noirExtreme

I feel a little less on my own than yesterday as it looks like other people are thinking that real-time video delivery of broadcast content over an IP network (TelcoTV in short) is not the ultimate in video entertainment.

A major new strategic management report warns that broadband video services will eventually displace broadcast distribution, but telecommunications providers may not be the ultimate winners of the network television revolution.

[...] The report, IPTV: Broadband meets broadcast--The network television revolution, concludes:

• Within a decade, video services delivered over broadband networks will be firmly established as an alternative platform to digital satellite, terrestrial and cable transmission.

Broadband Report asks:

In an age where broadband service comes loaded with parental controls, flash-heavy portals, newsgroup access, identity theft-protection and other attempts at hand holding, where are the incumbent ISPs that want to offer the more experienced web user an unapologetically bare broadband connection?

I guess the hope is that a no-frills service will come at a significantly cheaper price. Unfortunately, these worthless items that experienced web users would easily do without have also a very small cost attached to them. These are often cheap things that providers toss on top of the basic service in the hope to make it comparatively more attractive. Therefore removing these items from the bundle will not enable providers to offer significant discounts.

But if bare-bones means that for the same price I can get a service with only the features that matter (uptime, stable bandwidth, no port or service blocking, privacy), I'll sign-up today. I am ready to pay for the best stupid network!