CAMBRIDGE, Massachusetts, October 29 /PRNewswire/ -- By 2014, 50 percent of households in France will subscribe to a triple-play offer as operators invest in FTTH to stay competitive, according to the latest report from Pyramid Research, the telecom research arm of the Light Reading Communications Network.

France: Multiplay Success Drives FTTH Interest offers a precise, incisive profile of the country's converged telecommunications, media, and technology sectors based on proprietary data from our research in the French market. This 30-page report provides detailed competitive analysis of both the fixed and mobile sectors, tracks the market shares of technologies and services, and monitors the introduction and spread of new technologies, such as WiMax, IPTV, and VoIP. It provides a comprehensive view of the French communications market by analyzing key trends, evaluating near-term opportunities, and assessing upcoming risks factors. Download an excerpt of this report: http://www.pyr.com/downloads.htm?id=18sc=PR102909_CIRFRANCE

Pyramid forecasts that 30 percent of households in France will subscribe to a triple-play offer by the end of 2009, a number we expect to increase to almost 50 percent by 2014, says Jan ten Sythoff, EMEA Manager at Pyramid Research and author of the report. Pyramid expects quad-play adoption to gradually increase to make up 3 percent of households by 2014, he adds.

Fixed-mobile convergence will become an increasingly important competitive focus over the next couple of years. On the fixed side, investments into fiber will be key to maintaining a strong position in the fixed broadband sector; the development of FTTH is a key issue, and ARCEP, the regulator, is promoting cooperation in order to drive FTTH coverage, Sythoff, says. On the mobile side, competition will increase with the launch of the fourth network, as well as increasing numbers of MVNOs.

Pay-TV competition has intensified with the entry of DSL and fiber operators, as content offers and packages are a key differentiator in triple-play bundles. Orange has also started selling satellite TV as part of its triple-play packages, in order to provide nationwide TV coverage, not possible through its DSL network, Sythoff explains. Cable operator Numericable is investing in fiber technology, and we therefore expect cable subscriptions to decline.

France: Multiplay Success Drives FTTH Interest is part of Pyramid Research's Western Europe Country Intelligence Report Series. Pyramid Research's premium Country Intelligence Reports are the industry's best available analysis on market trends, regulatory environments, and competitive dynamics for 60 countries worldwide. It can be purchased online here: http://www.pyramidresearch.com/store/CIRFRANCE.htm?sc=PR102909_CIRFRANCE or through Amalia Vega via email at avega@pyr.com or telephone at +1-809-330-4520. For more information about Pyramid Research's products and services, please visit www.pyr.com or contact us at info@pyr.com.

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About Pyramid Research

Pyramid Research (www.pyr.com) offers practical solutions to the complex demands our clients face in the telecommunications, media and technology industries. Our analysis is uniquely positioned at the intersection of emerging markets, emerging technologies and emerging business models, powered by the bottom-up methodology of our market forecasts for over 100 countries-a distinction that has remained unmatched for more than 25 years. As the telecom research arm of the Light Reading Communications Network, Pyramid Research works with Heavy Reading, providing the communications industry's most comprehensive market data, trusted research and insightful technology analysis.

About Light Reading

Founded in 2000, Light Reading (www.lightreading.com) is the leading online media, research, and focused event company serving the US$3 trillion worldwide communications market. Lightreading.com is the ultimate source for technology and financial analysis of the communications industry, leading the media sector in terms of traffic, content, and reputation. Light Reading's research arms, Heavy Reading and Pyramid Research, provide the most comprehensive communications research, market data, and technology analysis in close to 100 markets around the world. Light Reading produces nearly 20 targeted communications events including TelcoTV, Ethernet Expo New York and Ethernet Expo London, The Tower Summit @ CTIA, and Optical Expo, as well as focused one-day events tailored for cable, mobile, and wireline executives. Light Reading was acquired by United Business Media in August 2005 and operates as a unit of TechWeb.

About TechWeb

TechWeb (http://techweb.com/aboutus), the global leader in business technology media, is an innovative business focused on serving the needs of technology decision-makers and marketers worldwide. TechWeb produces the most respected and consumed media brands in the business technology market. Today, more than 13.3 million* business technology professionals actively engage in our communities created around our global face-to-face events, Interop, Web 2.0, Black Hat, and VoiceCon; online resources such as the TechWeb Network, Light Reading, Intelligent Enterprise, InformationWeek.com, bMighty.com, and The Financial Technology Network; and the market leading, award-winning InformationWeek, TechNet Magazine, MSDN Magazine, and Wall Street Technology magazines. TechWeb also provides end-to-end services including next-generation performance marketing, integrated media, research, and analyst services. TechWeb is a division of United Business Media, a global provider of news distribution and specialist information services with a market capitalization of more than US$2.5 billion.

*13.3 million business decision-makers: based on number of monthly connections

About United Business Media Limited

UBM (UBM.L) focuses on two principal activities: worldwide information distribution, targeting and monitoring; and, the development and monetization of B2B communities and markets. UBM's businesses inform markets and serve professional commercial communities - from doctors to game developers, from journalists to jewelry traders, from farmers to pharmacists - with integrated events, online, print and business information products. Our 6,500 staff in more than 30 countries are organized into specialist teams that serve these communities, bringing buyers and sellers together, helping them to do business and their markets to work effectively and efficiently. For more information, go to http://www.unitedbusinessmedia.com.

Press contact: Jennifer Baker +1-617-871-1910 jbaker@pyr.com

SOURCE: Pyramid Research

CONTACT: Jennifer Baker, +1-617-871-1910, jbaker@pyr.com