TheInternational Telecommunication Unionhas announced the first set of global standards
forInternet
Protocol TV(IPTV).
The standards were built with technical contributions from
leading service providers and manufacturers from the ICT
sector.
Malcolm Johnson, director of ITU's Telecommunication
Standardisation Bureau, said, "Standards are crucial for IPTV to
reach its market potential and global audience. They are necessary
in order to give service providers - whether traditional
broadcasters, ISPs, cable operators or telecoms service providers -
control over their platforms and their offerings."
He said, "Standards will encourage innovation, help mask the
complexity of services, guarantee quality of service, ensure
interoperability and, ultimately, help players remain
competitive."
Contained within the documents produced by the ITU focus group
responsible are the architecture and frameworks needed by service
providers in order to roll out IPTV services.
The ITU's next phase of IPTV work - IPTV-GSI (global standards
initiative) - will centre on the preparation of standards based on
documents produced by the focus group, as well as on the detailed
protocols required.
The first meeting of IPTV-GSI will convene in Seoul, Korea from
15 to 22 January 2008.