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Internet Protocol television
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<p>Internet Protocol television (IPTV), also called TV over broadband, is the service delivery of <a href="/facts/Television/X4YG5nT1">television</a> over <a href="/facts/Internet_Protocol/Qq6VeEal">Internet Protocol</a> (IP) networks. Usually sold and run by a <a href="/facts/Telephone_company/zvrL88NE">telecom provider</a>, it consists of broadcast <a href="/facts/Live_television/Iy66HnIa">live television</a> that is <a href="/facts/Streamed/4rPhSq0Y">streamed</a> over the Internet (<a href="/facts/Multicast/D9IspSfl">multicast</a>) — in contrast to delivery through traditional <a href="/facts/Terrestrial_television/3nTUr9cY">terrestrial</a>, <a href="/facts/Satellite_television/UxytxnPW">satellite</a>, and <a href="/facts/Cable_television/GzXa4pbW">cable</a> transmission formats — as well as <a href="/facts/Video_on_demand/jWQq1o80">video on demand</a> services for watching or replaying content (<a href="/facts/Unicast/PHStTfFe">unicast</a>). </p><p>IPTV broadcasts started gaining usage during the 2000s alongside the rising use of <a href="/facts/Broadband/nEn3A95N">broadband</a>-based internet connections. It is often provided bundled with internet access services by <a href="/facts/ISP/dUacAxef">ISPs</a> to subscribers and runs in a closed network. IPTV normally requires the use of a <a href="/facts/Set-top_box/hAsUsw67">set-top box</a>, which receives the encoded television content in the <a href="/facts/MPEG_transport_stream/2wBLnyeD">MPEG transport stream</a> via <a href="/facts/IP_multicast/YklMRaV5">IP multicast</a>, and converts the <a href="/facts/Data_packet/xCYf8SJu">packets</a> to be watched on a TV set or other kind of display. It is distinct from <a href="/facts/Over-the-top_media_service/pVfcCWfe">over-the-top (OTT)</a> services, which are based on a direct one-to-one transmission mechanism. </p><p>IPTV methods have been standardised by organisations such as <a href="/facts/ETSI/8rJbbhPg">ETSI</a>. IPTV has found success in some regions: for example in Western Europe in 2015, pay IPTV users overtook pay satellite TV users. IPTV is also used for media delivery around corporate and private networks. </p>