ABI Research takes a look at the burgeoning Telco TV market in their latest research report Telco TV Infrastructure & Service Integrator Opportunities.

The study examines the trends, market values, and penetration of the emerging medium of Telco TV, the infrastructure enabling it, and the main vendors in the space.

Top 3 Companies In The Space
According to analyst Michael Arden, “ICTV is number one: they have announced deployments that are significant, and they appear to have an aggressive sales force that is doing a good job. Their ICTV technology isn’t as good as the runner-up’s, but they hit all of the main requirements of a VOD system, and their product scales well to provide a cost-effective solution to any size service provider.”

nCUBE claims the number two rating. The company has a strong record in the CATV industry and should be able to draw on past customers for future sales. It also has a proven technology, giving it a strong score on the Innovation side of the equation.

Microsoft ranks number three. It has the benefit of the brand name and a huge sales organization. “Their technology/innovation aspect is not as proven, because they are new to the market,” says Arden “However, they have announced some big customers and are teamed up with strong companies, so their future in the market is promising.”

According to ABI, the report answers the following questions:
 

• How will IPTV measure up against CATV and DBS?
• Where are the hottest markets for IPTV, and what services will be offered?
• What technologies will enable IPTV?
• What degree of demand exists for IPTV headend equipment?
• How quickly will carriers deploy IPTV services?
• How will the regulatory environment impact development of the IPTV market?
• What business-model assumptions are IPTV service providers making, and what are the drivers for them to take action?
• What VOD platforms best address the market’s needs?
• Which systems integrators have a head start in the IPTV market?