Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) is rapidly being deployed as a compliment service to existing distribution technologies.

Why IPTV? traces the changes in Internet Protocol Television since the mid-1990s and examines what IPTV means today. The author analyzes what delivery of TV over an IP network means, both in terms of possibilities for new services, and in terms of the impact on the network and how it has to be managed. In addition, Why IPTV? helps you understand how introducing IPTV into the Web 2.0 world will impact the new services. It looks at the current trends in the consumer electronics industry as well as the network industry, and describes how the new technology can enhance and extend the existing business models in the TV industry, particularly in advertising; and also how it creates new possibilities, for instance, through personalization.

Why IPTV? Interactivity, Technologies, Services:

• Provides an accessible introduction to IPTV.

• Covers the technology to build IPTV systems, and shows what lies beyond traditional business models and existing distribution technologies.

• Considers how IPTV technologies can exploit and change the current trends in consumer electronics and network industry.

• Explores how the merging of Web 2.0 and IPTV will open new opportunities for services.

• Addresses hot topics such as IPTV Interaction and Channel Switching, Networking and Streaming with Information Management Systems, Advertising and Personalization of IPTV.

Why IPTV? will provide engineers in networking, TV broadcast companies, technology specialists in content creation companies and people in the IPTV industry (including management) with an engaging and insightful reference into Internet Protocol Television.