The two companies said they will aim to develop an integrated Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) delivery platform that builds upon Alcatel’s Triple Play technology and Microsoft’s TV software to help expand the ecosystem of IPTV industry partners and enable telecommunication providers to take advantage of global economies of scale fuelled by large-scale IPTV deployments planned across the globe.
It is thought that the Alcatel/Microsoft integrated program will allow IPTV service providers to reduce deployment costs and shorten time-to-market for IPTV services as they transition to mass-market deployments of IPTV.
As part of the agreement, the two companies intend to offer on-demand video streaming applications, interactive TV, video and voice communications, photo, music and home video sharing and online gaming to consumers through their multimedia-connected home networks.
The initiatives that are being planned include developing and customizing new applications to meet the needs of different markets, enhancing application and network resilience and integrating content, security and digital rights management to ensure secure delivery of high-quality content.
Steve Ballmer, Microsoft’s CEO, commented: Together, Alcatel and Microsoft will usher in a new generation of exciting entertainment, information and communication services, enabled by the marriage of powerful broadband networks and advanced software.
