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IPTV takes Belgium by
storm: Belgacom TV based on Siemens solution breaks through the
100,000 barrier faster than expected
Other Topics: IPTV Set Top Box
Solution, IPTV Broadcasting Event,
IPTV Encoding,
Web TV Channel,
Digital Interactive Television System
Siemens Networks
November 30, 2006
Belgacom, Belgium's biggest telco operator, has topped the 100,000
mark for its interactive, digital IPTV offering faster than
expected. Instead of the end of the year, as originally anticipated,
the Belgian operator reached exactly 102,971 subscribers for its
IPTV offering back at the end of September 2006. The solution is
based on Surpass Home Entertainment from Siemens, a turnkey
end-to-end solution for IPTV that is brought into Belgian households
via the ADSL telephone line. |
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Discussing its
financial results for the third quarter, the Belgian fixed-network
and mobile operator Belgacom drew attention to the particular
success of its IPTV services - i.e. television via IP-based
broadband lines. As early as the end of September 2006, Belgacom TV
had already registered 102,971 customers. The net ARPU (average
revenue per user) stood at 11.6 euros for the first nine months of
2006. This figure showed a rise in the third quarter which can
obviously be traced to the introduction of additional services such
as "Rewatching TV" and special offerings sorted by topic.
In mid-2004, Belgacom chose Siemens as its partner for developing
its interactive digital TV offering. The Belgacom TV offering
includes all the major TV broadcasters. A pay-per-view offering is
also available, as well as a digital videotheque with around 300
movies for video on demand. Subscriptions for watching soccer have
already proved to be especially popular, with Belgacom's exclusive
broadcasting rights allowing fans to follow the matches in the
Belgian league live.
Various surveys have shown Belgacom that its customers are
particularly impressed by the excellent sound and image quality of
Belgacom TV, while they also praised the operator for adding new
services to its offering within such a short space of time.
Background information
Under the name SURPASS Home Entertainment, Siemens supplies a proven
best-of-breed IPTV solution, deployed by more broadband service
providers than any other IPTV software solution today. Siemens was
the first in the world to implement such commercial turnkey
solutions for carriers and service providers in Europe and Asia and
had its first U.S. deployment in 2000. It is the solution of choice
for more than 85 operators worldwide. The SURPASS Home Entertainment
solution from Siemens is based on the leading and proven IPTV
middleware from Myrio Corporation, a Siemens company. The
award-winning IPTV platform from Siemens is rounded out by software
components for encryption and content protection, a video on demand
server, a TV Headend, and set-top boxes. Siemens has bundled these
various elements in an end-to-end solution that ensures smooth
interaction of all components and minimizes the costs and effort of
implementation and the risks for the carrier.
Siemens Networks GmbH & Co KG
Siemens Networks* engages in a dialog with its customers to create
trendsetting communications solutions that help network operators
and service providers achieve their business goals. Siemens Networks
contributes its innovative strength, worldwide experience and
unsurpassed implementation expertise in all areas of voice and data
communications. As an innovation leader, Siemens Networks delivers
customer value today and prepares customers for tomorrow with
trendsetting solutions. Siemens Networks is a fully-owned subsidiary
of Siemens AG and operates in about 100 countries.
* Siemens Networks will merge into a 50-50 joint venture with the
Nokia Networks Business Group, creating a telecommunications
powerhouse that will be called Nokia Siemens Networks. The new
company will be a global communications leader with strong positions
in key growth segments of the fixed and mobile network
infrastructure and services, featuring a world-class fixed-mobile
convergence capability. Nokia Siemens Networks is expected to start
operations in January 2007, subject to fulfillment of the closing
conditions and agreement on a number of detailed implementation
steps. |
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