A new report by ABI Research (News - Alert) has revealed that cable operators are feeling the pressures of Core Cable Pay-TV competition and the all-digital transition deadline together and they are being distracted by them.

 

Competing offers combined with governing bodies regulations are not enough, operators have to face the available options for upgrading their network bandwidth, and the slow migration to an IP-based network for greater interactivity.

 

"The cable sector has all these and other business transformation initiatives to contend with as they also juggle customer satisfaction, retention, and addressable advertising models that don't invade privacy," said ABI Research Principal Analyst, Robert Clark. "What is also occurring in Europe is a slow but steady consolidation of cable operators. Many predicted that would also hold true in the U.S., but that has not been the case.”

 

ABI Research is a market research firm focused on the impact of emerging technologies on global consumer and business markets. The firm assists its clients by utilizing a blend of market intelligence, primary research, and expert assessment from its team of industry analysts.

 

According to the report, operators are keen on recovering the bandwidth via the analog-to-digital switchover, a process happening in many countries. They are also preferring for a Switched Digital Video, that is expected to ramp up once the switchover is complete, bringing channel-sharing benefits to downstream transmissions.

 

And more importantly, they are trying hard to implement the recommendation of the top-tier suppliers on upgrading to 1 GHz networks.

 

While cable operators are keen on these issues they also are being very selective right now about how and where to invest in their networks and capabilities, while considering network-based and premises equipment-based (centralized and distributed) alternatives.

 

ABI Research's report, "Cable Operators' Service, Network, and Transformation Trends," covers core market and technology issues such as the transition to Digital TV, the shift in consumer TV viewing patterns, operators' responses to consumer demand for time and place-shifting TV, network-bandwidth upgrade options, the launch of new services and advertising, and the challenges of moving beyond TV and the business transformation that requires.

 

It provides subscriber numbers, growth trends, and forecasts for worldwide regions, and offers some cable operator income sheet financials and benchmark metrics. The forecast period is 2007-2013.