Microsoft, Alcatel Join Forces on IPTV

French company Alcatel and Microsoft have announced the details of a partnership for IPTV or Internet Protocol Television. Alcatel will use Microsoft TV IPTV Edition to deliver content over broadband networks and use Microsoft's technology in its hardware. Both companies hope that the agreement will help to accelerate growth in IPTV services.

"By aligning the efforts of both companies, we can provide a complete solution...and significantly raise the bar for consumer services in the home," said Moshe Lichtman, corporate vice president of the Microsoft TV Division. Microsoft has already signed agreements with other companies, including SBC Communications, BellSouth and Telecom Italia.