Rome, January 23rd 2009 – Fastweb, Telecom Italia and Wind, Italy’s leading fixed-network telecommunications providers, have founded the Associazione Italiana degli operatori IPTV (Italian Association of IPTV Providers) in order to foster the use of IPTV in Italy and make an active contribution to the switch-off of analogue TV and the transition to digital technology by the end of 2012.
The new association will promote the development of a regulatory environment that encourages IPTV investment. Moreover, thanks to the creation of a technical board, the association will contribute to the definition of unified technical standards for the delivery of television services.
Furthermore, the IPTV Association will organize communication activities and promote dialogue between authorities, broadcasters, content and service providers on the potential of broadband technology and IP platforms for transmission of audiovisual content.
IPTV, the most advanced form of interactive digital television, is an open platform which allows the distribution of content of all market players in addition to the proprietary content of each IPTV provider and the video on-demand service, over a broadband network.
Once viewers have installed their IPTV decoder, not only will they have access to all free digital terrestrial channels, but they have the possibility to subscribe to all the pay-TV offers available on the Italian market without having to change their decoder or install a satellite dish antenna.
Giovanni Moglia, Chairman of the new Association, said “Technologically speaking, IPTV is the most advanced television platform. We believe that this new association, which brings together all the Italian IPTV providers, will foster the use of the platform and the growth of broadband in Italy.”
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For more information:
FASTWEB Press Office
Marina Gillespie
T: +39 02 4545 2465
marina.gillespie@fastweb.it
Anna Lo Iacono
T: +39 02 4545 3229
anna.loiacono@fastweb.it
Telecom Italia
Media Relations – Market
+39 06 36882610
www.telecomitalia.it/media
WIND Press Office
Valentina De Angelis
T: +39 06 83114603
valentina.deangelis@mail.wind.it