IPTV hits its stride: A growing number of IPTV providers have plans to support TV Everwhere or multiscreen viewing of content across PCs, tablets and smartphones over the next year, Infonetics Research finds. Of the IPTV providers interviewed for its latest report, 63 percent plan to support multiscreen viewing by 2012. And while operators are approaching social networking content cautiously, they are more enthusiastic about targeted or interactive advertising, with more than half planning to offer it by 2012. However, "Although telco operators have led with innovation using IP video, satellite and cable operators are quickly leveraging broadband infrastructure to offer similar services," said Teresa Mastrangelo, directing analyst for video. "It will be important for IPTV operators to watch the competition closely to determine the direction of this market." News release
Smart grid? Or Smart City? By 2016, technologies that support the concept of a Smart City will take hold and feed into a market expected to grow from $8 billion in 2010 to $39 billion in five years, ABI Research says in a new study. "Certain technologies are in use in most Smart City projects and programs. These include communication-based technologies, such as broadband, Wi-Fi, and RFID, while others target improved energy efficiency through the incorporation of smart meters and the smart grid," says Larry Fisher, ABI Research practice director. "Some municipalities decide to utilize elements of Intelligent Transportation Systems and Transportation Information Systems, to maximize transportation efficiency and reduce traffic delays, cutting fuel waste and carbon emissions." He cautions that because project requirements will differ by city, open standards are of "paramount importance" in choosing technology. News release
Egypt moves toward next-gen: Fixed-line voice in Egypt is experiencing the same negative growth as traditional voice around the world, while its mobile market penetration will exceed 100 percent by 2012, Research and Markets reports. However, Internet access is taking off in the country with more than 22 million people online in Dec. 2010, and incumbent Telecom Egypt racked up "impressive growth" in its ADSL subscriber base last year. News release