This year Ukrainian-based communication operators have actively started to launch the new service - IPTV as an additional service to high-speed Internet access. It was reported that since September Odessa ISP ‘Tenet’ launch IPTV on a commercial basis. The IPTV project from the ‘Kyivstar’ is soon coming. The latter is now negotiating with the television channels.
’Tenet’ is one of the five largest providers of high-speed broadband Internet access and serves approximately 35.5 thousand customers. In ‘Tenet’ reported that most of the subscriber base is a potential user of IPTV. In addition, the operator said that many customers have already tested a free service for almost a year. Since the fall the number of channels, which would be determined by the tariff plan on using the Internet, will be available to customers. If the user wants to increase the number of channels, he will have to move to a “speed” package. “Those who have bought additional set top boxes, will be able to watch IPTV on a large screen”, - noted in the ‘Tenet’, adding that it is possible to get HD-channels.
Earlier the ISP ‘Freenet’ (24.5 thousand subscribers) announced launch of IPTV services in Kiev on the commercial basis. Also, this operator has recently announced the launch in test mode TV in Zhitomir. In the capital, the company offers about 50 channels at the cost of 9.9 UAH (additional to the price of a standard package). The price is significantly different from that which now is offered by Odessa ‘Comstar’ (pioneer of the market, launched commercial TV in the previous year), which offers 70 channels for additional 60 UAH.
Several major players have launched IPTV service on a trial basis. ‘Ukrtelecom’ (about 700 thousand broadband Internet users), launched television service ‘U. TV’ in Kiev, Kiev, Vinnitsa and Zaporizhia regions.
‘Golden Telecom’ (incorporated in ‘Beeline’, 54 thousand broadband users), is running a trial TV services in Kiev. Both companies intend to provide the services in all regions of Ukraine.
There are more telecommunication companies who are going to provide IPTV. This year, the National Television and Radio Broadcasting Council of Ukraine has decided to issue a number of regional licenses to another large fixed operator ‘Velton.Telecom’.
IPTV, including HDTV, are actively developing by the smaller broadband operators, for example, ‘Ukrainian multiservice network’ (TM ‘TELEHAUS’), ‘Cosmonova’, ‘KOLO.TV’
and others.
At the same time, the largest alternative fixed operator, the telecommunications group ‘Vega’, notes that the IPTV service is a question of the future, medium-and long-term outlook.
“Today, its mass distribution is constrained by the high cost of equipment for the end user. Therefore, we are looking for affordable solutions that will allow to provide IPTV service to subscribers in the price range, comparable to the cost of cable TV services”, - noted Dmitry Melchenko ‘Vega’ Product Manager.
Recently, the interest in IPTV was shown by the country's largest operator ‘Kyivstar’.
“We plan to develop not only the Internet access services, but IP-telephony, and TV services. We are going to get a license for this type of service. Today it is our priorities”, - Gennadiy Litovchenko, the President of ‘Kyivstar’ pointed out. Such a statement sounds quite relevant taking into account that «Kyivstar» began to develop FTTB in some regions.
