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After London, Budapest and Shanghai, the IPTV World Series of events heads for Rio de Janeiro later this month.
John Moulding reports
Broadband penetration is growing fast in Latin America – with the number of broadband DSL subscribers up 79 per cent in 2005 to reach 6.37 million subscribers (figures from DSL Forum, March 2006 using data produced for DSL Forum by Point Topic). Meanwhile, Informa Telecoms & Media is predicting that Latin America will double the number of its digital homes in the period 2004 to the end of 2010. When combined with the relative immaturity of the 'traditional' Pay TV market in the region, these figures may present an opportunity for IPTV providers who want to give South American consumers their first taste of digital, interactive, on-demand TV.
Latin American debut
Junction, the organisers of the IPTV World Forum events in London, Asia and Eastern Europe, certainly thinks so and is taking its 'World Forum' brand to Rio de Janeiro in January for the debut IPTV World Forum Latin America. According to Junction’s Managing Director, Ian Johnson: “DSL-based broadband penetration is growing fast in Latin America, led principally by Brazil and Mexico, and there are signs that the region's telcos are starting to think seriously about IPTV. The big question is whether this DSL growth, plus a growing taste for digital TV, can be converted into an IP-based video market.
“Much depends on the regulators since Telcos in Brazil, Mexico, Argentina and Venezuela have been prohibited from carrying video services. A key theme for the inaugural IPTV World Forum Latin America will be the regulatory conditions in the region and how governments view the video market: in particular, whether they think it is time for cross-media regulatory hurdles to be relaxed in line with most of the rest of the world.”
Over 15 Telcos and ISPs are speaking, including Brasil Telecom, Telecom Argentina, VTR, NTT, Telemar, Telefonica Peru, Comsat, Telefonica Brasil, Antel, Novis, SMG and Pioneer Telephone Cooperative. MTV and HBO Latin America will be among the content providers. There is a ‘showcase’ demonstration of ten IPTV services from around the world and a small exhibition as well.
More details about this show available at:
www.iptv-latinamerica.com
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