DALLAS, TX--(Marketwired - Dec 12, 2016) - Parks Associates research shows 10-15% of broadband households in the U.K., France, Germany, and Spain would trust their broadband service provider for smart home products or services, roughly the same levels who would trust other channels such as retailers or security dealers. The IoT research firm notes that with this level playing field in consumer trust, telcos have ample opportunity to move consumer opinions and increase market share in the early European smart home market.

Parks Associates and Sigma Designs/Z-Wave will discuss telco business strategies for providing integrated smart home services and high-quality consumer experiences during the complimentary webcast "Winning the European Smart Home Customer - Successful Service Provider Lessons," on Tuesday, December 13, at 3 p.m. CET (8 a.m. CT). Speakers will examine successful smart home strategies in Europe and the Middle East to guide current telco business strategies.

"A number of smart home products are capturing the attention of the public, and telcos must integrate those 'hero' devices into their offerings to capitalize on their popularity," said Erik Overbeeke, European Research Associate, Parks Associates. "Entry of formidable players such as Google, Amazon, and Apple into entertainment, content, and smart home services raises the bar for telcos, driving them to present leading-edge technologies to their customers. European telcos are uniquely qualified to surround their offerings with aggressive marketing, testing, installation, and technical support -- elements required for reaching untapped markets."

Webcast participants include:

• Gil Rosen, Chief Marketing & Innovation Officer, Bezeq
• Ricco B. Winther, Director, Z-Wave Sales, Europe, Sigma Designs
• Erik Overbeeke, European Research Associate, Parks Associates

The international IoT research firm notes that Europe, which does not have the extensive home security market that exists in the U.S., has additional barriers to the adoption of smart home products. The webcast will address these concerns, discuss how telcos can leverage their advantages to succeed in the smart home, and present innovative marketing strategies from Bezeq, Israel's leading service provider, on selling comprehensive smart home solutions.

Topics include:

• Consumer demand for new services and their value impressions of smart home solutions
• Telco business strategies that provide integrated services and deliver high-quality consumer experiences
• Challenges from other sectors, including retailers and technology companies, and who will be the most formidable challengers to telcos
• Differences between the U.S., European, and Israeli markets

During the webcast, speakers will discuss lessons learned from successful telcos who leverage their advantages and build a revenue-generating offering with smart home solutions alongside connectivity, entertainment, and content services.

For more information and to register for the event, visit www.parksassociates.com/eu-smarthome-2016. For more information about Parks Associates or to speak with an analyst, contact Holly Sprague at hsprague@gmail.com or 720-987-6614.

About Parks Associates
Parks Associates is an internationally recognized market research and consulting company specializing in emerging consumer technology products and services. Founded in 1986, Parks Associates creates research capital for companies ranging from Fortune 500 to small start-ups through market reports, primary studies, consumer research, custom research, workshops, executive conferences, and annual service subscriptions.

The company's expertise includes digital media and platforms, entertainment and gaming, home networks, Internet and television services, digital health, mobile applications and services, support services, consumer apps, advanced advertising, consumer electronics, energy management, and home control systems and security.

Each year, Parks Associates hosts industry webcasts, the CONNECTIONS™ Conference Series, Connected Health Summit: Engaging Consumers, and Smart Energy Summit: Engaging the Consumer. http://www.parksassociates.com