Ghassem Koleyni, Chairman of ITU-T FG IPTV

Presentation will start with explaining what is meant by IPTV and why to explore IPTV capabilities. Different IPTV domains and their roles will be introduced. Important role that ITU plays as the globally recognized standardization body will also be discussed.  Presentation will continue to introduce the ITU-T focus group on IPTV (FG IPTV), its structure and activities. The IPTV architecture under study in FG IPTV will be discussed.

Denis Mischler , Thomson, France

It starts with an introduction to what the problem of IPTV in NGN is about and explains the motivation for the current technical trends in this domain. Then, after brief introductions to IMS and to DVB-IP to give the technical background, the benefits from adopting IMS for IP TV and VOD service distribution will be exposed. It comes then to details regarding potential Service Workflow description and illustrated with a few examples of new services for the customers. The conclusion is about remaining technical issues, roadmap, and products in the IMS direction.

Martin Junek, Media & Entertainment Business Solutions Professional, IBM

Today, audiences are becoming increasingly fragmented, splicing their time among number of media choices, channels and platforms. In the last decade, consumers started to migrate to more specialized, niche content via cable and multichannel offerings. Now, with the growing availability of on demand, self-programming and search features, some experiencers are moving beyond niche to individualized viewing. With increasing competition from convergence players in TV, telecommunications and the Internet, the industry is confronting unparalleled levels of complexity, dynamic change and pressures to innovate. IBM continuosly analyzes new trends in the media industry and brings solutions to succeed in this tough environment.

Dr. Leonardo Chiariglione, Digital Media Strategist, Italy

Content liquidity is highly valued by end users but the way it is achieved today leaves little space for remuneration of those who created, performed, produced and distributed the content. Alternatively Technical Protection Measures are applied to protect remuneration but they remove most of the attraction to end users because liquidity is lost. A middle ground is needed, one that preserves content liquidity but provides remuneration to those who have created and made content available.

mag. Miha Krišelj, Slovenian Agency for Post and Electronic Communications (APEK), Slovenia

Development of digital television is unquestionably oriented towards the higher picture quality. Satellite broadcasting platforms has led the way followed by the cable TV operators introducing HDTV. The vast majority of flat panels are HD ready and cathode ray tube displays will soon be obsolete. More and more IP network operators are attracted by HDTV services consequently becoming competitors to broadcasting platforms.
Is introduction of HD television viable on digital terrestrial networks? Clear demand as regards the HD ready flat displays is in conflict with the spectrum policy on the issue of digital spectrum dividend. In substantial number of European countries DTT networks are using MPEG-2 standard, few of them are using MPEG-4 standard in order to better utilize the available spectrum and have the chance to introduce HD television in the future

Kawamori Masahito, ITU-T FG IPTV WG6

IPTV service, a multimedia service that gives TV-like experiences and more, is expected to become a very important aspect of NGN. Application and content platform are integral part of what would enable a successful IPTV service. The presentation gives an up-to-date status on the FG IPTV activities in ITU related to application and content, explaining some of the key issues.

Dr. Marko Puc, Mobitel

In recent years many mobile operators around the world were attracted by Multimedia and Mobile TV services. Interactive services linked to Mobile TV represent new opportunities for mobile as well as for media industry stakeholders by providing richer and more fulfilling services to end users. Mobile TV enables much more personalized and enriched communications between end users and service providers which represents a step change in terms of marketing effectiveness. This enables stakeholders to communicate with their audience on a more individual level. These new communication opportunities will bring added value for operators, broadcasters and end users in the form of new content formats, targeted advertising, personalized content programming and presentation, as well as improved customer relations.
Today Multimedia and Mobile TV services can already be accessed at many operators that have UMTS/HSDPA network. This can be consider as the beginning of the new era of multimedia services that will provide consumers with information, entertainment and other stuff at anytime and anyplace.

Wolfgang Reichl, Telekom Austria, Austria

• aonDigital TV (product of Telekom Austria) as a starting point in the migration towards Next Generation Multimedia
• Why is a telco in an optimal position to offer interactive TV ?
• Next Generation Network vs. Web 2.0
• Settop Box vs. mobile application platform

Borut Fabjan, Marand, Slovenia

The presentation will focus on Multimedia content delivery specifically tailored for 3G environment, such as:

• 3G video services (Video Blogs, Video Monitoring, Video Messaging/Mail, ...);
• Integrating communication and IPTV services;