THANKS to its replay function that enables users to watch programs that aired within the past 48 hours, applications for IPTV, or Internet Protocol Television, are booming in Shanghai ahead of the Beijing Olympic Games.

China Telecom, the country's largest IPTV operator, has received about 3,000 IPTV applications every day, the most in its history, the Shanghai Morning Post reported.

According to officials of the IPTV project at Shanghai Telecom, the number of IPTV users in Shanghai has reached 510,000 and is expected to hit 800,000 by the end of this year.

Officials of BestTV, the IPTV unit of Shanghai Media Group, said they would promote a new service during the Olympics that enable viewers to watch different sporting events on different windows on one screen.

At present IPTV operators provide two HDTV programs produced by Shanghai Media Group and China Central Television Station and more than 20,000 local users are enjoying the service.

`` To receive HDTV channels, broadband Internet users should meet specific conditions. So far about 300,000 Shanghai broadband Internet users are qualified to apply for the service,'' Feng Yaozhou, an official with Shanghai Telecom, told the newspaper.

The installation of IPTV wires can sometimes damage the interior decoration of people's homes, the report said.

Source:shanghaidaily