Internet Protocol Television (IPTV)

This paper is intended to be an introduction into the issues involved with delivering IPTV over DSL. IPTV technology and available broadband bandwidths are evolving to the point where DSL providers can effectively enter the market of TV delivery to their customers. However, there are still issues concerning bandwidth, codec selection, QoS, and ROI. This paper will address each of these issues and discuss the major players involved in deploying this new technology. Though the paper will not go in-depth technically about how IPTV works, it will provide a good overview of IPTV architecture, how it will be delivered from the service provider's head-end equipment to the end-user (the consumer), and the differences between IPTV architecture and legacy cable TV (television) architecture. Most importantly, it will describe the importance of why moving to IPTV is a competitive "have-to" for service providers to survive.