IPTV Takes a Blow

12:20 PM -- SES Americom is pulling the plug on IP-Prime, its North American telco-focused IPTV product. While the news is sobering, it's not terribly surprising. SES had been talking positively about IP-Prime recently, but the reality of the marketplace must have proven otherwise.

The truth of the matter is IPTV is difficult -- especially for the smaller telcos that SES was targeting with its solution. It's a marketplace that requires hand holding -- and a lot of it. That's not SES's strength.

SES is a satellite company, not an IPTV systems integration whiz. The reality of its core competency just hit home. It's not the greatest of news for the overall telco TV community. There's sure to be some fallout, with prospective telco TV operators approaching the market with even more caution now.

Hopefully, IP-Prime's competitors can fill the void and reassure all players that IPTV solutions are available and ready to roll.

— Bernardin Arnason, Managing Partner, Pivot Group , and Chairman, TelcoTV 2008