European Research Update: EU Developments in Digital Living

Parks Associates attended multiple conferences in the latter half of 2010, and we were encouraged by the industry developments throughout the continent. Here is a summary of some of our recent observations, which culminated with the recent CONNECTIONS™ Europe Summit, which Parks Associates hosted on November 15-16, 2010. Visit www.connectionseurope.com for more information on this and future Europe events.

European Service Providers Embracing the Connected Home

The operators in attendance at the Connected Home World Summit in London were from many different European markets - from Greenland, Estonia, Italy, Germany, France, and Russia to countries in between. We came away with the following takeaways from the panels and keynotes:

There are very different takes on the economics of deploying the "God Box"/über-box, which would bring in the functionality of the residential gateway (modem, routing, remote manageability, etc.) along with multiple set-top boxes (tuners, transcoding, server capability, etc.). For reasons related to cost, lifecyle differences in CPE, and the risk of one point of failure, many operators are taking a conservative approach in deploying fully integrated customer premise equipment hardware. At the same time, Intel (which was represented at the event by Brendan Traw) has had early success with some service providers, including Telecom Italia and Liberty Global, in delivering a high-powered gateway that takes on much of the functionality of the über-box.

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EU TV Markets: Progress of IPTV, VOD, DTT services

The Western European market for television service features a diverse set of offerings and regulations across nations. Terrestrial services are a common choice among consumers in all nations, but IPTV is making inroads in some areas, with France in particular serving as a worldwide leader in IPTV growth. The following is a brief overview of several key countries, with information and data from Parks Associates' recent report Television Services: Global Outlook (Second Edition).

The upcoming executive summit CONNECTIONS Europe™, November 15-16 in Amsterdam, will feature multiple sessions focused on advanced TV services and devices, including "Consumers and Connected Consumer Electronics," "Bringing the Content: Content Delivery and Control for Connected TVs," "Extending the Video Experience to Multiple Screens," and "Value-added Services & the Video Ecosystem." Register Today at www.connectionseurope.com.

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CONNECTIONS Europe features Technicolor keynote & executives from ADB, HbbTV, IBM, NDS, Omniphone, OpenTV and more

The speakers for CONNECTIONS™ Europe Summit: Monetizing Connectivity and User Experiences, announced today by Parks Associates, offer unique executive insight into business strategies for digital content, value-added services, connected CE, and advanced video devices and services. International research firm Parks Associates will host the Summit on April 27, 2010, at the Mövenpick Hotel in Amsterdam.

Benoit Joly, Vice-President, Home Network & Applications, Technicolor, will present the opening keynote. Other speakers:

-- Jonathan Beavon, Director, Segment Marketing, NDS

-- Paul Bristow, VP Strategy, Middleware & Consumer Experience, ADB (Advanced Digital Broadcast)
-- Ronald Brockmann, Managing Director, Europe, ActiveVideo Networks
-- Rob van den Dam, Global Telecom Sector leader IBV, IBM
-- Klaus Illgner-Fehns, Managing Director, HbbTV
-- Trond Neergaard, Founder and Managing Partner, Cloudberry Associates
-- Steve Oetegenn, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer, Verimatrix
-- Rolf Uwe Placzek, CEO, Acetrax
-- Kurt Scherf, VP, Principal Analyst, Parks Associates
-- Stuart Sikes, President, Parks Associates
-- Andrew Wajs, CTO, Irdeto
-- Olivier Wellmann, VP, Product Management, OpenTV
-- Speaker TBA, Omnifone

For information or to register, visit http://www.connectionseurope.com.

Parks Associates to focus on opportunities in digital media & connected CE at CONNECTIONS™ Europe

Parks Associates announced the agenda for CONNECTIONS™ Europe: Monetizing Connectivity and User Experiences, which the international research firm will host on April 27, 2010, in Amsterdam.

CONNECTIONS™ Europe is the leading executive summit featuring European and international consumer research, top executives, and innovative companies in the digital living markets. The summit will examine business models and challenges related to digital media, including the potential of 3D video in the home, the role of value-added services in building ARPU, monetization of over-the-top content, and the challenge of pushing content to multiple connected CE, including smartphones and other mobile devices.

The preliminary agenda for CONNECTIONS™ Europe features the following sessions:
-- Bringing the Content
-- Extending the Video Experience to Multiple Screens
-- Controlling the Experience
-- Value-added Services & the Video Ecosystem
-- Mobile Video: The Cloud, the App Store & the Connected Home

CONNECTIONS™ Europe will feature Parks Associates’ expert consumer and industry research, with the company’s analysts presenting data from consumer research projects including All Eyes on Video, Consumer Decision Process, Residential Energy Management, and Digital Media Evolution.

Early sponsors for CONNECTIONS™ Europe, also members of Parks Associates’ Premier Program, include ActiveVideo Networks and PacketVideo. Visit www.parkspremier.com for more information on the Premier Program.

Visit www.connectionseurope.com for more information about CONNECTIONS™ Europe. The deadline for speaker submissions is March 1, 2010.

CONNECTIONS Europe agenda: Connected Devices & Services

CONNECTIONS Europe will be held in Amsterdam on November 4 and covers the international landscape for connected devices and services with a European emphasis, including:

• Internet video and the TV experience
• Cloud computing and advanced TV and communications services
• Residential gateway or set-top box
• The impact of 3D TV
• The three-screen ecosystem
• The interface for online and user-generated content
• The companies best positioned to lead the connected home ecosystem

Attending CONNECTIONS Europe provides executives with networking and strategic planning opportunities.

• The development roadmap of the technologies and applications that will define the European and global digital lifestyle
• Identification of existing and emerging leaders in the connected home ecosystem
• Adoption and revenue forecasts of key connected device and service categories
• An examination of the business models which will drive the convergence in video and entertainment content and applications, online services, and communications.

CONNECTIONS™ Summit at CES to focus on connected products and services and business strategies for 3D TV, advertising, and energy management

Parks Associates today released the preliminary agenda for CONNECTIONS™ Summit at CES, which focuses on new business strategies for connected CE, service providers, 3D video, Smart Grid technologies, and other connected home solutions.

The international research firm will host this event on January 7, 2010, in the Las Vegas Convention Center, on the first day of 2010 International CES. Parks Associates’ expert analysts will moderate the Summit sessions, presenting consumer research on buying habits, purchase intentions, and interest in a variety of connected home solutions. The sessions also feature executives in the digital living markets, who will discuss the challenges of today’s business climate and the areas of service and innovation that fit best with the changing needs of households throughout the world.

Summit Sessions:
• Consumer Electronics Purchases: Are Consumers Back in the Buying Mood?
• The Connected TV – Displays and Beyond
• Service Provider Strategies for the Connected Home
• The Mobile Aspect of Unified Infotainment: Opportunities and Challenges
• Advances in Television Advertising
• Bringing the Smart Grid to the Smart Home
• 3D: Adding New Dimensions to Entertainment

For more information, visit www.connectionssummit.com.

Parks Associates is also hosting CONNECTIONS™ Europe Summit, in Amsterdam, Netherlands, on November 4, 2009.

European share of worldwide connected CE market approximately 40%

CONNECTIONS Europe to address connectivity, convergence as sales of connected consumer electronics double between 2009 and 2013

CONNECTIONS™ Europe Summit released the preliminary agenda for its upcoming executive conference, November 4, 2009, which will feature consumer research and expert analysis on the role of connected consumer electronics (CE) and related services in the connected home ecosystem.The event, titled The Roadmap for Connected Consumer Electronics and hosted by international research firm Parks Associates, will take place in Amsterdam at the Mövenpick Hotel. The Summit features insight into European and global consumer markets from expert analysts and high-level executives representing the top international players in the markets for advanced digital products and services.

The sale and installation of home network-enabled consumer electronics products will more than double between 2009 and 2013 to more than 100 million units annually. The European market will be particularly strong in such categories as connected TVs, game consoles, Blu-ray players, network-attached storage, alternative set-top boxes, and whole-home DVRs. Sales and installations of such products in Europe will grow from 20 million units in 2009 to almost 40 million by 2013.

CONNECTIONS™ Europe Summit will quantify demand and address the challenges and opportunities created as these Internet-capable devices are added the network in order to share content and expand interactive services. Rob Timmer, Senior Director Net TV, BU TV, Philips Consumer Lifestyle, will deliver the event’s Keynote Address.

Summit Sessions
Connected Europe: Trends and Numbers
Defining the New Video Experience
Evolution of the “Digital Furnace”: Residential Gateways and Set-top Boxes
Business Models for On-Demand Lifestyles
Enabling Technologies: Connecting It All
Wrapping It Up – Predictions for the Next Five Years

Deadline for speaker submissions is August 28, 2009.

Visit www.connectionseurope.com to submit or to register for the event.

Households in Western Europe with TV services to top 180 million in 2013

CONNECTIONS™ Europe announces call for papers to address new challenges, opportunities in changing product and service landscape --

CONNECTIONS™ Europe has announced the call for papers for its upcoming Summit, November 4, 2009, in Amsterdam, Netherlands. CONNECTIONS™ Europe Summit, hosted by international research firm Parks Associates, is dedicated to the discussion and analysis of new business models for emerging services, applications, and advanced digital technologies. The event will take place at the Mövenpick Hotel Amsterdam City Centre.

CONNECTIONS™ Europe is accepting speaker submissions within five main topic categories.
Adding Value to Access Services examines the impact of broadband value-added services and the role and design of connected CE enabling these services.

Digital Home Tech Services examines consumer demand and new revenue opportunities for installation, troubleshooting, and service plans.

Residential Gateways – Devices Enabling New Services examines hardware requirements and service opportunities as these devices enable enhanced bundled services and home connectivity applications.

Video Devices & Entertainment Platforms examines the new roles and functions for the television, the set-top, the game console, the PC, portable devices, and mobile phones as well as the software enabling these technologies.

Television, Digital Media Services, & Advanced Video examines next-generation entertainment applications and “go-to-TV” services and products.

CONNECTIONS™ Global Sponsors include HD-PLC Alliance, DSC, Macrovision, MoCA, Radialpoint, ActiveVideo Networks, Affinegy, Icron, Irdeto, NXP, ProVision Communications, Telcordia, and Zilog. CONNECTIONS™ Europe Advisory Sponsor is Eyecon Technologies.
Visit http://www.connectionseurope.com for sponsorship information or to submit a speaking proposal. Deadline for submission is August 15, 2009.

For the full press release, click here.

Over 100 million households worldwide to have telco IPTV services by 2013

Microsoft keynote to address Customer Service and IPTV at CONNECTIONS™ Europe Summit--

Parks Associates welcomed Roger Pitton, Program Director, TV, Video & Music Business, Microsoft Corporation, as the Keynote speaker for CONNECTIONS™ Europe Summit, taking place March 31, in Nice, France. It has a full agenda featuring consumer data and expert analysis on advanced video solutions, digital media solutions, and connected consumer electronics.

The worldwide market for telco IPTV services will exceed 100 million households by 2013, a CAGR of approximately 38%, according to international research firm Parks Associates. Mr. Pitton’s keynote “IPTV and the keys to keeping customers” will address the best business strategies to gain and retain customers in the highly competitive European market for these services.

Mr. Pitton has several years of firsthand experience in marketing and selling IPTV services. In his keynote, he will specify the keys to differentiation, including unique content, an unmatched user experience, and the convergence of technology and content, required for sustaining success.
CONNECTIONS™ Europe Summit Sessions:
>> European Consumer Trends
>> Broadband and Value-added Services
>> Video Services
>> Digital Media Content & Delivery
>> Connected CE
>> Digital Home Tech Support

Event sponsors include Affinegy, Enure Networks, and HomeGrid Forum. Global Sponsors include ActiveVideo Networks, Affinegy, Cloakware, DSC, HD-PLC Alliance, Icron, Macrovision, MoCA, ProVision Communications, Radialpoint, Telcordia, and Zilog.

For more information, visit http://www.connectionseurope.com/.

Over 33% of U.S. broadband households show strong interest in Web-enhanced features for connected TVs and set-tops

Service providers and manufacturers benefit from interest in widgets, VoD libraries --

Video-on-demand (VoD) libraries and widgets will be the first generation of video services driving adoption of connected television experiences in the U.S., according to international research firm Parks Associates. Consumer electronics manufacturers and service providers will benefit from higher margins and ARPU generation in providing these Web-like experiences via the television.

Parks Associates, in its new white paper From Boob Tube to YouTube: Consumers and TV, reports strong interest among U.S. broadband households for VoD libraries and TV widgets, which are Web-like displays that show customized news, weather, sports, or traffic information. In particular, 33% are interested in widgets, and almost 50% are interested in premium Web content, including TV shows and movies, through a connected set-top box.

Broadband households are growing accustomed to viewing video off the Internet. Demand for Web and user-generated content will increase, and those desires will influence their CE purchases and service provider choices. Widgets and VoD libraries will be the first in a long line of advanced video services people will want in their living rooms. Consumers respond favorably to enhanced interactive features and are willing to pay – either on the price of a television or as an additional subscription cost – for certain features. For manufacturers and service providers, creative, well-organized interactive services will be key to creating new value out of the television.

Parks Associates will present connected TV research at CONNECTIONS™ Europe in Nice, France, on March 31 and the Cable Show on April 1.


For more information, and to download From Boob Tube to YouTube: Consumers and TV, visit http://www.parksassociates.com/ .

Parks Associates research finds free content is main lure for Western Europeans watching video online

CONNECTIONS™ Europe Summit examines impact of consumer preferences on future services--

Adoption of online video has increased in Europe, but international research firm Parks Associates reports that the vast majority of usage is not generating any direct revenues. The firm, which recently released the white paper The Impact of Online Video in Europe, reports that 31% of broadband households in Western Europe have downloaded a movie or TV show for free in the last six months while only 8% of households have paid for an Internet download.

The Impact of Online Video in Europe addresses these changes in viewing habits, a key area of focus at the upcoming CONNECTIONS™ Europe Summit, hosted by Parks Associates on March 31 in Nice, France.

Over 80% of broadband households prefer traditional options for viewing video, including going to the cinema or watching a DVD. Since so many users are watching online video only because it is free, they will likely step away from the computer if they have to start paying for it.

CONNECTIONS™ Europe Summit focuses on new strategies for service and technology providers, media companies, and manufacturers in creating new entertainment and communications solutions. Event sponsors include Affinegy, Enure Networks, and HomeGrid Forum. Global Sponsors include ActiveVideo Networks, Affinegy, Cloakware, DSC, HD-PLC Alliance, Icron, Macrovision, the Multimedia over Coax Alliance (MoCA), ProVision Communications, Radialpoint, Telcordia, and Zilog.

28% of Broadband Households in Western Europe watch online TV monthly

CONNECTIONS™ Europe Summit examines new opportunities in broadband, video services, digital media, CE ---

International research firm Parks Associates announced today the topics and preliminary list of speakers for CONNECTIONS™ Europe Summit, March 31, 2009, in Nice, France. This executive event addresses the new strategies for service and technology providers, media companies, and manufacturers in creating new entertainment and communications solutions.

Summit sessions include broadband and value-added services, the evolution of video services, digital media, connected CE, digital home services and customer support, and the future of consumer technologies.

The agenda includes consumer and industry research on CE ownership and purchase intentions, interest in advanced television and video services, and digital entertainment habits, including attitudes toward content copying and piracy.

CONNECTIONS™ Europe features Roger Pitton, Program Director, TV Business, Microsoft Corporation, delivering the keynote “IPTV and the keys to keeping customers.” The event also features:

• Michimasa Aramaki, Director, Industrial Standardization, HD-PLC Alliance
• Thierry Boudard, IPTV Strategic Innovation Manager, Thomson
• Richard Bullwinkle, Chief Evangelist, Macrovision
• Mark Cavicchia, CEO & Founder, WhereverTV
• Brian Donnelly, VP Marketing & Business Development, Icron
• Margot Dor, Director of Strategy, ETSI
• Paul Entwistle, Chief Technologist, Pace
• Milan Erbes, Ambassador, HGI; Standardization & Business Development Manager, DS2
• Gil Eyal, CEO, Enure Networks
• Ed Forman, EVP, Products and Services, ActiveVideo Networks
• Peter Galyas, CTO, Tilgin
• Trevor Izsak, Director, Business and Market Development, Cloakware
• Stefan Jenzowsky, CEO, moreTV Broadcasting GmbH
• Art Lancaster, CTO, Affinegy
• Dr. Ulrich Leiner, Head of Department Interactive Media - Human Factors, Fraunhofer Institute for Telecommunications, HHI
• Dr. Anton Monk, CTO, MoCA; Co-Founder, Entropic Communications, Inc.
• Trond Neergard, Vice President, Sales and General Manager, EMEA, Radialpoint
• Dr. Randolph Nikutta, Head of Project Field "New Media", Deutsche Telekom AG, Laboratories
• Frederic Onado, Vice President EMEA, HomePlug Powerline Alliance; COO, SPiDCOM Technologies
• Eric Plesner, Director of Business Development, IO-Homecontrol
• Eran Rom, CEO, Jungo
• Micha Risling, VP of Marketing, Valens Semiconductor
• Bill Stanley, Director, Operations Solutions, Telcordia
  

Event sponsors include Advisory Sponsors Affinegy and Enure Networks and Supporting Sponsor HomeGrid Forum. CONNECTIONS™ Global Sponsors include ActiveVideo Networks, Affinegy, Cloakware, DSC, HD-PLC Alliance, Icron, Macrovision, MoCA™, ProVision Communications, Radialpoint, Telcordia, and Zilog.

For information, visit http://www.connectionseurope.com/

CONNECTIONS™ Europe to address mobile TV and other entertainment platforms and applications

While Europe has adopted a standard for mobile TV, this move actually makes it more difficult for operators to reap the benefits of this service sector, according to a new white paper from Parks Associates.

The research firm released No Way to Regulate: Mobile TV in Europe for its upcoming CONNECTIONS™ Europe Summit. This event will take place on August 28-29 at the Kempinski Hotel Bristol Berlin and features panels and interactive discussions on advanced entertainment platforms and emerging applications for entertainment, home networking, and communications.

This new white paper highlights the challenges European operators face as they develop and deploy mobile TV services. European regulators have adopted the DVB-H as a mobile TV standard for Europe, but the paper asserts that this approach means operators are limited in their spectrum options and often cannot leverage established network infrastructure.

This market situation threatens what is a significant service sector. Mobile TV users, while small in number, are an important consumer segment, according to Parks Associates. They are more likely to own and purchase a variety of consumer electronics, more likely to subscribe to pay TV services, and generally have a more favorable attitude toward technology. Service providers will be able to command a premium in advertising to this consumer segment.

GDL: Entertainment 2.0 in Europe, a new study by Parks Associates, will further explore consumer purchase habits and service preferences for a variety of entertainment products and services, from traditional TV to advanced online video. The study features consumer surveys and country profiles of the top European markets.

CONNECTIONS™ Europe Summit will include two panels, “The Evolution of Video Devices” and “New Connectivity Applications: Entertainment, Control, Home Networking, and Communications,” focused on the new opportunities and obstacles for companies in digital entertainment.

Prior to CONNECTIONS™ Europe Summit, the WirelessHD Consortium will host a pre-show workshop on August 28, followed by a reception for CONNECTIONS™ Europe attendees. The summit concludes on August 29 with a tour of the Fraunhofer Institute’s Exhibits at IFA 2008, hosted by Fraunhofer Heinrich-Hertz-Institute.

Consumers to spend billions on Internet Video Services by 2013

TV-based Internet video receivers and connected consumer electronics platforms will drive transactional revenues for premium Internet video services past $6 billion --

U.S. consumers will spend over $6 billion for Internet video services by 2013, with direct-to-TV videos accounting for 75% of that revenue, according to Parks Associates’ Internet Video: Direct-to-Consumer Services (Second Edition). This new report finds that greater ownership of connected game consoles, networked TVs, and alternative video-on-demand set-top receivers is generating significant growth in user-paid revenues.

Future areas to watch include ad-supported movie streams, new targeted advertising approaches, and Hollywood’s efforts to offer more electronically distributed content through download-to-burn kiosks and other manufacturing-on-demand outlets.

Internet Video: Direct-to-Consumer Services (Second Edition) examines the business of premium Internet video delivery and includes the latest primary consumer research on Internet video consumption and interest in new Internet video services and products.

Parks Associates will present on Internet video and other digital-lifestyle topics at CONNECTIONS™ Europe Summit, August 29, in Berlin.

Home Networking to reach 168 Million Households Worldwide in '08: CONNECTIONS Europe focuses on entertainment & multimedia services in EU markets

Rapid growth in home networking, approaching 168 million households worldwide in 2008, is laying the foundation for expansion of multimedia services internationally and especially in the European markets, according to Parks Associates.

The market research firm will host CONNECTIONS™ Europe Summit on August 29, 2008, at the Kempinski Hotel Bristol Berlin, to discuss the implications of this market growth and share the latest findings of its Global Digital Living™ (GDL) project.

Parks Associates launched GDL in 2005 to track and analyze international adoption and consumer attitudes toward advanced digital technologies and services. The most recent survey, GDL: Entertainment 2.0 in Europe, studies the growth of entertainment services in the top European markets. The project includes country profiles and consumer surveys and examines adoption and valuation of DVDs, online video and video-on-demand, DVRs, and high-definition TV services, among other topics.

CONNECTIONS™ Europe will provide attendees with international consumer research and feature interactive discussions on advanced television services, new media and digital content, and value-added services.
Advisory sponsors for CONNECTIONS™ Europe: Cisco, Enure Networks, F-Secure Corporation, Macrovision, the Multimedia over Coax Alliance (MoCA), Neotion, support.com, Toshiba Electronics Europe, WirelessHD, and Zilog, Inc.

The event agenda features speakers from the following companies and organizations:
ActiveVideo Networks
ARM
Cisco
Deutsche Telekom
Enure Networks
F-Secure
Home Gateway Initiative
HomePlug Powerline Alliance
Macrovision
Makewave AB
MoreTV
NEC Europe
Neotion
Nokia Siemens Networks
OSGi Alliance
Qualcomm
Shiny Media
SiBEAM, Inc.
SPiDCOM Technologies
Sonic Solutions
support.com
Texas Instruments
Toshiba Electronics Europe GmbH
WirelessHD
Zilog

iPhone in Europe

iPhone Comments in Europe

The iPhone launch in Europe was not as successful as in the U.S.

O2 reportedly activated 8,000 iPhones on the launch day, and T-Mobile claims it sold 10,000 by the afternoon on the launch day. Germany and the UK have a combined population of approximately 143 million, meaning 0.01% of people bought an iPhone on the opening day, a percentage significantly lower than that in the U.S. Some of the reasons for the lackluster performance include the following:

High price tag: iPhone prices have been slashed by 1/3 since launch in the U.S. whereas it’s still sold at more than $500 in Europe.Lack of 3G supportA more competitive handset marketLower iPod market share in the MP3 market

In the long term, we expect iPhone’s sales in Europe to continuously under-perform that in the U.S.

Yuanzhe (Michael) Cai
Director, Broadband & Gaming
michael-cai@parksassociates.com

Richer Digital Media Offerings Needed to Spur German Home Networking Offerings

Parks Associates’ research indicates companies need to develop and market richer digital media offerings in order to spur the German home networking market. “While home network penetration has grown in Germany, there has not been an upsurge comparable to France or the U.K.,” said John Barrett, director of research, Parks Associates. “More competition combined with digital media offerings such as video-on-demand, IPTV, and multiroom DVR are required to promote greater adoption of home networks.”

Parks Associates’ Global Digital Living (GDL), which surveyed households worldwide on their technology use and attitudes, finds:

• Among the surveyed countries, Germany has one of the lowest percentages of households who download or upload videos to P2P websites on a monthly basis. Germans are also less likely to watch videos via video sharing sites.
• Among the European countries surveyed, Germany has the lowest percentage of households who watch purchased DVDs on a monthly basis. Conversely, among all the surveyed countries, Germany has the highest percentage of households who watch movies on broadcast TV. These and other GDL findings map consumer patterns and areas of opportunity, essential factors for companies looking to advance the markets for digital products and media.

To this end, several CONNECTIONS™ Europe sessions will focus on the role of TV-centric devices and examine the evolution of interactive services, the role of Web content, and the features and applications that will move television from a one-to-many to a one-to-one experience.

CONNECTIONS™ Europe provides thorough examination and understanding of advanced technologies and services for residential and mobile environments, including digital entertainment, IPTV, telco TV, set-top boxes, advanced communications across mobile and landline platforms, and home management and its corollary services.

http://www.connectionseurope.com/