The Telcos' Brave New World: IPTV and Online Game Virtual Environments

摘要

Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) arguable got its start a few years back when SBC executives visited a small apartment in Mountain View, CA. They were visiting some Microsoft engineers who had jury-rigged an Xbox game console into a set-top box that could direct the television set. Peter Barrett, chief technology officer of Microsoft reported that "The hair on the back of everybody's neck stood up," and that the SBC executives went away excited about the prospects. This paper examines the telcos' move to the entertainment business by looking at Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) and online video gaming. It will first examine some of the economic and regulatory conditions that are shaping this strategy and then look at IPTV's technical merits. It will also examine problems such as obtaining content from major studios who see the telcos as possible producers (ala HBO) and competitors to their DVD sales and rentals. A crucial issue is the role of Microsoft, whose IPTV operating system, XP Media Center, Xbox game consoles and its online services provide valuable clues to the future of the online entertainment business. Lastly it will look at how telcos may need to offer online gaming and virtual environments to differentiate their services. Telcos need an edge if they move into the entertainment business. They need an overriding reason why customers would chose to get their amusements from a telco rather than cable or satellite. This edge could be provided by becoming gaming service providers (GSPs) providing a variety of game-on-demand (GoD) and online gaming experiences.