Microsoft, Minerva, Nortel... A Big Day for IPTV

Greg Galitzine : Greg Galitzine's VoIP Authority Blog
Greg Galitzine

Microsoft, Minerva, Nortel... A Big Day for IPTV

Minerva Networks and Nortel announced the joint development and release of an Application Interface (API) that enables the integration of real-time IPTV services with Minerva's iTVManager software. Nortel is using this jointly developed interface as a first step to bring together Minerva's IPTV middleware platform with Nortel's IMS solution to make content available to users anywhere, anytime, on any device.

Using SIP, the new API gives developers and service providers the tools needed to enable real-time applications such as voice mail access and callback functionality over the television set.

Also, Deutsche Telekom Group announced it will launch IPTV services using the Microsoft TV IPTV Edition software platform. The agreement with Deutsche Telekom represents the largest IPTV deal for Microsoft in Europe and the second largest worldwide.

IPTV services will be delivered through the new VDSL network, which is currently being extended by T-Com. This network is expected to permit bandwidth of up to 50 Mbit/s and is planned for launch starting mid-2006 in ten major German cities including Berlin, Hamburg, Cologne and Munich.

The IPTV services will include standard and high definition programming, interactive TV, video on demand, personal video recording, as well as a wide range of content, including pay TV and special-interest channels.

Om Malik was among the first (as usual) to report this development. The early reports on Microsoft’s IPTV solution were fraught with negative comments regarding the inability if the solution to scale. Now, while Microsoft may not always have the best technology, they always seem to throw resources at the sectors of the market they believe will bear fruit. They certainly believe IPTV will bear significant fruit and they’ve proven adept at convincing some serious carriers that their solution is the one.

I’ve thrown stones into Microsoft’s yard before — sometimes it’s too easy — but I’m not betting against them this time. AT&T, BT, Italia, Deutsche Telekom… if they buy into Microsoft’s IPTV vision, there must be something to it.



Featured Events