Belgacom Considering New IPTV Middleware

Light Reading published an article saying that Belgacom is considering replacing its Nokia Siemens middleware. Light Reading thinks that Microsoft is the leading contender. The other major vendors supporting Microsoft are Arris/C-Cor for video on demand, Amino for set-top boxes, and Verimatrix for content security.

The Nokia Siemens middleware came from its acquisition of Myrio. Myrio's middleware was originally designed for the small U.S. independent telcos.

This is an interesting situation. It does not appear that Nokia Siemens has made the investment in the Myrio middleware to allow it to scale to meet Belgacom's needs and to support the next generation of interactive applications.

Microsoft's Mediaroom is an obvious candidate. I expect that Alcatel-Lucent will use its strong relationship with Belgacom to push the MyView middleware that it acquired from Telefonica. Thomson's middleware that is used by France Telecom should be another strong candidate.

It will be bad news for Arris/C-Cor, Amino, and Verimatrix if Belgacom its replaces Nokia Siemens middleware.

Amino Acquires Tilgin Set-top Box Business

Amino has acquire Tilgin's IPTV set-top box business. Tilgin has sold about 500,000 set-top boxes. Amino will acquire new features as part of this deal that include picture in picture, whole home connectivity, and green power.

Tilgin will now focus is on IP Residential Gateways. Tilgin said that it has a strong market position and leading gateway products. Tilgin's IPTV business has not reached the volumes required for sustained profitability. Amino and Tilgin intends to commence a sales cooperation regarding IP Residential Gateways.

There are fewer major new opportunities in Telco IPTV now. We will see more companies that have not reached critical mass following the divestiture or acquisition route.

Amino Introduces HD Digital Set-top Box

Amino introduce an HD set-top box that included only digital interfaces such as HDMI for the U.S. Amino believes that nearly all flat panel TVs in the U.S. have HDMI interfaces. The AmiNET 130 does not have analog interfaces such as coax or S-Video interfaces.

This set-top box is very small and could be hidden behind the TV using string to tie it up or with a velco strip to attach it. Amino state that its small size is generating interest from consumer electronics companies interested in integrating IPTV into their TVs and other video products.

This was just about the only interesting IPTV hardware product that I saw at NXTcomm. The small size of this box should prove to be very attractive to a lot of customers.

Nortel Getting Serious About IPTV

Nortel announced an IPTV partnerships today with NDS that provides access to the NDS MediaHighway middleware. It also announced that it will offer its own set-top box using a unit manufactured by the LG-Nortel joint venture.

Neither of these appear to be strategic relationships. Nortel has already partnered with Minerva with its niddleware software and Amino for set-top boxes. Nortel has not declared that it is abandoning either of these relationships.