This session will focus on the lessons being learned and the progress being made by equipment and service providers partnering to provide enhanced IPTV services to customers throughout Asia.

Specific topics to be discussed include recent advances in TV delivery, computer networking technologies, and digital content creation; new tools for delivering competitive, multi-channel pay-TV services to customer TV sets, including video on demand, linear broadcasting, DVR, and network DVR. The key to IPTV success in this region is entertainment industry-accepted content development and delivery methods and DRM technologies to protect this content. The panel will explore the improvements in technology and/or pricing made in encoders, STB, and network equipment to make deploying IPTV services easier. Among other topics to be included are the following:

• What advanced technologies and solutions are current IPTV services based on, such as in the areas of encoders, STB, and network equipment?
• How do current IPTV services differ from the first wave of IPTV services deployed by other IPTV pioneer operators (i.e., advanced codec such as H.264/VC1 vs. MPEG2; system-on-chip-based STB against conventional STB; conditional access with embedded digital rights management versus CA only)?
• How does the IPTV platform enable broader distribution of content and tools for content producers (Windows Media DRM, etc.)?
• What is the best content strategy for different markets and how do I build a partner ecosystem to deliver IPTV?
• How do I work with content owners and assure them that their content will be protected?

Hemang Mehta
Group Product Manager
Microsoft TV

Mr. Mehta focuses on software solutions designed to enable telecommunications and cable companies to deliver audio and video services to consumers using their IP networks. In this role, Mr. Mehta drives the overall strategy and vision for Microsoft TV's IPTV products and is responsible for the group defining product positioning, packaging, pricing, research, and product rollout plans. He works closely with customers and partners to ensure that the Microsoft TV solution provides superior value and enables a profitable business.

Pankaj Gupta, Senior Manager, Service-Provider Marketing, Cisco Systems

M.T. Louie, Senior Vice President, Research and Development, Cascade Ltd., leads a team of professional engineers in the development of network technologies, applications for new telecom and ISP/ICP services, network architecture covering the areas of broadband core and access, ISP platform and services, content delivery network and applications, interactive television services, transmission systems, and network maintenance and support systems. He is director for the development and deployment of key projects.

Tim Sheppard, IPTV Business Development Director, EMEA and APAC, TANDBERG Television, has been a driving force behind TANDBERG Television's pioneering development of advanced encoding platforms, which today include the company's SD and HD Intelligent Compression Engine (ICE) platform for MPEG-4 AVC and SMPTE VC-1. With business development responsibility for the company's IPTV business segment in EMEA and APAC, Mr. Sheppard works together with the sales teams in the two regions and with key technology partners to develop long-term strategy and shorter-term tactics.

Craig Zimbulis, President and Chief Operating Officer, ANYTIME Pte. Ltd., possesses both depth of knowledge of the entertainment industry and breadth of experience covering business development, sales, marketing, and strategic planning. His key task is to lead his team in taking ANYTIME to the world's largest consumer base. Mr. Zimbulis aims to achieve this by providing millions of homes in the Asia-Pacific with access to the largest and most impressive line-up of Hollywood and local content.