UTStarcom forecasts five IPTV agreements in 2010

[khurramdar]

UTStarcom forecasts five IPTV agreements in 2010


The IP solutions provider UTStarcom is planning to close five IPTV agreements in Latin America in 2010. The company has not disclosed the operators' names but has actually revealed that such companies would come from Colombia, Chile and Argentina. Such forecasts might grow substantially if Brazil and other countries of the region updated their regulatory frameworks.

Argentina passed the Audiovisual Communication Services Law, which enables public services cooperatives to render IPTV services. However, such law has not become effective and is being hindered by the opposition. Despite the aforementioned, UTStarcom's VP and General Manager for Latin America, Diego Martínez, told NexTV Latam that the company had already received quotation requests mainly from the cooperative sector and private cable operators located in the interior of the country. "We are working on several concrete projects aimed at deploying IPTV in 2010. We think that in the short run Argentine operators will receive their licenses and we will soon see four or five cooperatives launching their IPTV offers", he assured.

In Brazil, Bill 29, which enables telecommunications companies render IPTV services, has not been passed yet. Such approval is expected to happen before Luis Inacio Lula Da Silva finishes his term in January 2011. "(The approval) will open a set of opportunities in the country and we belive that we are well positioned as a recognized brand in the IPTV business", Martínez stated.

According to the executive, one of the obstacles for IPTV massive deployment in the region is given by the general conditions of the existing copper networks. Martínez believes that new market demands require the implementation of interactive services which, in turn, require greater band widths. "Most operators' networks are not ready yet", he assured.