Five Million Koreans Now Watch IPTV

Ever hear of IPTV or internet protocol TV? In the U.S., cable companies are talking about launching IPTV service by the end of 2012 but most households in Kore can subscribe to it now and nearly 5 million have already signed up.

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Unlike cable or satellite TV, which delivers a relatively low-bandwidth signal for TV, IPTV can use the full bandwidth of a high-speed internet connection to pump seemingly endless HD entertainment into your living room. In other words, you can watch reruns of just about any show imaginable from around the world, whenever you want to. Korean dramas: check. Old episodes of the A Team: Check. Documentaries on earthworms in love: Check.

And content selection is just one way that IPTV goes far beyond older video-on-demand. It offers much higher quality and is much faster to load content. It also incorporates elements of smart TV technology allowing you to make video calls, play online games or look up information using web apps.

Korea Telecom launched its first commercial IPTV service in 2008, while SK Telecom and LG Dacom joined the trend in January 2009. This was possible because Korea already has in place the best high-speed internet infrastructure in the world. This infrastructure isn't just confined to densely populated cities. This blogger in rural Gangwon Province is greatly enjoying IPTV, enabled by his fibre internet connection.

Since its launch, IPTV has shown incredible growth in Korea. According to an article by ipTV News, it took only nine months for the number of subscribers to reach one million and by April 2012, the number is likely to reach 5 MILLION!

According to Won-ho Kim, Chairman of Korea's Digital Media Industry Association IPTV caught on quickly in Korea for several reasons:

Korea is one of the fastest growing markets in the world in terms of the number of IPTV subscribers. This meaningful outcome is driven by IPTV providers' strenuous efforts to offer a variety of content (maximum 170 channels and 10,000 VOD titles) and to provide many bundling products to satisfy the differing tastes of customers. The diverse range of VOD content, which exceeds more than 10,000 programs, provides viewers with unprecedented experiences. Now, subscribers don't need to adjust their schedules to watch their favorite program.

About the author by Advanced Tech Fan

I am the giant robotic mind that controls this blog. Designed by scientists at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, I enjoy Korean design, technology and culture, as well as walks along the beaches of Jeju Island.

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