IPTV (Internet Protocol Television) is digital television that is broadcast via Internet Protocol via a broadband network connection. This technology allows providers to provide television content in digital format to their subscribers.
History and statistics
First experiments with IPTV in Russia began in the early 2000s. However, the technology became widespread only towards the end of the 2010s thanks to the development of infrastructure and increased availability of high-speed Internet.
According to the analytical company TelecomDaily, at the beginning of 2023, about 7 million Russian subscribers use IPTV services from such large operators as Rostelecom, MTS, Beeline, Megafon and other regional providers. This represents about 13% of the total number of pay TV subscribers in Russia.
Advantages of IPTV
The main advantages of IPTV compared to traditional terrestrial or cable TV are:
- High image quality (Full HD or 4K)
- Interactivity – the ability to control the broadcast using the remote control
- Multi-screen – viewing on TVs, tablets, smartphones
- Advanced functionality – TimeShift, start from the beginning, online archives
- Unlimited access to video on demand (VOD)
Thanks to these advantages, IPTV is today the fastest growing digital television delivery technology in the world.
IPTV providers in Russia
The largest IPTV service provider in Russia is Rostelecom. It accounts for over 70% of the market. The company offers a wide selection of tariff plans for private and corporate clients under the Interactive TV brand. Other significant players include mobile operators (MTS, Megafon, Beeline), which are actively promoting their own solutions for IPTV, as well as regional Internet providers like ER-Telecom, Dom.ru, Akado, Corbina, etc.
Many small companies specialize exclusively in the supply of IPTV solutions for hotels, business centers, fitness clubs and other establishments.
Prospects for the development of IPTV in Russia
Despite the active growth in recent years, IPTV penetration in Russia is still significantly lower than such countries as the USA and Western Europe. Therefore, the technology has great potential for further spread.
The key factors that will stimulate the development of IPTV in the coming years are:
- Increase in fixed Internet speeds (100 Mbit/s and above)
- Increasing availability of 4K TVs and displays
- Introduction of 5G networks
- Upscaling High Definition Content
- Development of technologies for immersive TV
Despite the significant lag behind advanced countries, in the next decade IPTV has every chance of becoming the dominant technology for delivering digital TV content to subscribers in Russia. This will be facilitated by both technological innovation and the active efforts of the largest telecommunications companies to promote their IPTV platforms.
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