Advanced Television

Open IPTV Forum, HbbTV Association merge

June 17, 2014

Trade bodies the Open IPTV Forum and the HbbTV Association have merged their future activities into a single organisation within the legal structure of the HbbTV Association.

They say the decision is based on the recognition that the markets of OTT, HBB, and IPTV are coming closer together, and barriers between the models are becoming smaller. With the initiative, both the Open IPTV Forum and the HbbTV Association have chosen to react proactively and in a timely manner to these market trends.

With the recognition that there is a significant overlap between their activities and membership, as well as complementary work which could enhance both, the members of the Open IPTV Forum and the HbbTV Association have approved the plan to integrate OIPF’s future activities into the HbbTV organisation.

The pair say there is a strong desire to continue to build on both organisations’ strengths through a merging of their activities in order to better serve the interests of all the stakeholders as well as the consumers in the markets that each organization currently serves. Both organisations’ members agree that the fastest and most efficient way to continue this partnership will be through the legal structure of the HbbTV Association.

Nilo Mitra, president of the Open IPTV Forum, said the single organisation that had been created would ensure that the common platform based on the OIPF browser and used by HbbTV will evolve in a compatible way to serve all three types of service delivery models covered by both sets of members – over-the-top, hybrid broadcast/broadband and IPTV.

Klaus Illgner, chairman of the HbbTV Steering Group, said the sector was looking towards a converging future requiring it to adjust industry standards to changing market demands. “By merging with the Open IPTV Forum, we’re continuing to take steps to remain at the forefront of trends in the TV industry. We are excited by this opportunity and welcome the new members from OIPF who will work with us to define the next wave of TV standards. The OIPF has been an industry leader in defining the IPTV evolution and we are excited to harness their expertise, insights and specifications into future HbbTV initiatives,” he declared.

Categories: Articles, HbbTV, IPTV, OTT, OTT, Regulation, Standards