OTTRSS

Telecoms and pay TV operators need ‘bigger’ bundles

The Dreampark portfolio is expected to be integrated into the Motorola Medios service management software suite

Telecoms and pay TV operators will increasingly need to add new services such as Spotify and YouView to their bundles to keep existing subscribers and attract new ones. Although the simple packaging of telecoms and media products at a discounted rate might not seem like the most innovative strategy, it has proved to be the most powerful one as customers place more value on price, simplicity and convenience.

VoLTE levels the playing field for operators

VoLTE could level the playing field for operators under threat from OTT players

Figures from industry body the GSMA reveal that 208 operators in 80 countries are now investing in LTE. But while rollouts aimed at consumers are gaining momentum, a study undertaken by research house mobileSquared indicates that one third of operators have no trials or network deployments underway at the moment.

VoLTE will be a game-changer in unified comms

Voice over LTE opens up new opportunities for carriers in unified communications services

As voice becomes commoditised, carriers are looking for new services, not replacement ones, says Broadsoft CTO Scott Hoffpauir. And voice over LTE (VoLTE) will be the game-changer in a fragmenting market, allowing carriers to utilise an all-IP environment to roll out new and compelling services alongside voice.

Less-feted connected-home services should not be ignored

Are IPTV's days numbered?

The idea of the connected home is becoming synonymous with multiroom IP video services, perhaps the hardest service to deliver to the home. IP video not only has high bandwidth requirements and is very time-sensitive, requiring low latency. And beyond technological demands, the difficulty in acquiring multiscreen rights has already threatened to derail TV Everywhere services in many markets.

EU to investigate traffic throttling and blocking allegations against telcos

The EU has ordered a probe into allegations of data throttling by telcos

The European Commission on Tuesday launched an investigation into telecoms providers’ traffic management and competition practices. Responding to allegations that some service providers were effectively blocking over-the-top (OTT) VoIP services such as Skype, telecoms commissioner Neelie Kroes has asked members to probe fixed and wireless operators for evidence of anti-competitive behaviour.

OTT TV viewers swamp IPTV subscribers

Are IPTV's days numbered?

Over the top TV viewers will outnumber those watching managed IPTV services from traditional providers by 2015, according to numbers released by Informa Telecoms & Media this week.

Telefónica Spain debuts cloud services from fonYou

Telefónica has made a move into cloud based consumer services

Spanish incumbent Telefónica has launched a cloud-based telephony offering, giving users access to a second number and a range of services, including visual voicemail, call registers and advanced call screening. Spanish cloud player fonYou supplied the Online Mobile Telephony platform on which the services are based.

Keeping Over The Top under control

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Bengt Nordstrom, chief executive of consultancy firm Northstream talks to telecoms.com about Over The Top (OTT) services. OTT looms large on the operator agenda and Nordstrom believes 2011 will be a “breakthrough year” for the model. But how can operators ensure a slice of the revenues?

Providing for the providers

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Video and multimedia consumption is going through the roof, and all across the industry debate is raging about how best to support this content. Telecoms.com recently spoke with Simon Orme, GM of content services at BT Wholesale about providing for the providers.

Somebody will have to pay for the broadband revolution

What different strategies can operators employ to create new revenue streams?

The Broadband World Forum 2010 last month in Paris was pure hog heaven for those industry devotees, like me, who are scarcely happier than when spending three days discussing the merits of VDSL vs. FTTH, LTE vs. WiMAX, CDNs, the network-neutrality issue and the problems posed by “over the top” content players. Sad, I know.