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Viodi View Menu<\/strong><\/p>\n Current Issue<\/a> <\/p>\n Standards Are Important, But Are They Enough?<\/a><\/p>\n Home Network Developments<\/a><\/p>\n Flash Can Impact Everything<\/a><\/p>\n Previous Issue<\/a> <\/p>\n Viodi View Subscribe<\/a> <\/p>\n Viodi Forums<\/strong> Club Viodi<\/a> Local Content<\/a> <\/p>\n Multimedia Search <\/a> <\/p>\n Viodi Workshops<\/strong> Local Content<\/a> Telco Video 101<\/a> IPTV Training<\/a> Industry<\/strong> Industry Calendar<\/a> Viodi Links<\/a> Weissberger’s Wireless World & More<\/a> <\/p>\n About Viodi<\/a> Contact<\/a> Biographies<\/a> <\/p>\n Interested in Sponsoring the Viodi View? Send an email to: sponsor@viodi.com<\/strong><\/p>\n Please forward<\/strong> this free publication to anyone you know who is involved in some way with independent telephone companies. <\/p>\n Mission of the Viodi View:<\/strong><\/p>\n In this on-line publication, we share our analysis, opinions and direction on the interactive television news and views that we believe will be of interest and use to our friends associated directly or indirectly with independent telephone companies. For more information as to the various ways Viodi works with independent telephone companies, please go to http:\/\/www.viodi.com\/alliance\/<\/a><\/p>\n Disclaimer:<\/strong><\/p>\n The Viodi View [Viodi, LLC] and its associates used their best efforts in collecting and preparing the information published herein. However, the Viodi View [Viodi, LLC] does not assume, and hereby disclaims, any and all liability for any loss or damage caused by errors or omissions, whether such errors or omissions resulted from negligence, accident, or other causes.<\/p>\n All displayed trademarks, logos and service marks are the property of their respective owners. \u00a9 2005Viodi, LLC<\/a>. All Rights Reserved. Viodi View Newsletter – May 31st, 2006<\/strong> <\/p>\n Standards Are Important, But Are They Enough?<\/strong><\/p>\n Ken Pyle, ken.pyle at viodi.com, Managing Editor<\/p>\n Last week\u2019s announcement from ATIS regarding the formulation of two standards – IPTV Architecture Requirements<\/strong> <\/em>(ATIS-0800002) and DRM Interoperability Requirements<\/em><\/strong> (ATIS-0800001) are good news for the industry. These are the first of several proposed standards that will include Quality of Service metrics, an Architecture Reference Model, and Ethernet packet loss later this year. <\/p>\n That the focus of one of the first standards is DRM interoperability is in the right direction. Leon Hofer<\/strong>, Vice President of Network Services for Iowa Network Services<\/strong> has long argued that starting with the Digital Rights Management and the encryption part of the equation would be the place to start with regards to standardization. So, why should there be concern that ATIS\u2019 efforts aren\u2019t enough?<\/p>\n In three words, interoperability testing and certification<\/strong>; that is, once these standards are approved there doesn\u2019t seem to be a clear path to test for interoperability. Interoperability has slowed down the deployment of IPTV. Patrick Ryan<\/strong>, a noted technology attorney and Faculty Director of the University of Colorado at Boulder’s Interdisciplinary Telecommunications Program weighed in on this, when he suggested that, <\/p>\n \u201cStandardization is all about getting traction \u2013 they [CableLabs] are much more effective than any group that he has observed in the telco world. Telcos could learn from the taking out of the playbook.\u201d <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Ryan went on to suggest that the key to standardization is assuring interoperability. <\/p>\n Sure, the DSL Forum and ATIS are working around the edges of the problem, but there is no Bellcore or Cable Labs for IPTV. The result is a fragmented IPTV market<\/strong>. Instead of solidifying things, the rollout of IPTV by the big telco players is draining resources from approaches that have been successfully deployed by independent telcos. The vendors are not helping the situation, as some are abandoning the independent telco market, that helped proved the business case for digital video over copper and\/or fiber, for the riches of a larger market. <\/p>\n The recent innovation spurred by independent telcos and their willingness to take risks is in jeopardy. More than ever, there needs to be an organization that focuses on compliance and standardization for IPTV. Clearly, there are other rumblings in the industry for this sort of thing and maybe the only way it will happen is for independent telcos to take the lead.<\/strong> The folks from the Independent telcos understand the operational, engineering and customer service challenges of IPTV as well as anyone. <\/p>\n With the Engineering firms that so ably serve the industry, they probably have the smarts, if not the market power, to drive some pretty common sense standards, testing and certification<\/strong>. Viodi has had an online group discussing the issues of standardization for over a year. This is a first step to solving a problem that becomes more critical with each passing minute. If any independent telcos are interested in participating in this group, please let me know by sending an email to interoperability at viodi.com<\/strong> <\/p>\n Next Article<\/a><\/p>\n Back to Top<\/a><\/p>\n Previous Issue<\/a><\/p>\n Viodi View Subscribe<\/strong><\/p>\n IP Video @ SC What You Missed<\/strong><\/p>\n Listen to the audio for all of the presentations from the 40+ speakers at the IP Video @ Supercomm conference.\u00a0 This CD-ROM includes the indexed presentations. Click here to see the contents.\u00a0 Contact Sean Sullivan of USTA at 202 326 7260 to purchase this CD.\u00a0<\/a> <\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Network PVRs Are Desired, But Operators Have Doubts<\/strong><\/a> <\/p>\n
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