickling into the market from the middle of last year, so gadgets based on the latest version of the spec will start building critical mass from the pre-Christmas market this year and beyond.
- IPTV as a platform in its own right has had limited commercial success in the UK: between them incumbents TalkTalk (nee Homechoice, TIscaliTV) and BT Vision have barely 0.5m households) and as standalone platforms rather than service brands delivered 'over-the-top' they will disappear once YouView launches. Note the original Homechoice box had no broadcast TV tuner in it, all TV services were delivered over IP, but the platform later recognised that a hybrid box - combining a DTT tuner for the delivery of the most watched channels and IP for niche services and content not readily available as broadcast TV - made more economic sense. And therein lies the clue, hybrid IPTV has effectively superceded IPTV.
- Most developed countries have IPTV deployments though France, Germany and South Korea (in that order) stand out as being the most mature markets, in terms of household adoption. In the US, AT&T's U-verse has also enjoyed some success. Europe and Asia will likely maintain their lead, in terms of bums on seats.
- I don't think Sky are assuming that it'll be a dish-free future; if anything the introduction of its on-demand service Sky Anytime+ promises to make the core platform proposition as compelling as Sky+ and Sky+ HD did before it. Sky do, however, recognise that the market is becoming more fragmented. This is a double-edged sword: on the one hand Sky is concerned that Virgin's next gen TiVo platform, the (eventual) arrival of YouView and a plethora of TVs, set-tops and Blu-ray players which will also offer hybrid services represent a competitive challenge, eroding Sky's reputation for leading edge innovation. On the other hand, Sky's strategy to virtualise its platform (Sky Player) and extend the availability of it across a range of other devices is a deliberate move to confuse consumers and further fragment the market. It's a win-win for Sky as it'll benefit from the revenues of a niche business from consumers who want Sky services without a dish, whilst by further fragmenting the connected TV landscape it'll bewilder consumers and cunningly shine a light on the simplicity of its core platform proposition.
- In summary, near and mid term I don't see the traditional broadcast platforms being superceded as the most sensible and cost-effective way of delivering mass market TV. However, most if not all of these platforms are evolving and adding hybrid services. Some TV channels - niche ones like the Audi Channel and Teachers TV - have already gone IP only as the economics of buying costly broadcast bandwidth simply didn't stack up. Interestingly, for the UK, IP delivered services to effectively signal the death of traditional red button (via broadcast) and its re-birth as a hybrid service delivered over IP. Keep an eye on what the BBC has planned around the Olympics next year for clues as to where this might lead...
So it seems SKY have recognised a threat and embraced it rather than fight it. Very clever, I have to admit.