Italian authorities target Xtream Codes IPTV
When you see IPTV in the news, it’s normally because a seller of illegal services has been reprimanded, or that an establishment has been caught showing illegal streams as they look to avoid the charges required for licenced services. Today, however, there has been an interesting development as Italian authorities have claimed to have disrupted the infrastructure of Xtream Codes IPTV. Probably some of the biggest tech news we’ve covered in this area since we broke the story about the collapse of Terrarium TV.
Why this is interesting though is because Xtream Codes IPTV is not a provider of IPTV in itself, it is a Seller System, a software used by providers to store and manage their streams and customer base. This is very unusual as normally authorities look to tackle the providers directly, as they’re the ones that are usually deemed to be breaking the law.
Xtream Codes IPTV is essentially just offering a database system, and so technically because they are not personally selling or handling IPTV subscriptions, wouldn’t normally be involved with authorities when these busts usually happen. It’s kind of like how Kodi is used to run many IPTV services or video services that aim to deliver the latest movies and TV Box Sets.
It’s not Kodi themselves doing the illegal stuff, they just provide software and maintain it, it’s the people using it that abuse the open-source features that allow people to create their own applications showing whatever content they wish.
Italian authorities suggest they have seized the system, for which Xtream Codes IPTV reported recently that they have approximately 5,000 clients that service in excess of 50,000,000 end clients. That’s a lot of people that could be affected by this move.
However, the Italian authorities reports suggest they have allegedly prevented 700,000 users from accessing the platform, although this may just be in Italy alone. But what is worrying for sellers of IPTV and its users is that the authorities say they’re not the only ones looking at this and there are other operations in progress across Europe, potentially causing the biggest interruption of IPTV services we’ve ever seen.
Reports have been coming in that some IPTV providers are having issues with their services, whilst some just stae they are no longer taking any new members on until new systems are in place.
And that’s the problem the authorities face, there are other systems out there, it’s just that Xtream Codes IPTV was probably the biggest, which is impressive in itself. But, many of these services have backup plans in place in case of events like this. Because, like many activities that are criminalised, people always find a way around the law. It’s like the mythical Hydra, you cut off one head, two more grow back in its place.
Will this be the end of IPTV? It’s unlikely, but it is definitely a huge blow to many providers. And the question remains, what details have the authorities managed to get hold of, and what will the follow-up actions be? Only time will tell.
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