The time when service providers were mere operators of network infrastructure providing basic voice or bandwidth connectivity is gone. Personalized services and content, accessible at home and on the move, is the new frontier. The consumer devices will be a key element of the future digital living and entertainment ecosystem. More than ever before, effective management of this ecosystem and content will be a determining factor of service provider success.

Evidence from existing interactive TV services suggests that good interactive TV content, whether based around reality TV, gaming, or music, increases viewer ratings and can provide additional revenues from platform operators. The way to differentiate IPTV service providers is to put individual viewers at the heart of their own content universe.

The main focus is to acquire the content, store the content, back up and restore the content, and, above all, share the content across devices such as mobile phones, PDAs, IPTV, PCs, printers, and camcorders.

Rik Missault Vice President, Fixed Solutions Division Alcatel

Mr. Missault joined Alcatel in 1992. He has been involved in the worldwide marketing and business development of Alcatel's DSL business since 1996. Since 1999, Mr. Missault has driven several of Alcatel's key acquisitions, resulting in Alcatel's industry-leading end-to-end solutions capabilities. Based in Antwerp, Belgium, he heads the marketing and communications team in Alcatel's fixed solutions division—the business division focused on delivering global solutions for fixed-line carriers, including triple-play and managed communications services.