IEEE
Communications Magazine
Call for papers
Creating
successful and sustainable IPTV services
Developing
a successful value-added service business is essential for future
revenue growth for wireline operators. Of such services IPTV is
currently one of the biggest opportunities, as it not only opens up
the broadcast TV market to telecom operators but also a whole realm
of possibilities around interactive video services and applications,
as well as adjacent opportunities such as advertising.
Telecoms
operators have been working on IPTV technology for more than a
decade. However, there is more to delivering TV and video services
than building the right network. For traditional telecoms operators
this represents a complete shift in business. It is hardly surprising
that initial IPTV services were largely uninspiring 'me too'
services, trying at best to replicate the multicast cable-TV
offerings. However, IPTV was never meant to be just another way of
delivering a broadcast TV channel. The fact that it is being
delivered over a broadband-enabled IP network means true interactive
multimedia services can be delivered, mixing video with other media
and communication applications to allow levels of interaction not
experienced by the mass residential market before.
This feature
issue will highlight the major trends, opportunities, issues and
threats faced by operators moving into this industry. It will explore
potential new business models, applications and services, and the
required technology to support them. This issue intends to provide a
service and market-oriented view to complement IEEE Communications
Magazine's February 2008's issue on IPTV systems, standards and
architectures.
We define IPTV as broadcast and/or on-demand
television and video services provided over a managed, proprietary IP
network, usually but not always delivered to a set-top box, by a
telecoms operator or ISP. We exclude Internet TV--also referred to as
"over-the-top" or broadband video services-- and mobile TV except in
the context of interactions with IPTV.
We solicit papers covering
various topics of interest that include, but are not limited to, the
following:
- Uncovering the IPTV sweet spot: a
view on market opportunities around the world.
- IPTV as the
chief conduit of a person's multi-faceted entertainment life.
Building cross-platform TV and video offerings including Internet and
mobile solutions. Multiple options such as bringing user-generated
content to the IPTV platform or creating synergies between open and
closed systems. Challenges for hybrid IPTV / DVB-T service
integration. Evolving usage patterns for traditional, long-tail,
user-generated and viewer-owned content
- Leveraging the
technological capabilities of IPTV to add innovative interactive
services. For instance, including integrated or blended
communications services as part of the IPTV offer.
- Changing
business models for service providers morphing from being a pure
telco operator into a true communications and entertainment provider.
Aspects include wholesale IPTV platforms and/or services, fulfilling
the IPTV advertising revenue opportunity, leveraging new video
on-demand business models.
- For suppliers, new opportunities
and an update on the "multiple vendors" vs." turn-key solution"
debate.
- Achieving and sustaining service quality including
network management for video quality, potential issues with
management interfaces or data extending inside subscriber premises,
privacy of usage data.
- Access bandwidth needed for
sustainable service under widespread adoption for IPTV encompassing
FTTx strategies, the status quo of low bitrate video codecs such as
AVS and H.264, and whether users can accept throttling of bandwidth
or denial of additional on-demand services under peak usage conditions.
- Lessons from the
field.
Submission
Articles should be tutorial
in nature and should be written in a style comprehensible to readers
outside the speciality of the field. All submissions will be reviewed
on relevance and readability. Articles should be no more than 4,500
words, and no more than 6 tables/figures, and no more than 12
references. Authors must follow the IEEE Communications Magazine's
guidelines for preparation of the manuscript. Complete guidelines for
prospective authors can be found at www.comsoc.org/pubs/commag/sub_guidelines.html.
All articles to be considered for publication must be submitted
through IEEE Manuscript Central (http://commag-ieee.manuscriptcentral.com).
Schedule
Manuscript
submission: March 1, 2008
Notification of acceptance: May 1,
2008
Final manuscripts due: June 1, 2008
Publication date:
August 2008
Guest Editors
Karen Liu, Research Director,
Ovum RHK, 41 Watchung Plaza #132, Montclair, NJ, 07042, USA, Email:
karen.liu@ovum.com
Anke
Gill, Director of Marketing, Broadband Network Systems Ltd, 29/F, Sui
On Centre, 188 Lockhart Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong, Email: agill@bnsltd.com
Annelise
Berendt, Broadband Content research manager, Ovum, Cardinal Tower, 12
Farringdon Road, London CE1M 3HS, Email: annelise.berendt@ovum.com