China’s IPTV market will be tough to crack

From asiatele: China’s IPTV market will be tough to crack

"When China’s second largest fixed line player, China Netcom bought its 20% controlling stake in Hong Kong’s dominant fixed line player PCCW early this year, not many details were given about how the two parties would take their partnership going forward.

The only thing that stood out was their plan to explore China’s IPTV market. This strategy was no surprise to industry observers who agree on two facts: that PCCW’s IPTV marketing model works and that Mainland China has the potential to become the world’s biggest IPTV market.

This doesn’t mean that it’s going to be easy for China Netcom and PCCW to make their fortune in IPTV. Everyone trying to get into China’s IPTV market has to wrestle with numerous issues, ranging from competition between broadcasters and telecommunication operators to content piracy and lack of sensible business models. The biggest hurdle, perhaps, is the lack of regulation to support the fledgling industry."

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