eMarketer released a new report analyzing results of France opening its formerly monopolistic telecommunications market to competitors.

France is leading the way in so-called "triple play" adoption. Already, thanks to its competitive market, three of the ten largest broadband providers in Western Europe now are based in France. Up to 40% of all French consumers will soon be using VoIP, and IPTV use is also on the rise.

Watching "Survivor" on your cell phone? Watching your favorite basketball team on the iPod? The idea of watching TV or streaming video on a handheld device is not yet main-stream, but telecom providers are spending millions developing services in hopes of riding the expected wave of increasing consumer adoption. A wide range of research firms are forecasting the market to grow to anywhere between $5 billion and $25 billion worldwide by 2010.

Research and Markets has announced the addition of Telco TV: European Market Opportunities And Operator Strategies to their offering.

With revenues from fixed telephony in decline and broadband retail prices eroded by increasing competition, Europe's fixed operators view IPTV as a potential answer to the revenue shortfall. However, in contrast to the homogeneous US market, there are marked national and regional differences in broadband adoption and customer spend.

MRG's new IPTV Market Leader Report March 2006 ranks about 60 different IPTV vendors in four different regional markets and globally, grouped into six different IPTV product categories. By using a new ranking system, the report gives a separate regional ranking to each company by product category, based on actual numbers of subscribers and video channels supported by that company's product(s). The report also provides an instant snapshot of the top 30 IPTV vendors, including a quick assessment about each company's growth prospects in the next two years.

A continuing series of acquisitions in the IP video market will ultimately result in a smaller number of vendors providing all-encompassing IP network solutions including video infrastructure. These companies will not only focus on the network aspect of video solutions, but will also move into the home with CPE and even home networking technologies. The business model assumption for this small group of vendors will be that operators would prefer to work with a single company that can provide all of their needs rather than picking and choosing equipment from multiple smaller vendors.

As manufacturers race to incorporate the latest digital technologies for pay-TV, worldwide shipments of digital set-top boxes will grow substantially through the end of the decade. In a recently published update to its online Television Database, IMS Research forecasts that worldwide shipments of digital cable and DTH set-top boxes will increase by 15% over the next five years, approaching 74.8 million units by the end of 2010.

Research and Markets has announced the addition of Streaming Media Market Growth: 2005 - 2010 to their offering.

This report provides a detailed data and audience analysis of the year in streaming media 2005, with usage metrics and share metrics across key content categories such as music, news, sports, entertainment, Internet TV, movies and Internet music radio.

JupiterResearch, a division of Jupitermedia Corporation, finds that 52% of consumers would switch pay TV services if they could get a better price for the same channel selection. According to a new report entitled: "IPTV: Simple Benefits, Not New Technology, Most Effectively Compete Against Cable", JupiterResearch reveals what consumers regard as the most important elements in pay TV services, and challenges phone companies and others face as they begin to deploy competitive TV offerings. JupiterResearch is a leading authority on the impact of the Internet and emerging consumer technologies on business.

ESPRE Solutions is pleased to announce that an article written by ESPRE's CEO, Pete Ianace, has been published in the February issue of TMC's Internet Telephony Magazine. The February issue is dedicated to the advantages of IPTV and is appropriately titled, Strike it Rich with IPTV. The article, IPTV Trends, highlights the advantages of IPTV offerings by today's major telecommunication providers and the competitive threats telcos will face in their rollout.

Amaru Inc., through its Singapore-based subsidiary M2B World Pte. Ltd. and its Hollywood-based company M2B World Inc., have released the findings of a month-long independent study commissioned by the company to analyze consumer broadband attitudes in the United States. The study revealed consumer behaviors, interest and preferred applications for on-demand entertainment, including preferences for emerging technical solutions such as IPTV set-top boxes and addressed the willingness by consumers to access IPTV-based programming.

This report examines the global IPTV opportunity, including its impact on the transformation of the telco business model, global IPTV forecasts and the impact of IPTV on pay-TV market dynamics, including competitive reaction from cable and satellite DTH players. In addition, using analysis generated from at least 10 case studies of carriers that have launched or have solid plans for IPTV, this report provides a thorough analysis of the key characteristics of successful IPTV business models, including strategic approach to IPTV, technology choice, content acquisition, service bundling and pricing, IPTV adoption and profitability.

Directional media (Yellow Pages, local search and classifieds advertising) revenues will reach $119.8 billion globally in 2010, a 1.9 percent increase over 2005 revenues of $109.2 billion, according to a new forecast by Kelsey Group.

The Kelsey Group defines "directional media" as advertising that is delivered to potential buyers when they are in the process of making a purchase or buying decision.

The Internet appears to be the threshold of new technology these days, and the future of TV may be in its hands. A recent survey by Harris Interactive conducted among U.S. adults explores consumer awareness and interest in and the potential impact of IPTV, an upcoming digital television service that is delivered through Internet protocol over a broadband connection. Despite limited availability in the United States, more than half (56%) of all U.S. adults say they have heard of IPTV and substantial numbers indicate interest in adopting it for use on their TVs and home PCs.¹ The survey also shows how the adoption of IPTV may impact cable and satellite providers and the types of providers that may be able to capitalize on this new technology.

IMS Research estimates that by the end of 2005, over 2.6 million households in Europe were using a DVR. By 2010, this market is forecast to reach over 41 million households. Growth is expected to come primarily from operator deployments of integrated DVRs, although DTT and FTA satellite DVRs will make a significant contribution to the total market.

Research and Markets has announced the addition of Canadian Consumer Telecom & Cable TV Market Forecasts 2006 to their offering.

This report is a "must have" for telcos, cablecos, ISPs, broadcasters, mobile service providers, investors, equipment suppliers as well as regulators and policy makers.