Heavy Reading Research Reveals Pay TV Bundling Strategies Are Paying Off for Telcos

IRVINE, California -

- New Survey Data to be Unveiled at TelcoTV 2009

TelcoTV09, the premier meeting place for the convergence of the entertainment and communications markets, announced today that Heavy Reading (www.heavyreading.com), the leading independent service provider (ISP) market research organization, has discovered new revelations about consumer attitudes toward telco TV in its soon-to-be unveiled 2009 survey, “Making TV Pay: The Telco Challenge.” The new consumer survey, which looks at service provider preferences, satisfaction levels, and churn drivers will be presented by Heavy Reading Research analyst, Aditya Kishore at TelcoTV09) on Wednesday, Nov. 11, at noon EST in Room N220G at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla.

(Logo: www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20091029/NY01637LOGO )

While many trends identified last year are reinforced by this year’s survey, one of most notable differences is that service bundling is becoming a real competitive advantage for telcos.

“Service bundling has long been an inherent capability of telcos, and it appears that effective marketing strategies, combined with pricing, improved customer service, and faster and more reliable service is really becoming the boon telcos need to stay competitive,” says Kishore.

Another highlight of the 2009 survey is consumer adoption of over-the-top video, with insight into its market disruption potential.

The new study also analyzes changes in consumers’ thinking, helping companies across the IPTV value chain identify current market trends and consumer attitudes enabling more targeted, cost-effective marketing programs and service offerings.

As with last year’s study, the new research emphasizes consumer perceptions of telco TV service providers and their newest consumer video services offerings. Video service providers can glean insights into the services required to gain new subscribers and keep existing ones in the increasingly competitive market and sluggish economy. As the nation continues to face poor economic conditions, Kishore’s presentation of study findings will show how these conditions affect the pay TV business. In addition, the study covers the following key issues:

– Current pay TV subscriptions, length of tenure, and selected providers (cable, satellite, telco) — Primary decision drivers for selecting current pay TV providers — Churn drivers and reasons for leaving previous providers — Satisfaction levels with current services across various criteria such as price, channel choices, dependability, and customer care — Interest in advanced services such as DVR, VoD, interactive TV, and HDTV — Multiservice bundling, plans to change providers, and likelihood of selecting a telco for TV service — Internet video preferences

TelcoTV provides a comprehensive overview of the changing telecom video landscape, with presentations delivering meaningful insight into, and analysis of, the evolving world of entertainment convergence, plus more than 100 exhibitors showcasing the latest solutions and products for the IPTV and video markets. It is a joint production of Techweb and NTCA. This year’s event will be held November 10-12, 2009 at the Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, Fla. For further details visit: www.TelcoTVonline.com.

About Light Reading

Founded in 2000, Light Reading (www.lightreading.com) is the leading online media, research, and focused event company serving the US$3 trillion worldwide communications market. Lightreading.com is the ultimate source for technology and financial analysis of the communications industry, leading the media sector in terms of traffic, content, and reputation.

Light Reading’s research arms, Heavy Reading and Pyramid Research, provide the most comprehensive communications research, market data, and technology analysis in close to 100 markets around the world. Light Reading produces almost 20 targeted communications events including TelcoTV, Ethernet Expo New York and Ethernet Expo London, The Tower Summit@CTIA, and Optical Expo, as well as focused one-day events tailored for cable, mobile, and wireline executives. Light Reading was acquired by United Business Media in August 2005, and operates as a unit of TechWeb.

About TechWeb

TechWeb (www.techweb.com/aboutus) the global leader in business technology media, is an innovative business focused on serving the needs of technology decision-makers and marketers worldwide. TechWeb produces the most respected and consumed media brands in the business technology market. Today, more than 13.3 million* business technology professionals actively engage in our communities created around our global face-to-face events Interop, Web 2.0, Black Hat, and VoiceCon; online resources such as the TechWeb Network, Light Reading, Intelligent Enterprise, InformationWeek.com, bMighty.com, and The Financial Technology Network; and the market leading, award-winning InformationWeek, TechNet Magazine, MSDN Magazine, Wall Street & Technology magazines. TechWeb also provides end-to-end services ranging from next-generation performance marketing, integrated media, research, and analyst services. TechWeb is a division of United Business Media, a global provider of news distribution and specialist information services with a market capitalization of more than US$2.5 billion.

*13.3 million business decision-makers: based on number of monthly connections

About United Business Media Limited (www.unitedbusinessmedia.com)

United Business Media Limited (UBM) is a global media and marketing services company that informs markets and brings the world’s buyers and sellers together at events, online, in print, and with the information they need to do business successfully. UBM serves professional and commercial communities, from IT professionals to doctors, from journalists to jewelry dealers, from farmers to pharmacists around the world. UBM employs more than 6,500 people in more than 30 countries. UBM’s businesses operating in the US include CMPMedica, Commonwealth Business Media, Everything Channel, PR Newswire, RISI, TechInsights, TechWeb and Think Services. UBM is listed on the London Stock Exchange (UBM.L) and has a market capitalization of US$1.6 billion.

About NTCA

The National Telecommunications Cooperative Association is the premier association representing more than 580 locally owned and managed telecommunications cooperatives and commercial companies throughout rural America. NTCA provides its members with legislative, regulatory, and industry representation; meetings; publications and educational programs; and an array of employee benefit programs. Visit us at www.ntca.org.

CONTACT: Cathi Lane The Zonic Group +1-831-480-2312 +1-818-519-8869 clane@zonicgroup.com

Source: TechWeb

Cathi Lane of The Zonic Group, +1-831-480-2312, or +1-818-519-8869, clane at zonicgroup.com