Israel Broadband Company (IBC) has asked the Ministry of Communications for a license to test Idan+ direct terrestrial television (DTT) over its planned fiber optic network. While this would be a first test of the technology, the long-term objective is to become an Internet services provider (ISP) offering a better IPTV service.
The idea of transmitting Idan+ over fiber optics is intended to improve IBC's worthwhileness for ISPs and customers. One of the main advantages that the venture will highlight is fiber optic's high-speed Internet access for customers. The high quality and symmetrical upload and download speeds for data communications will be highlighted in IBC's unveiling in a few weeks.
IBC's new website, which went on air this month, is only in English. The Hebrew version will come out in a few days.
IBC is a joint venture of Israel Electric Corporation (IEC) (TASE: ELEC.B22) and a consortium of Israeli and foreign companies led by Sweden's ViaEuropa. It is deploying fiber optics over IEC's grid. IBC says that is has 750 communications nodes (POPs) nationwide, with no home in Israel more than ten kilometers from a node.
IBC is one of Israel's most ambitious telecommunications projects, and as is the nature of such national projects, it involves high risk, but its rewards are already apparent, even before it has gone online: Bezeq Israeli Telecommunication Co. Ltd. (TASE: BEZQ) and Hot Telecommunication Systems Ltd. (TASE: HOT.B1) have increased their investment in fiber optics to prepare for competition from IBC, and whole cities have already deployed fiber optics to the home to be ready for it.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on April 27, 2014
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