Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Hybrid IPTV Set-top Boxes — Global Market Forecast & Strategy Critique: 2009-2012" report to their offering. The purpose of this report is to identify the different hybrid STB products being used in the global IPTV and Cable market, assess the business models available to Service Providers, and to analyze the business models and market drivers behind the entire hybrid sector. The report also analyzes market size and growth for 2008-2012 for hybrid STBs by region and type; and measures the quality of the hybrid service business models. By doing strength/weakness analysis on the various hybrid business models, the report allows SPs to objectively measure which plan can work best for them; and allows vendors to understand the strategic environment in which each configuration of hybrid STB works best.

Market STB data includes global analysis of Cable and IPTV operations using hybrid STBs, plus a county and regional break-out by broadcast type (QAM, DTH, DTT).

This report, drawn predominantly from the perspective of the STB vendors and IPTV Service Providers ("SPs" or "Operators"), consolidates opinion regarding the current prevalence of (and future prospects for) the use of hybrid STBs in the delivery of IPTV services.

In addition to highlighting where there is consensus among the STB community, the report also discovers where there is significant variation in opinion, and strongly-held minority opinions which represent an interesting counterpoint to the majority view. These minority views are presented also, in order to fully inform any potential debate a vendor or Operator may have when considering a hybrid strategy.

Three different hybrid STB types (Satellite, Off-Air and QAM [Cable or IPTV]) are examined worldwide, and two different hybrid strengths are examined: "high-end" and "low-end" hybrid STBs; also, three different configurations are analyzed.

Included is the results of a summary of industry reports on the relative importance of each of the 10 market drivers (motivations) for using hybrid STBs instead of traditional (Cable or IPTV) STBs.

Global IPTV Forecast Advises Watchful Optimism for 2009