VimpelCom, a leading Russian mobile operator, announced yesterday that they will soon offer Internet Protocol TV on Microsoft’s popular Xbox 360 gaming device in the 23 Russian cities where VimpelCom currently offers IPTV, reports Russian business daily Vedomosti.
VimpelCom’s standard set-top box for IPTV costs roughly 7,990 rubles ($292), only about 2,000 rubles ($73) less than an average Xbox 360.
VimpelCom’s market research shows that 22% of its broadband subscribers would like to receive IPTV through gaming devices, and 8% already have Xbox 360 consoles, said Vimpelcom Marketing Director Anatoly Smorgonsky.
In recent months, Microsoft has rushed to offer IPTV on its Xbox 360 in order to compete with Google TV and Apple TV, the first companies to enter the IPTV market in Russia. Microsoft hopes to expand its Xbox Live network as well as the market for its gaming consoles, said Xbox 360 Marketing Director Anastasia Serebrennik.
