The future of the set-top box

Publication Date	October 2007
Publisher	Ovum
Product Type	Report
Pages	24
ISBN Number	not applicable
Product Code	OVM00388

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Summary

The growth of bandwidth and broadband content services is driving functionality and indeed the prominence of the set-top box (STB) in the living room. ISPs are increasingly seeing their role in the connected home as a firm and growing part of their overall strategy. Without a foothold in the home ISPs could be thrown to the wayside, as they increasingly compete with the content and consumer electronics (CE) vendor brands that are also rapidly pursuing the space.

This report looks into the current STB strategy of service providers, and how the evolution of the STB and key connected home players could impact this strategy. For this piece Ovum interviewed various operators and STB manufacturers, and has drawn upon consumer research Ovum conducted in North America.

Content

Ovum view
The move to sophisticated boxes
Analogue to digital
Flexible high-quality TV & video
STB as an island or a hub
Feature differentiation
Barriers to innovation by ISPs
Cost/revenue potential
Reactive versus proactive strategy
Technical issues
Consumer understanding
Brand
Competitive landscape
ISPs: strengths and weaknesses
Strengths
Weaknesses
Partnering
STB strategies for service providers
Case studies
Case study: Sky
Case study: Sony PS3 and Korea Telecom
Table of figures
- Figure 1 STB specifications - operators and output
- Figure 2 STB specifications - TV and video services
- Figure 3 STB specifications - connectivity
- Figure 4 STB specifications - other services and additional features
- Figure 5 ISPs' device strategy
- Figure 6 Actual device evolution
- Figure 7 Best practice STB strategy for service providers
- Figure 8 Sky's device evolution