Microsoft to provide technology to Deutsche Telekom IP TV

Deutsche Telekom has confirmed that they would be using technologies supplied by software giants Microsoft for their upgraded Internet Protocol network due for launch later this summer.

This has become the largest contract of such kind for Microsoft in the European market. Microsoft’s largest contract for similar technologies is with US based telecom giants AT&T. Microsoft TV’s marketing manager Christine Heckart spoke about this deal: “It is a very large deal for us and brings the overall number of contracts to 13.”

Deutsche Telekom spokesman Mark Nierwetberg added: “We forecast 1 million customers by the end of 2007. The main feature (of the new network) will be television and video services.” Deutsche Telekom would be using services of as many as three companies to upgrade their network to handle these new services.

This includes France’s Alcatel, Germany’s Siemens and Israel’s ECI Telecom who would be working on ensuring that the entire network can deliver the video images without interruption.