Telcos in Latin America Seek Alternatives to IPTV to Meet Market Demand, Pyramid Research Finds
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Apr. 23 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ --
IPTV will take a backseat to other pay-TV platforms as telcos seek alternative strategies to meet the
significant market demand, according to a new report from Pyramid Research (www.pyr.com), the telecom
IPTV in Latin America: Not So Fast examines the market for pay-TV services in general and IPTV in
particular in Latin America. The 18-page report analyzes the regulatory hurdles faced by IPTV and the
progress telcos are making in introducing various pay-TV services, as well as the various strategies they
employ to make the most of the opportunity in the face of significant challenges. The report cites more than 23
examples of pay-TV services and contains case studies of Telefonica and Telmex/America Movil that
investigate their respective pay-TV strategies across the region. Download the excerpt of this report here:
In recent years, telcos around the world have developed an attraction to the idea of IPTV as a new revenue
source and competitive instrument. However, IPTV is simply not living up to expectations in Latin America.
"Fewer than 0.1 percent of households in Latin America subscribed to IPTV at year-end 2008 and the
technology had very few net additions during the year," notes Derek Medlin, analyst at Pyramid Research and
author of the report. "As the market has evolved, it has become evident that there is significant demand for
pay-TV, which is pushing telcos to seek alternative strategies to meet this demand," he says. "However, the
reality is that the struggles on the front end have severely crippled adoption so far; regulatory issues are
blockading IPTV altogether, or at least leading to deployment delays," he adds.
Although pay-TV penetration remains anemic relative to the adoption of pay-TV in other regions, Pyramid
believes this is due to a lack of supply rather than a lack of demand. "Recent initiatives from telcos and cable
companies are catalyzing the market by thrusting a variety of pay-TV services into underpenetrated areas and
market segments," says Medlin. "As a result, adoption is taking off, making the low penetration levels an
indicator of the growth potential, especially when gauged against the levels of adoption reached in other
regions," he explains.
"IPTV will have to take a backseat to other pay-TV platforms for the rest of the forecast period, becoming
part of a lineup of pay-TV offerings rather than the sole telco service," Medlin adds. In the future, Pyramid
does not expect IPTV to break out of its niche until around 2012, when it will be approaching a 5 percent share
of total pay-TV subscriptions. "Pyramid estimates that by 2014, the region will be home to more than 4.4
million IPTV subscriptions, which will reach 2.6 percent of all households," he says.
IPTV in Latin America: Not So Fast is part of Pyramid Research's Latin America Telecom Insider report
series. Telecom Insiders are packed with trend analysis, industry best practices, market sizing and
forecasting, competitor analysis, and case studies, providing you information you can leverage to make better
business decisions.
IPTV in Latin America: Not So Fast is priced at $595 and can be purchased online here:
Claudino via email at claudino@pyr.com or telephone at +1-619-229-9940.
About Pyramid Research
Pyramid Research (www.pyr.com) offers practical solutions to the complex demands our clients face in the
telecommunications, media, and technology industries. Our analysis is uniquely positioned at the intersection
of emerging markets, emerging technologies and emerging business models, powered by the bottom-up
methodology of our market forecasts for over 100 countries -- a distinction that has remained unmatched for
more than 25 years. As the telecom research arm of the Light Reading Communications Network, Pyramid
Research works with Heavy Reading, providing the communications industry's most comprehensive market
data, trusted research, and insightful technology analysis.
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Press contact:
Jennifer Baker
+1-617-871-1910
jbaker@pyr.com
SOURCE: Pyramid Research
CONTACT: Jennifer Baker for Pyramid Research,
+1-617-871-1910,
jbaker@pyr.com
(UBM.L)
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