Telecom Lead America: The TV middleware market has stuck
in an uncertain period, due to delay in Cisco’s bid for NDS and Google’s
unclear direction for its recently acquired Motorola Home business unit,
according to ABI Research.
The research study noted that operators are reluctant to
significantly change direction with the current uncertainty, except where they
decide to bring middleware development in-house.
The market has been led by Nagra with 25 percent
worldwide market share in 2011, followed by NDS with 24 percent market share,
Motorola with 19 percent and Cisco with 11 percent in North
America.
The study said that the Cisco-NDS and Google-Motorola
acquisitions, together with the increasing role of traditional IPTV vendors
will pave way for middleware provider to offers an open software platform with
key features, while operators can innovate experiences using common software
techniques.
Middleware companies will follow the system
integrator model, where they look to bring in best of class technologies and
focus on integration rather than innovation.
Cable operators are currently upgrading middleware
platforms to support the migration to IP video within the home – slowly
transitioning away from legacy QAM modulation.
Meanwhile, cable, satellite, and IPTV platform
operators worldwide are investing in multiscreen or TV Everywhere capabilities.
More online-savvy companies, especially
Comcast-owned thePlatform, have been offering solutions, displacing spending
from traditional middleware companies,” said Sam Rosen, practice director, TV
& video at ABI Research.
Cisco to buy NDS for $5 billion, to enhance presence in Indian
telecom and video market
Cisco is acquiring NDS Group, a provider of video software
and content security solutions, for $5 billion.
editor@telecomlead.com