CISCO READY

Database News - Wednesday December 19, 2007

CISCO READY

Story by GEOFF LONG

Sales teams from Cisco Systems' service provider group and recent acquisition Scientific Atlanta have joined forces to sell IPTV and video systems in Asia Pacific, according to Peter Papaioannou, operations director, Video and Cable Solutions Group, Cisco. He said the unification of the two teams had started in August and would provide the company better opportunities for tackling the huge potential market in the region.

According to Papaioannou, regulatory changes in many governments are starting to see the adoption of IPTV infrastructure, however he said that the upgrade of cable systems provided the biggest opportunity in Asia Pacific. IPTV and cable operators are two of three broad markets that Cisco will go after, with the third being satellite and broadcast operators upgrading to high definition and MPEG 4 video systems.

Papaioannou predicted that cable operators will over the next few years be upgrading their systems from analogue to digital, with 95 percent of the networks in this region still analogue. Most of the upgrades will be in India and China, but he also noted that markets such as Korea were also making the transition.

"We see market opportunity where there's competition between the cable operator and the telco and we see a real 'flight to quality'," said Paul Sanchirico, senior director of the Cisco Video/IPTV Systems Test & Architecture (C-VISTA) group.

Customers in Asia Pacific include Hanaro in South Korea and India's Reliance, but Cisco said it expects to announce further regional wins next year.

Bangkok Post