p10-12,14,16 IPTV@IBC08 VOD v3 23/7/08 14:44 Page 12
IPTV@IBC08 > On-demand business models Cable & Satellite Europe
dark spots on the EPG. Customers call the platform oper-
ator and ask why there appears to be a problem with the
service. Operators have to explain that despite paying for
the service, they can’t get access to all of the content. It’s
frustrating for the customer.”
Technology choices
Whichever business models a telco chooses for on-
demand services, as soon as its popularity increases and
the number of VOD sessions grows, so too does the
strain on an operator’s network. However, as Stevenson
explains, “Free VOD, subscription VOD and catch-up-
type services will certainly impact usage and traffic, but
whichever model is used, the companies will still need to
make significant investments in the network. If the net-
work is already being built up to support the maximum
Digital Rapids’ One of the most hyped and successful services to date possible load, then these models don’t change the picture
StreamZHD studio is catch-up TV – the ability to watch programming broad- significantly, as they simply mean that typical usage may
media encoders offer casted on a linear channel at a later date. French broad- be closer to this maximum. If the network is being built
multi-format encoding band service provider Free recently launched Canal Plus to serve only a certain assumed level of usage, however,
for VOD as well as live On Demand on its IPTV service. Subscribers to the Canal such as the assumption that only a certain percentage of
applications. Plus Le Bouquet package are now able to use Canal Plus’ subscribers will be watching VOD at any given time, then
catch-up TV that allows users to view content up to one these models will affect the usage patterns.”
month after its initial linear broadcast. This is included as Thomson’s (IBC Stand 1.D11) product marketing man-
part of their existing subscription package at no extra cost. ager, video servers and service platforms Jacques Le
Telekom Austria has also added a time-shift TV service to Mancq agrees, adding that contention ratios have shown
its aonTV IPTV service. It enables customers to stop the a considerable rise recently. “VOD contention rates have
programme they are watching and resume watching it exploded during the last year, almost doubling to four per
within 90 minutes. The service is free of charge to all cus- cent,” he explains. “Telcos need to invest in their network
tomers. “Catch-up TV is extremely important for IPTV capacity so they can deal with these increasing ratios, as
operators,” says Digital Rapids’ Stevenson. “It enhances well as with the adoption of HD content and start-over
the consumer viewing experience with a deep on-demand and catch-up services.”
catalogue and the immediacy of on-demand services.” To Alan Delaney, business development director for IPTV
assist the process, all of Digital Rapids’ live encoders have at Tandberg Television (IBC Stand 1.D61) says operators
the ability to archive the linear stream in either the same need to ensure they implement the correct network infra-
or a distinct format and resolution. structure in order to intelligently manage content distri-
Server technology specialist Edgeware’s (IBC Stand bution and to future-proof architecture for potential
IP241) vice-president of business development Göran growth. “If the system is designed correctly, then as the
Appelquist says the company has noticed operators show- streams grow the experience should continue to be good,
ing an interest in advanced on-demand features. “A clear so long as there is intelligent session resource manage-
trend is the increased interest in offering traditional linear ment, scalable architecture, intelligent catalogue manage-
TV as an enhanced interactive service, through end user ment and cost effective storage.”
offerings such a network PVR, pause-live TV, catch-up TV, That many telcos need to invest in their networks can
re-start TV etc.,” he says. However, he adds that while the be attributed to the fact that core telco networks are not
market has seen some positive advances in this area designed for delivering interactive television services like
recently, the introduction of these services continues to be on-demand. Storing all the content on centralised servers
“hampered by rights issues”. Harmonic’s Fautier agrees isn’t possible because the core capacity just isn’t available
that rights issues are a problem for telcos. “Operators may in an IP network. Take the example of large numbers of
have to wait 12 months to get the rights to certain pro- subscribers using trick-play services in order to rewind a
grammes cleared. It’s one of the things that will hold live football match following a goal. If this happens from
[timeshift services] back. In a European country, for exam- a central location, a bandwidth-constrained network will
ple, you might be able to view all of the programmes after struggle to cope.
they’ve aired except some US programmes and movies For Appelquist, to cost effectively introduce on-demand
because the rights haven’t been cleared. You end up with services requires streaming capacity to be added within
searchable archive at www.informamedia.com
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