IPTV could take years

IPTV could take years

Conflicting opinion on IPTV deployment was recently expressed by Verizon. Stuart Elby, vice president of network architecture and enterprise technology, said that IPTV multicast technology is not yet ready for deployment on a mass scale and likely won't be until late 2006 or 2007. So, in the mean time, Verizon is deploying IP video over fiber using RF and QAM technology over a dedicated wavelength. Another wavelength will carry IP-based services such as VOIP, data, and video-on-demand (single unicast stream). All these applications are part of its FiOS network rollout. The ultimate goal remains, however, to separate the applications from the network so that it can roll out any type of new service over a single IP-based network. This will done in steps, including the availability of an intelligent optical control plane in 2006, as well as a new Optical Network Terminal (ONT) delivering both VOIP and video services, and streamlining IMS technology.