The future of the set-top box

The growth of bandwidth and broadband content services is driving functionality and indeed the prominence of the set-top box (STB) in the living room. ISPs are increasingly seeing their role in the connected home as a firm and growing part of their overall strategy. Without a foothold in the home ISPs could be thrown to the wayside, as they increasingly compete with the content and consumer electronics (CE) vendor brands that are also rapidly pursuing the space.

This report looks into the current STB strategy of service providers, and how the evolution of the STB and key connected home players could impact this strategy. For this piece Ovum interviewed various operators and STB manufacturers, and has drawn upon consumer research Ovum conducted in North America.