DigitalBattle.com

Earlier this week a customer got their Xbox 360 back from the repair center and discovered some new but incomplete menu options allowing Xbox owners to use their consoles as a television unit. Microsoft has since responded to this with an announcement that we will indeed be able to use this IPTV function in the near future. Many jumped the gun and made the spurious assumption that this new feature would be a part of the Xbox Live fall update. The official word is that these features are part of the greater ‘Microsoft Mediaroom’ which will be made available to service providers by the end of the year. The service providers however are the ones who will determine when you’ll have access to it.

Here’s the official statement:

“Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) features will only be available from the Xbox 360 through a service provider who has deployed Xbox 360 with Microsoft Mediaroom (IPTV) services. This was an isolated incident where these features were inadvertently exposed while the customer’s console was being serviced and is unrelated to the Fall Update. Xbox 360 with Microsoft Mediaroom (IPTV), will be available to service providers by the end of the year. Microsoft’s IPTV service providers will ultimately determine the timing of Xbox 360 with Microsoft Mediaroom deployments.”