Telecom Italia says bienvenuto to Microsoft TV

Microsoft and Telecom Italia unveiled a partnership today under which the carriers will test next-gen video services using the Microsoft TV IP Television software platform. Separately, the software giant also announced that Thomson has rolled out its IP1001 and RCA-brand IP1000 set-top boxes that support the Microsoft TV IPTV platform and that Tandberg Television has completed integration between its EN5920 encoder and the platform.

The announcement, made at the start of the IBC show in Amsterdam, added another top-tier carrier name to Microsoft’s growing roster of telcos experimenting with its software. Last month, Swisscom became the first carrier to deploy Microsoft TV in something more than a lab trial. At Supercomm, the vendor also revealed that SBC and Bell Canada have become early testers.

Ed Graczyk, director of marketing for Microsoft TV, said the company has several other unannounced carrier agreements.

"We have agreements and are in trial with what I would term brand name tier one telcos," he said. "A number of our customers are keeping quiet for competitive reasons."

Telecom Italia, the incumbent national carrier, has its own competitive reasons for stepping out. The carrier is facing significant competition from FastWeb, which is among the world’s most aggressive and successful competitive carriers deploying triple-play services. Telecom Italia already is in trials with the Microsoft TV platform and will be able to rollout a commercial service soon, Graczyk said.