Saturday, April 03, 2010

IPTV via Web-connected TVs?

CNet : So far, most HDTV makers are offering only video-on-demand (VOD) and miscellaneous Web services like YouTube and Tweeter through their Web-connected TVs. I had this random thought bubble of Internet Protocol TV (IPTV) much like Singapore's SingTel mio TV, debuting on these panels after yesterday's StarHub Cable TV event. After all, IPTV is delivered through the Internet, which is the same backbone for these online services. There've also been rumors about mio TV for the Xbox 360 for the longest time that I can remember, so it is technically feasible to implement such a solution to a certain extent.

Would this feature be a compelling consideration in your HDTV purchase?

TM Targets UniFi To Be In 750,000 Premises By Year-End

KUALA LUMPUR, March 25 (Bernama) -- Telekom Malaysia Bhd (TM) aims to have UniFi, its newly-launched high-speed broadband (HSBB) services, in 750,000 premises by year-end and 1.3 million premises by end of 2012.

Group chief executive officer Datuk Zamzamzairani Mohd Isa said on Thursday that the service would be rolled out in phases with HSBB expected to cover 92 per cent of the Klang Valley by 2011.

Zamzamzairani also said that revenue from HSBB would start coming in the second half of this year, although it would not be significant.

"This type of gestation period is normal for a telco," he told reporters after a media briefing on the UniFi products here.

For residential commercial packages, the 5Mbps package is priced at RM149, the 10Mbps package at RM199 and the 20Mbps package at RM249.

The packages include a 22-channel IPTV service, free calls to TM numbers and free broadband equipment worth RM800.

"We will be improving the IPTV channels as we move along," Zamzamzairani said, adding that there were already two high-definition channels in the packages.

Comparing the prices between the 5Mbps package and the current Streamyx 4Mbps Combo Package, he said current that Streamyx subscribers would immediately be paying a lower fee at RM140 as compared to the usual RM160.

"We are undertaking a product rationalising exercise to relook our product and pricing options (for Streamyx) and will make the appropriate annoucements shortly," he added.

The business packages starts with the 5Mbps package priced at RM199, the 10Mbps package at RM599 and the 20Mbps package at RM899.

Although the packages do not include the IPTV service, they come with complimentary services like 10GB Web hosting with domain, 5GB E-Storage, and free broadband equipment worth RM800.

Zamzamzairani said there would be an initial promotion waiving charges for standard installations and activations worth RM300.

Another perk of the UniFi services was that subscribers could access all Streamyx hotzones, currently 2,500 of them, nationwide, he said.

-- BERNAMA