Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Microsoft Cable DOCSIS Deployment in China

The Guangzhou Digital Media Group will use Microsoft's Mediaroom IPTV software to provide IPTV service over its cable system using DOCSIS cable modems. At the launch of the service, Guangzhou will provide HD content for broadcast, recorded, and on demand viewing along with NPVR services. It will also offer a range of interactive services:
  • Access to local news with information from government web sites displayed on TV.
  • Local sports and entertainment news lets viewers watch video clips, view pictures, vote on favorite shows and check text messages via the TV.
  • Local government e-mail service enables subscribers to view e-mails sent out by local government.
  • Information service allows subscribers to check their local social security information.
  • TV commerce permits customers to pay their phone bill or traffic tickets through the TV.
Guangzhou Digital Media Group, formerly Guangzhou Radio and Television Network Limited, is the largest cable TV operator in Guangzhou City. Guangzhou Digital Media has about 2.5 million cable TV subscribers, with about 1 million broadcasting digital TV subscribers.

This deployment shows another tool that the cable companies have to combat Telco IPTV services. The cable companies can offer IPTV services using cable modem technology. This approach makes a lot of sense with DOCSIS 3.0, which can offer 100 Mbps services.

3 comments:

vaibhav said...

IPTV News - Videocon's Dhoots look to snap up IOL owned By Ashish Deora

The Dhoot family, the promoters of Videocon Group, has bought 14% equity in IOL Netcom, a Mumbai-based broadband company, from the open market transaction is being perceived by the industry as a takeover bid.

In the last two months, Shree Dhoot Trading & Agencies Ltd, an investment company of the Dhoots, has mopped up 11.72% shares in the loss-making firm, earlier known as IOL Broadband. This is in addition to the 1.97% stake that Videocon Realty & Infrastructure Ltd, a Videocon group company, owns in IOL Netcom.

Sources close to the development said the Dhoots have hired an advisor for further negotiations to gain management control of the zero-debt company that was the first in Asia to launch IPTV.

Videocon Group officials have met IOL Netcom president Siddharth Srivastava to discuss areas of mutual cooperation. However, the talks did not cover any buyout proposal.

IOC Netcom offers broadband solutions and IPTV and has set up a 200 km fibre optic network in Mumbai and Delhi. The company, which suffered a loss of Rs 2.14 crore on revenues of Rs 2.19 crore in fiscal 2008, is about to launch its broadband services in Mumbai....

Read more…

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Infotech/Internet_/Videocons_Dhoots_look_to_snap_up_IOL_Netcom/articleshow/3312325.cms

http://www.ashishdeora.com

Mari said...

Thanks for clarifying the DOCSIS cable modem part of this story. None of the other coverage I've seen has clarified how the IPTV service is being delivered other than to make vague reference to cable versus telco.

Bob Larribeau said...

I think that the cable companies have a powerful tool for delivering video, especially video on demand with DOCSIS 3.0. I think we will see cable companies more and more using DOCSIS 3.0 for video over time.

However, DOCSIS 3.0 is a double edged sword. It enables the delivery of over the top Internet video as well. The traffic management techniquest that cable companies are starting to use will discourage this. Regularly watching HDTV over the Internet will rapidly bring the user to the cap. I think this is a blunt approach that will not last in the face of user demand.