Iptv

IPTV (Internet Protocol Television) delivers television programming to households via a broadband connection using Internet protocols. It requires a subscription and IPTV set-top box, and offers key advantages over existing TV cable and satellite technologies. IPTV is typically bundled with other services like Video on Demand (VOD), voice over IP (VOIP) or digital phone, and Web access, collectively referred to as Triple Play. When these three are offered with mobility, the service is referred to as "Quadruple Play".

Because IPTV arrives over telephone lines, telephone companies are in a prime position to offer IPTV services. IPTV promises more efficient streaming than present technologies, and therefore theoretically reduced prices to operators and subscribers alike. However, it also adds many advantages that may play into market pricing.

Before proceeding further, it is important to understand exactly what IPTV is and is not, as a fair amount of confusion surrounds its definition. Some of the confusion is attributable to misconceptions over the use of the term IP, while further confusion stems from regional differences about what constitutes a pay-TV service.

IPTV does not mean the Internet. IPTV does not mean unlimited access to video content delivered over the Internet. Instead, IPTV refers to Internet protocol (IP), which is a transport protocol, a delivery mechanism, and not necessarily the Internet. There are existing Internet-based video services (MovieLink or CinemaNow) that deliver on-demand digital content to a PC via a broadband connection. These services do not typically deliver content to a TV viewing environment.