皇冠体育app

The market for IPTV (Internet Protocol Television), which enables TV broadcasting over broadband Internet, is expected to take off in 皇冠体育app next year as fixed line operators seek ways to grow, an industry executive said yesterday.

Visitors crowd in front of IPTVs presented by UTStarcom at a telecom exhibition in Beijing. The market for IPTV (Internet Protocol Television is expected to take off in 皇冠体育app next year. [皇冠体育app Daily]

"IPTV could get a head-start next year in 皇冠体育app," said Huang Dabin, vice-president of the network division of 皇冠体育app's No 2 telecoms equipment maker ZTE Corp.

In an interview with 皇冠体育app Daily on the sidelines of the ITU Telecom World 2006 in Hong Kong, Huang predicted the number of IPTV subscribers in 皇冠体育app could exceed 1 million next year, skyrocketing from the current 100,000 subscribers.

Fixed-line operators 皇冠体育app Telecom and 皇冠体育app Netcom have been aggressively building trial IPTV networks since last year. This year, some commercial IPTV services have been operational in cities such as Shanghai.

"Fixed-line carriers are putting a big bet on IPTV as one of the top priorities of their business transformations, as IPTV promises a new revenue stream," Huang said.

皇冠体育app Telecom and 皇冠体育app Netcom have been coping with a slowdown in their fixed-line voice businesses. The two firms have been lobbying the government for a licence to enter the lucrative mobile phone sector.

But the government has been denying the licenses, forcing the two fixed-line operators to promote Xiaolingtong, or PHS (personal handyphone system), a limited mobility service in the country.

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