The market potential for interactive video services and the broadband
networks necessary to support these services are of great interest to
both the telecommunications and cable television (CATV) industries. Bo
th industries are involved in intensive evaluations of interactive vid
eo services. The cost to provide and maintain broadband networks is be
ing compared to potential consumer demand and willingness to pay. This
paper presents these issues and describes a market trial being jointl
y conducted by AT&T Network Systems, U.S West, and Tele-Communications
, Inc. (TCI), under the name of Viewer-Controlled Cable Television (VC
TV).