The Broadband Forum has today announced a significant increase in IPTV viewing figures around the world. While IPTV has not really caught on in the UK as yet, there has been a significant increase in many areas of the world. Of particular interest is the North American IPTV market which more than doubled in 2008 which in itself is an excellent performance, but even better considering the worldwide recession. The final quarter of 2008 saw a significant 19% increase in IPTV business in North America which far outweighs the likes of Asia and Latin America which have until now been the IPTV hotspots of the world.
Western European IPTV coverage has also increased significantly in the 12 months ended 31 December 2008 and there are signs of growing interest in the UK. One thing which has perhaps kept the UK market behind the curve is the fact that the broadband speeds required to make the most of IPTV are not yet available across the country. However, with the likes of BT and Virgin Media set to introduce broadband speeds in excess of 100Mbps in the short to medium term, we could see a significant step change in the future.
The convergence of traditional media output and IPTV has been ongoing for some time although many experts expect this process to quicken over the coming months and years.