Research Workshop features Broadband Services, 3D TV, Video Services, Connected CE

Parks Associates is hosting the special one-day research workshop Monetizing the Digital Lifestyle on September 20 to address operator strategies, value-added services, and new technologies such as 3D TV, connected CE, and multiscreen solutions. This interactive workshop takes place at the Connected Home World Summit in London.

Kurt Scherf, Vice President & Principal Analyst and Pietro Macchiarella, Research Analyst will present insight, analysis, and forecasts of the digital living markets in the following sessions:

-- Enhancing Broadband Services: Connected Home and Customer Support
-- Providing Depth on 3D TV Opportunities
-- Operator-provided Video Services: Coming into Focus
-- Connected Consumer Electronics: Platforms, Online Content, and the Consumer

Kurt Scherf will also chair and present on "Examining recent and forecast deployments of connected home services by operators and service providers" on September 21 at 9:30 a.m. In addition to hosting the research workshop and speaking at the event, Parks Associates is a supporting partner of the 2010 Connected Home World Summit. The Connected Home World Summit, part of the IPTV World Series, brings together key players in the connected home value chain to evaluate the commercial potential of connected home services and to clearly understand the technical and financial challenges of supporting them.

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/ .

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.

Consumers are not sold on mobile video services

Parks Associates recommends operators should offer free content to entice new subscribers...

While nearly one-third of U.S. households have a video-capable mobile phone, operators are struggling to find an audience for their mobile video services, according to Mobile TV: Analysis & Forecast (Second Edition).

This new report by market research firm Parks Associates found a majority of consumers with a video-capable mobile phone have never used the video features. For example, 56% have never watched a video clip using a mobile phone. These low usage rates are discouraging for operators hoping to boost revenues through new TV and video services. The report predicts operators will overcome this challenge by offering more programming at no cost.

Mobile TV: Analysis & Forecast (Second Edition) is a study of the global market for mobile TV services.

The full press release is available: http://newsroom.parksassociates.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=5090