In English

OpenChoice- an open Broadband TV concept 

The driving force behind Open Networks is to give the end user more choice between different service providers and for the service provider an opportunity to reach more end users independent of chosen access provider. Unfortunately also in Open Networks the TV service has continued to be a vertical integrated service where the TV operator has his own channel packaging, his own platform, his individual encryption system and operator locked Set top boxes.

To open up the broadband TV market in Sweden an association between the big public and private property owners, the tenant's organisation and the Swedish city networks association asked the research institute Acreo in Stockholm to come up with an open TV concept that could be implemented by some modifications in existing TV supplier's equipment.

The fundamental principles are

The Set top boxes used should be independent of chosen TV operator but verified as an OpenChoice Set top box The platform shall have a standardised OpenChoice 3:rd part API interface for TV based services At least two suppliers of TV channels The switching from one service to another should not take more than around 2 seconds

OpenChoice means that the end user can choose between different TV operators without replacing his box and that the designer of TV based services can use the simple API to reach the market independent of operator platform just it is OpenChoice. That will simplify for SME to reach the TV market and open it up for interactive local services, property services and healthcare services using the TV as a broadband terminal.