The Australian IPTV market is lagging behind other developed countries, according to a report from the Australian Communications and Media Authority.
The report into internet video services said: “The Australian market for internet protocol television (IPTV) and internet video is less developed than many other international markets.”
It continued that there are “fewer than five IPTV providers and fifteen internet video providers offering full-length professional content directly to consumers”.
ACMA’s report, “IPTV and internet video services in Australia”, found that the main cause of Australia’s lagging behind internationally in internet video are the well-documented problems with the broadband infrastructure and the cost of broadband.
“The existing broadband market in Australia is seen as the prime barrier to IPTV and internet video deployment, particularly bandwidth, backhaul and capped broadband plans,”ACMA reported.
Capped plans used by Australian ISPs was also blamed: “A barrier for internet video frequently discussed in interviews was the prevalence of capped plans and the price of downloads in the broadband access market.”
However, interviewees were confident that IPTV and internet video will become more common in Australia in the future, with estimates ranged from 18 months to three years.
Various content providers, content aggregators, ISPs and telecoms providers are experimenting with internet video websites it said, such as Channel Nine which recently put four episodes of its drama Canal Road online before it premiered on TV.
The report also said telcos were more interested in IPTV to retain customers, while content providers are more interested in the revenues it can provide.
