Expect More IPTV M&A; European IPTV Figures

▤ Summary

The deal can be seen as an affirmation of vendors’ belief that carriers want an end-to-end IPTV solution where all hardware and software elements are closely integrated and provided by one accountable entity. Among the players ripe in the server market include Entone, Kasenna and BitBand. On the headend side, companies include Tut Systems, Tandberg Television, and SkyStream Networks. Conditional access and DRM companies are also attractive acquisition targets in the near term. Meanwhile, in a related story, about 8.7 million Europeans will be watching IPTV service by 2009, or 9.4 percent of a market currently dominated by cable and satellite operators, according to a study by Screen Digest.

▦ Linked Companies