China Telecom's chief engineer Wei Leping called on his government to make it easier to launch IPTV services throughout China by the end of 2007. Leping made the statement at the 2007 Global NGN Summit. China Telecom is currently testing IPTV services in Shanghai, Taizhou, Fuzhou, Xiamen, Xi'an and Hanzhong, but more than 95 percent of its 300 local IPTV networks have not been green lighted by the government. Broadcasting companies in the country are worried that IPTV might stunt the growth of their digital TV services, which are the dominant pay TV services in the country right now. China Telecom said it had about 190,000 IPTV subscribers by the end of last year.
For more on China Telecom's IPTV growth:
- see this report from SDA-Asia