INTERNET
Broadband providers eye TV and telephony
25-02-2005
by Deirdre McArdle
The vast majority of ADSL subscribers say they are interested in receiving so-called 'triple play' services -- TV, phone and internet -- from one provider.
That's according to a European survey which showed that 81 percent of broadband users would be interested in receiving an "all-in-one" package of broadband, television over IP and voice over IP from just one provider.
The survey, conducted by SupportSoft, interviewed broadband users in France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain and the UK. As to why they would prefer to receive voice, video and data services from one company, 36 percent said that it would be "more convenient overall."
Offering customers voice and television over a high-speed internet connection is a serious undertaking and as such there are currently only a handful of firms providing these types of services. In Ireland, Magnet Networks, NTL and Smart Telecom have introduced, or are about to introduce, a triple play offering to users.
Magnet Networks, which was officially launched in November 2004, is rolling out triple play services to residents of a new housing development in Dublin called "The Grange." The company's fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) links allow users to subscribe to TV, phone and broadband through a single line.
Meanwhile, Smart Telecom is in the process of rolling-out a FTTH service to new developments based around its fibre ring. The firm, who only recently launched broadband services nationwide, currently provides broadband, TV over IP and VoIP services to 400 new apartments in the Smithfield area in Dublin and have signed contracts to provide similar triple play services to almost 20,000 new homes, according to Smart's chief operating officer, Ciaran Casey.
NTL too are getting in on the triple play act. The firm currently offers broadband and digital TV services to customers and will be "shortly engaging in a digital voice telephony trial," Anna-Maria Barry, spokeswoman for NTL, revealed to ElectricNews.Net.
Although the SupportSoft survey reveals a high level of interest in receiving voice, television and broadband services from one company, respondents said that their current broadband service can play a key role in determining whether or not they will decide to add more services from the same provider.
"In today's competitive environment, forward-looking digital service providers understand that meeting the high expectations their customers have for service excellence and creating satisfied broadband subscribers today is an essential step in their strategies to introduce triple play services," said James Morehead, senior director of product management with SupportSoft.
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