More companies join the push to deploy Interactive Personalised TV 

Efforts to accelerate the deployment of IPTV by combining the expertise of key telecom operators, consumer electronics manufacturers and network infrastructure providers in the Open IPTV Forum are gathering further momentum, and the first release of the specifications that will allow IPTV to develop into a mass market service is close to completion.

At its meeting at the headquarters of Sony Europe in Berlin from 8-11th September, the Open IPTV Forum, the pan-industry initiative that was established to produce the end-to-end solution specification which will open up access to the interactive and personalised services offered by IPTV, significantly expanded its membership. These companies join the founding members – Ericsson, FT Group, Nokia Siemens Networks, Panasonic, Philips, Samsung, Sony Corporation and Telecom Italia – and many other major IPTV industry  players from the communications and entertainment industries (www.openiptvforum.org/members.html), bringing to 44 the number of companies which are working together in the Forum.

7 new members have been accepted:
enCentro (Neuvex Lda Trading as enCentro Systems Inc) HwaCom Systems Inc Institut fuer Rundfunktechnik GmbH Neotion Sigma Designs, Inc.
UTStarcom Inc
WyPlay

Yun Chao Hu, Chairman of the Forum, commented:
“These new members represent a wide range of interest and broaden the input to the Forum’s activities both technically and geographically; they reinforce the Forum’s presence in Asia with (HwaCom, Taiwan), US (Sigma Designs) and  establish the Forum's presence in Europe (enCentro Systems Inc., Neotion, Wyplay) and adding an broadcasting institute to our membership with IRT (Germany).

Please see also our earlier Press Release this week regarding the Open IPTV Forum Release 1, which will solve the problem of fragmentation within the market by standardising an IPTV framework, enabling a ‘plug and play’ experience for the end-user and, by ensuring interoperability, will make IPTV independent of the technology behind it.”

Over the coming months, the Forum will be exhibiting at some of the world’s largest consumer entertainment industry events: 
•   MPEG Industry Forum – Master Class, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 11 September
•   IBC, the major international event for all involved in the creation, management and delivery of content for the entertainment industry – Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 12-16 September.      
•   IPTV World Series EU, Budapest October 20-21, Dubai November 3-4
•   Telco TV, November 13-18th, Los Angeles

Members of the Forum will be speaking at these events, and will be delighted to meet potential new members to discuss the work of the Forum and the future of IPTV. Interviews with the press can also be arranged.