OTTAWA – The Open IPTV Forum and the HbbTV Association are amalgamating into a single organization within the legal structure of the HbbTV Association.
The organizations said in a joint statement that the decision is based on the recognition that the markets of OTT, HBB, and IPTV are coming closer together, and that barriers between the models are becoming smaller. With this action, both the Open IPTV Forum and the HbbTV Association have chosen to react proactively and in a timely manner to these market trends.
The merger has been approved by members of the Open IPTV Forum and the HbbTV Association and is effective immediately.
"The single organization we have created will ensure that the common platform based on the OIPF browser and used by HbbTV will evolve in a compatible way to serve all three types of service delivery models covered by both our members – over-the-top, hybrid broadcast/broadband and IPTV", said Nilo Mitra, president of the Open IPTV Forum, in the announcement.
"We're looking towards a converging future requiring us to adjust industry standards to changing market demands”, added Klaus Illgner, chairman of the HbbTV Steering Group. “We are excited by this opportunity and welcome the new members from OIPF who will work with us to define the next wave of TV standards. The OIPF has been an industry leader in defining the IPTV evolution and we are excited to harness their expertise, insights and specifications into future HbbTV initiatives."
