Latin America will start to see commercial success with internet TV (IPTV) services in 2006, Renato Cotrim, regional business manager for Microsoft's TV products unit in the southern cone told BNamericas.
US IT giant Microsoft is working with the major telcos in the region on IPTV projects varying from research and development, to trials and proof of concept, Cotrim said.
"This year, we will see early adopters develop projects all across Latin America, with Brazil and Argentina being the most advanced," said Cotrim.
It is likely that carriers such as Brazil's largest mobile operator Vivo will want to offer IPTV to increase revenues and Brazil's largest fixed line operator Telemar, which already offers voice, internet and mobile services, will push forward into video.
"Microsoft has recently signed with one major telco in the region for IPTV services, but cannot disclose the name of the client at the moment," Cotrim said.
Globally, Microsoft is also signed up with telecoms giants such as Horizon, British Telecom and Swisscom, and is having trials with Telecom Italia, Deutsche Telecom and BellSouth.
Microsoft recently partnered with French telecoms equipment supplier Alcatel (NYSE: ALA) to launch internet TV services in Brazil.
Alcatel's Brazilian unit will be responsible for the hardware, such as customer premises set-top boxes, while Microsoft's Brazilian unit will deliver the server infrastructure and data hosting.
BNamericas.com"
Posted to the site on 26th January 2006
Posted to: www.cellular-news.com/story/15806.php