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GLOBAL IPTV (internet protocol television) manufacturer’s revenue rose 150 per cent in 2006 to pass the US$1 billion (A$1.22 billion) mark, new research has found.
US-based analyst firm Infonetics Research found IPTV equipment sales, service revenues and service providers’ capital expenditure all posted phenomenal growth in 2006.
While the IPTV equipment market is expected to grow at a more moderate pace in coming years, all categories but one tracked by Infonetics are forecast to at least double or triple between 2006 and 2010.
The company found that total IPTV subscribers worldwide had jumped 166 per cent in 2006 – hitting 7.2 million – with a similar growth outlook forecast until 2010.
IPTV service provider revenue jumped 178 per cent in 2006 to US$2.8 billion worldwide, with growth expected to continue in the double to triple digits every year worldwide
Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) is the leading region for IPTV service revenue, accounting for 49 per cent of the worldwide total in 2006, followed by Asia Pacific with 35 per cent.
“IPTV subscribers and service revenue continue to grow around the world, as incumbent telcos have joined their upstart competitors in EMEA and Asia Pacific in rolling out high quality IPTV services,” Infonetics directing analyst Jeff Heynen said.
“As is typical with early technologies, the geographic disparities in terms of subscriber uptake will be significant – look no further than France, with its high penetration of IPTV, and Germany, which is just getting underway. The evolving regulatory landscape adds another variable to overall IPTV growth rates,” he said. | 
