ABI Research released a new report today claiming that by 2013 IPTV will have 90 million subscribers. The report says that in 2007 IPTV had only 13.5 million subscribers worldwide. The relatively low numbers of subscribers to IPTV services was blamed on the small number of smaller operators in America and Canada that offered IPTV service.

Verizon and AT&T did begin to install new fiber systems in 2007 that are required to provide IPTV services it consumers. The two companies currently only offer IPTV services in some of their larger markets.

"The IPTV market as a whole is poised for strong growth," says senior analyst Cesar Bachelet, "but clearly it will be stronger in some areas than in others. ABI Research anticipates particularly substantial growth in North America and most emerging markets." Many Americans are looking forward to more competition to local cable companies and satellite systems; we just need to have the option of IPTV. The big telecommunication companies that serve the majority of consumers in America need to step up the installation and roll the service out broadly.

Via ABI Research