Fiber-optic networking becoming key in IPTV market
Optical network connections are proving essential to the ongoing expansion of the IPTV industry.
By Donna DonnawitzMay 7, 2012
IPTV is rising quickly in response to consumer demand for video on smartphones, tablets, desktop PCs, internet-connected television sets, set-top boxes and similar devices. To a great extent, this growth has been made possible by the increased bandwidth capabilities of fiber-optic network connections, a recent Global Industry Analysts study found.
According to the news source, the global market for IPTV will rise to approximately $81.2 billion by 2017, largely because of the increase in high-bandwidth network penetration.
Currently, the United States is the largest market for IPTV services, as the broad penetration of high-performance networks in the country has helped fuel significant adoption of IPTV services. While the United States is seeing the greatest IPTV adoption, the Asia-Pacific region is experiencing the fastest expansion. Adoption in the region is rising quickly, with the market increasing by a compound annual growth rate of more than 59 percent between now and 2017.
IPTV services are heavily dependent on fiber-optic cable connectivity. Every device type that contributes to IPTV benefits from optical networking and the amount of bandwidth required to support video content delivery makes fiber-optic infrastructure necessary.
For example, mobile devices are emerging as a key area for IPTV growth, as users are able to watch video on their smartphones and tablets through mobile and Wi-Fi networks in almost any location. However, this puts a significant burden on LTE and WLAN infrastructure. The solution to improving performance in these areas is often to improve the backhaul network. Typically, end-user WLAN and mobile connection options offer enough bandwidth to each individual, but the network gets clogged meeting the requests of all of the people trying to watch video and view other content simultaneously. The stress is on the backhaul network that supports individual users. As a result, investment in fiber-optic infrastructure on the part of service providers is critical.
When it comes to home networks, the issue is entirely different. The service provider backhaul infrastructure can typically handle video content, but the network connection going into each neighborhood and then out to homes is usually a problem area, especially since so many consumers are using multiple connected devices at the same time, the copper cables going into neighborhoods and homes are quickly overwhelmed. As a result, fiber-to-the-home networks are also emerging as key solutions in supporting IPTV growth.
Essentially, IPTV runs best on an optical connection, and the rapid rise of IPTV services during the next few years will likely be accompanied by significant optical investments during the period.
Perle has an extensive range of Managed and Unmanaged Fiber Media Converters to extended copper-based Ethernet equipment over a fiber optic link, multimode to multimode and multimode to single mode fiber up to 160km.
According to the news source, the global market for IPTV will rise to approximately $81.2 billion by 2017, largely because of the increase in high-bandwidth network penetration.
Currently, the United States is the largest market for IPTV services, as the broad penetration of high-performance networks in the country has helped fuel significant adoption of IPTV services. While the United States is seeing the greatest IPTV adoption, the Asia-Pacific region is experiencing the fastest expansion. Adoption in the region is rising quickly, with the market increasing by a compound annual growth rate of more than 59 percent between now and 2017.
IPTV services are heavily dependent on fiber-optic cable connectivity. Every device type that contributes to IPTV benefits from optical networking and the amount of bandwidth required to support video content delivery makes fiber-optic infrastructure necessary.
For example, mobile devices are emerging as a key area for IPTV growth, as users are able to watch video on their smartphones and tablets through mobile and Wi-Fi networks in almost any location. However, this puts a significant burden on LTE and WLAN infrastructure. The solution to improving performance in these areas is often to improve the backhaul network. Typically, end-user WLAN and mobile connection options offer enough bandwidth to each individual, but the network gets clogged meeting the requests of all of the people trying to watch video and view other content simultaneously. The stress is on the backhaul network that supports individual users. As a result, investment in fiber-optic infrastructure on the part of service providers is critical.
When it comes to home networks, the issue is entirely different. The service provider backhaul infrastructure can typically handle video content, but the network connection going into each neighborhood and then out to homes is usually a problem area, especially since so many consumers are using multiple connected devices at the same time, the copper cables going into neighborhoods and homes are quickly overwhelmed. As a result, fiber-to-the-home networks are also emerging as key solutions in supporting IPTV growth.
Essentially, IPTV runs best on an optical connection, and the rapid rise of IPTV services during the next few years will likely be accompanied by significant optical investments during the period.
Perle has an extensive range of Managed and Unmanaged Fiber Media Converters to extended copper-based Ethernet equipment over a fiber optic link, multimode to multimode and multimode to single mode fiber up to 160km.
