Abstract
IP protocol is increasingly used to distribute TV services. But behind this
protocol, which is becoming common on various fixed and mobile networks, hides
a multitude of situations and options. Video over IP means streaming video
over Internet, from watching video on a portable telephone to access to
digital TV services on a television. It also means new players, in particular
telecom network operators and service providers, along with expanding new
offers and distribution solutions proposed by established players and new
entrants. It is also, in theory, growing interactivity and a bridge between TV
and telecom services.
IP' s introduction heralds growth in TV network media diversity, changes (often
overestimated) in video consumption, and increases in distribution solutions.
Meanwhile, we are seeing the development of a solutions market (acquisitions,
partnerships, standardization processes, etc.) required to help clarify offers
for operator customers and their users.
From these two contradictory trends, there are now more questions than
answers. Will the future market boundaries associated with IP' s introduction
actually result in expanding coverage and new video consumption modes or are
we seeing a revolution in TV distribution?
The ecosystems could therefore vary greatly. This raises several other
questions as well. By extension, is the convergence of offers and networks
theoretical or will it finally end up solidifying? Is IP distribution more
effective? Can it support large scale TV quality of service? Is IP truly free
and unlimited?
This break between TV service offers and networks poses the question about the
trade-off between the integrated service model in a walled garden and
neutrality in access to various services. The various solution suppliers must
anticipate these choices in a very volatile market.
IP Video Distribution in brief
- IPTV Ecosystems: Fixed IPTV, Mobile TV, Internet TV
- IP video distribution player positioning
- IP video distribution architecture and content, cost and quality of
service trade-offs
- IPTV regulation, interoperability, and standardisation
- Video convergence and segmentation
- Level of openness in the video distribution market
- Distribution scenarios up to 2015
Features:
- Fixed IPTV
- Mobile TV
- Internet TV
- Unicast, Multicast, Peer to Peer, CDN
- Walled garden
- Streaming, downloading
- Live, on demand video
Key Questions
- What is the current proposed IP video content and how is it being
distributed?
- What are the issues of this new audiovisual paradigm?
- Who manages the service distribution platform? The consumer interface?
- Which architecture models are best suited to the various types of content
(popular, niche)?
- What are the cost and quality of service trade-offs?
- Convergence of content offerings vs. growing segmentation?
Who should read this report?
- TV platform operators
- Identify opportunities for development over Internet
- Evaluate the development of services from competitors coming from the
Internet world
- Tailor your offering as a function of the architecture options available
in the market
- Telecom operators (fixed and mobile)
- Understand the strategy of tradtional TV and Internet players in the
area of video
- Evaluate opportunities in the area of multimedia domestic networks
- Determine architecture choices and service distribution policies
- TV channels and media groups
- Analyse the situation of competition coming from the Internet
- Identify the IP distribution methods the most compatible with your
offering
- Anticipate new outlets
- Internet Players
- Understand the possible bridges to other networks
- Define the opportunities for content syndication
- Position your video distribution offering based on competition and new
opportunities
- Equipment and Solution Providers
- Understand changes in the needs of TV service providers
- Identify changes in distribution ecosystems to tailor your offering
- Analyse the options associated with multi-network offerings or
convergence
- Investors and Analysts
- Understand video producers' positioning as well as opportunities and
threats associated with IP
- Position the major IP video distribution architectures and players
- Anticipate the next moves in the video distribution ecosystem
Table of Contents
1. IPTV ecosystems
- 1.1. Fixed IPTV
- 1.1.1. Ecosystem
- 1.1.2. Offering models
- 1.2. Mobile TV
- 1.2.1. Ecosystem
- 1.2.2. Offering models
- 1.3. Internet TV
- 1.3.1. Ecosystem
- 1.3.2. Offering models
2. Distribution architectures and their network impact
- 2.1. Unicast
- 2.1.1. Unicast fundamentals
- 2.1.2. Unicast deployments
- 2.1.3. Quality of service
- 2.1.4. Associated costs
- 2.1.5. Summary
- 2.2. Content delivery network
- 2.2.1. CDN fundamentals
- 2.2.2. CDN deployments
- 2.2.3. Quality of service
- 2.2.4. Associated costs
- 2.2.5. Summary
- 2.3. Multicast
- 2.3.1. Multicast fundamentals
- 2.3.2. Multicast deployments
- 2.3.3. Quality of service
- 2.3.4. Summary
- 2.4. P2P architectures
- 2.4.1. P2P models
- 2.4.2. P2P deployments
- 2.4.3. Quality of service
- 2.4.4. Associated costs
- 2.4.5. Summary
- 2.5. Architectures compared
- 2.5.1. Economic comparison
- 2.5.2. Quality of service comparison
- 2.5.3. Architecture selection for video service providers
- 2.5.4. Architecture selection for telecom operators
- 2.6. Impact of video service developments
- 2.6.1. Telecom operator strategies
- 2.6.2. Impact of Internet video traffic
- 2.6.3. Impact of the growth of personalised television
3. Considerations regarding mode of IP video distribution
- 3.1. Network headend
- 3.1.1. A market of experts in increasing demand
- 3.1.2. Toward a centralised multiplatform headend?
- 3.2. Who will manage the service platform?
- 3.2.1. Players from the telecom world
- 3.2.2. Players from the broadcast world
- 3.2.3. Software players
- 3.2.4. CDN solutions
- 3.2.5. P2P players
- 3.2.6. Summary
- 3.3. Interoperability and standards
- 3.3.1. IPTV standardisation efforts
- 3.3.2. Solutions for protecting video content
- 3.3.3. The digital home
- 3.3.4. IMS
- 3.4. From dedicated terminals to home networking
- 3.4.1. One terminal per feed
- 3.4.2. Prospects for the digital home
- 3.5. Convergence or further segmentation ahead for content offerings?
- 3.5.1. More segmented video consumption
- 3.5.2. A breakdown in the value chain?
- 3.5.3. Service aggregation and management: third-party player or walled
garden?
- 3.5.4. Convergence of IP video distribution solutions?
4. Future scenarios
- 4.1. Factors driving the structure of the IP video market
- 4.1.1. Impact of regulatory choices
- 4.1.2. Factors driving the evolution of IP video distribution ecosystems
- 4.1.3. Continuing trend: "Telco TV", IP video distribution grows through
telecom operators
- 4.1.4. New modes of TV distribution are developing: "QoS competition"
- 4.1.5. Breakdown of the video offering: "Brave new world"
- 4.1.6. Conclusions
5. Appendices
- 5.1. Deployment of broadband access
- 5.2. Deployment of 3G offerings
- 5.3. Deployment of IP video services
- 5.4. Video bit rates
List of Figures
- Figure 1: IPTV Ecosystem
- Figure 2: Sample client platform: ANT Galio
- Figure 3: ADSL speed-distance diagram
- Figure 4: Evolution of IPTV business models
- Figure 5: Mobile TV ecosystem
- Figure 6: TDD spectrum
- Figure 7: Transition to next-generation mobile networks
- Figure 8: Evolution of mobile TV distribution
- Figure 9: Segmentation of mobile television services in the medium term
- Figure 10: Predominant tariff models for mobile television and mobile video
- Figure 11: Internet TV ecosystems
- Figure 12: Examples of new products allowing Internet video to be viewed
on a television set
- Figure 13: Internet TV services and business models
- Figure 14: Unicast system
- Figure 15: Evolution of conventional VOD service
- Figure 16: Evolution of the cost of bandwidth to New York (transit)
- Figure 17: Example of how the 95th percentile is determined
- Figure 18: Content Delivery Network fundamentals
- Figure 19: Mobile CDN traffic optimisation and architecture
- Figure 20: Multicast system
- Figure 21: Operation of PIM-SM and PIM-SSM
- Figure 22: IPTV multicasting fundamentals
- Figure 23: Typical bandwidth allocation of 750MHz on a US cable network
- Figure 24: SDV system
- Figure 25: Possible migration of cable networks
- Figure 26: MBMS
- Figure 27: P2P models
- Figure 28: BBC iMP
- Figure 29: Joost bandwidth consumption
- Figure 30: Joost hybrid P2P
- Figure 31: NTL-BitTorrent-CacheLogic system
- Figure 32: Cost comparison of distribution via unicasting (http) vs. P2P
(Azureus)
- Figure 33: Economic comparison of the various architectures for service
providers
- Figure 34: Quality of service comparison of the various architectures for
broadcasters
- Figure 35: Evolution of Internet traffic versus the cost of bandwidth
- Figure 36: Evolution of backbone capacity
- Figure 37: Impact of personalisation on telecom networks
- Figure 38: Nokia IP multicast solution
- Figure 39: Siemens SURPASS Home Entertainment solution
- Figure 40: IPTV solution developed by Cisco
- Figure 41: Qualcomm mobile TV MediaFLO solution
- Figure 42: Microsoft and the video chain
- Figure 43: RealNetworks RBN broadcast solution
- Figure 44: Partnership with Cingular for video service offerings
- Figure 45: Examples of the work of IPTV standards bodies
- Figure 46: DVB-IP
- Figure 47: Foreign and ethnic channels available from satellite offerings
in the United States in 2006
- Figure 48: Breakdown of the value chain
- Figure 49: Two contrasting strategies for IP video distribution
- Figure 50: Evolution of the windows system
- Figure 51: Value is moving to the outer ends of the audiovisual chain
- Figure 52: Video available on any network, at any location, on any device
- Figure 53: Theoretical approach to the evolution of IP video distribution
ecosystems
- Figure 54: Video distribution over IP: 3 scenarios for 2015
- Figure 55: Selected IPTV subscribers, end 2006
List of Tables
- Table 1: Cost of bandwidth for a player offering unicast without peering
- Table 2: Economic comparison of architectures
- Table 3: QoS comparison of the various architectures
- Table 4: IPTV network headend suppliers (number of video "channels"
managed) - 2006
- Table 5: "Reference" contracts for IP video platforms
- Table 6: Scenario key factors
- Table 7: "Telco TV" scenario impact on players
- Table 8: "QoS Competition" scenario impact on players
- Table 9: "Brave new world" scenario impact on players
- Table 10: World - Broadband subscribers (millions)
- Table 11: World - Broadband density by region (broadband subscribers per
100 inhabitants)
- Table 12: Western Europe - 3G subscribers (thousands)
- Table 13: Summary of IP video distribution modes
- Table 14: Selected 3G and mobile broadcast TV services
- Table 15: European Internet activity in 2005
- Table 16: Top 10 online video sites (May 2006)
- Table 17: Growth in selected online categories by unique visitors (UVs)
Worldwide total at home and work
- locations - December 2005 vs. December 2006
- Table 18: Overview of US streaming video market*
List of Boxes
- Box 1: Types of streaming
- Box 2: Transit and peering:
- Box 3: Billing for bandwidth
- Box 4: FastWeb
- Box 5: US cable operators
- Box 6: BBC
- Box 7: Joost
- Box 8: Abacast
- Box 9: Virgin Media
- Box 10: Case of DailyMotion
- Box 11: Cognac Jay Images
- Box 12: Nokia Siemens Networks joint venture
- Box 13: Examples of place-shifting' s solutions
- Box 14: ABC, CBS
- Box 15: Gemstar-TV Guide diversifies its offering
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