The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has announced the first set of global standards for Internet Protocol TV. The standards were announced following the seventh and final meeting of ITU's Focus Group on IPTV, and include high-level architecture and frameworks needed to rollout IPTV services. "Standards are crucial for IPTV to reach its market potential and global audience," said Malcom Johnson, director of ITU's telecommunication standardization bureau. "They are necessary in order to give service providers – whether traditional broadcasters, ISPs, cable operators or telecoms service providers – control over their platforms and their offerings. Standards here will encourage innovation, help mask the complexity of services, guarantee quality of service, ensure interoperability and, ultimately, help players remain competitive."

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