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Scroll down page or click below for news - latest first
Tuesday
Friday 9th December 2005
BT reveals IPTV content deals
Europe and Asia to drive IPTV growth
Virgin Mobile spurns NTL marriage offer – for now
Vodafone launches global Mobile TV
Top UK soap goes mobile and interactive
7 Digital adds video to music downloads
HomeChoice enhances Asian offering
SureWest to offer HDNet and HDNet Movies
Tata Sky DTH service gets clearance
Yahoo! Music and Nvidia introduce interactive service
conVISUAL expands into Japan
Pace gets HD OK from Premiere
BT reveals IPTV content deals
From Colin Mann in LondonUK telco BT has secured deals with three of the world's biggest entertainment companies, BBC Worldwide, Paramount and Warner Music Group, to provide content for its planned IPTV service, scheduled for launch in the autumn of 2006.
Ian Livingston, BT Retail CEO, said that customers would be able to enjoy enhanced TV services and easy access to a wealth of interactive content and new services straight to their TV. Simon Danker, BBC Worldwide Director of Sales UK and Ireland, suggested that video on demand was about to revolutionise the way people watch television, and confirmed that BBC Worldwide was "committed to being at the forefront of content provision for this new market as it rolls out both in the UK and around the world." Nick Phillips, Chairman of Warner Music UK, said the BT partnership was "an important component of Warner Music's global strategy to become a multifaceted, music content company."The agreement with Paramount provides BT with Paramount's blockbuster films in the pay-per-view window as well as an extensive range or older and classic films from the famous Paramount movie archive, all on demand.
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Europe and Asia to drive IPTV growthThe worldwide IPTV market will grow to just over 27 million households by the end of the decade, primarily driven by Europe and Asia, with particular contributions from Western Europe and China, according to findings from IMS Research.
As a region, Western Europe is expected to lead the worldwide IPTV market through the end of the decade, with approximately 12.9 million households by 2010. The region's strong expected collective growth is ascribed to continued success in existing IPTV markets such as France, Italy, Sweden, and the UK, as well as to anticipated take-up in newer markets such as Austria, Spain, Switzerland, and other countries, suggests IMS Research.
China is expected to become the world's largest national IPTV market, with 3.58 million IPTV households by 2010, comprising 13.2 per cent of the total worldwide market. This number is smaller than earlier estimations, according to Paul Erickson, research analyst at IMS Research.
"The strong growth that the industry was expecting at this time from both China and Korea has yet to occur, as regulatory issues have delayed the full commercial launch of IPTV in both countries. Due to its immense population and large television market, China is still expected to become the world's largest market for IPTV by the end of the decade, just not by as large a margin as the industry first anticipated."
IMS Research's recent study entitled, 'IPTV: A Global Market Analysis', also pointed to a slower surge in IPTV growth in the Americas region, with the United States beginning to accelerate in 2007. The strongest test for IPTV will come from the US market, according to Erickson. "The United States will be a more difficult market for IPTV, due to high existing pay-TV penetration, and stiff price and service competition that is likely to come from the entrenched operators in the cable and satellite sectors.
Erickson suggests that operators will need to be able to not only deliver on the technological benefits of an IP-based video service, but also on the business fundamentals of successful pay-TV operation: "Factors such as price, product, reliability, customer service, and others. Ensuring that the service is at least as good as offerings from competitors is vital if IPTV operators are to ultimately succeed in taking, and more importantly retaining share from US cable and satellite incumbents," he concluded.
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Virgin Mobile spurns NTL marriage offer – for nowVirgin Mobile has "unanimously rejected" an £817m offer by UK cabler NTL to form a 'quadruple-play' of TV, fixed-line phone, broadband and mobile under the Virgin brand. According to Virgin Mobile, the company's Board concluded that the potential offer "materially undervalues Virgin Mobile."
Nevertheless, comments made to BBC Radio's Today programme by British business tycoon Richard Branson, whose Virgin Group owns 72 per cent of Virgin Mobile, suggested that the amount involved was relatively minor. "I don't think that NTL are going to fall out for what is relatively a small sum of money.... I have a feeling that somehow an agreement will be reached. It's quite close," Branson revealed.
The Independent Board subsequently confirmed that, in reaching its decision, it only considered the 323p per share potential offer price announced by NTL. It did not consider any other price, nor did it solicit any other price.
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Vodafone launches global Mobile TVVodafone has launched a global Mobile TV channels service, featuring a mix of TV brands, pan-European sports coverage and leading entertainment and documentary programmes. Vodafone's global Mobile TV channels will be widely available across Vodafone markets from December 2005.
"With a wide range of ?good for TV' handsets, an intuitive, easy to use and a portfolio of instantly recognisable television brands and programming, the launch of global Mobile TV is a compelling proposition for our customers", commented Peter Bamford, Chief Marketing Officer at Vodafone. "Attracting world class content providers, such as Twentieth Century Fox Television and HBO, ensures the premium quality of this
product and underpins our confidence in its widespread adoption."Research conducted by Vodafone suggests that watching Mobile TV on the move complements television viewing habits at home, indicating likely high consumer demand for this product. The findings also suggested that consumers want well-known TV brands and channels, they like dipping in and out of television as it is an enjoyable way of filling free time, with Mobile TV appealing to people's spontaneity.
This globally sourced content, which works on any Vodafone live! with 3G enabled handset, will complement the existing domestic Mobile TV offerings already available in eight of Vodafone's operating countries - Germany, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal, Spain and the UK - three associate networks - Belgium, France and Switzerland - and one partner network - Austria.
The launch of the global Mobile TV channels, as well as their availability, packaging and programming, will vary according to market.
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Top UK soap goes mobile and interactiveUK commercial broadcaster ITV is launching mobile and interactive services related to popular soap opera Coronation Street with previews and exclusive content on mobile and through the red button.
The development follows similar services for other ITV hit shows such as I'm A Celebrity… and The X Factor. Fans of the soap will be able to enjoy behind-the-scenes access, advance news and exclusive video clips of all the latest goings-on in the Street.
On mobiles, viewers can catch up on the latest stories and even preview future episodes. ITV Mobile will have video clips of key Corrie moments, forthcoming storylines and a text alert 'Corrie Club' for prior warning of major news. Exclusive ringtones and wallpapers featuring popular Corrie stars will be available to purchase.
In addition, fans will be able to watch alternative video streams of Coronation Street content through the red button on the TV remote, as well as watch exclusive news and gossip, catch-up on any episodes they may have missed or get a sneak preview of that
ITV has teamed up with Pushbutton, Tamblin and Two Way TV to power the red button service. The ITV Mobile portal is built and maintained by Mobile Interactive Group (MIG) and Refresh.
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7 Digital adds video to music downloads7 Digital, the UK's biggest legal music download provider, has added video capability to take advantage of the increasing demand for DVD quality video downloads.
The new 7 Digital service allows media owners to extract more value from their existing catalogues by either powering downloads from their own sites or making their content available through 7 Digital's store at www.7digital.com.
Ben Drury, Managing Director of 7 Digital said, "Consumers are very comfortable with downloading music for their iPod or PC and we are seeing a growing demand for video. If the market follows the same trajectory as audio downloads in 2005, we can expect to the video download market worth in excess of £30million in 2006.
7 Digital provides the end-to-end technology platform that allows broadcasters, record companies, studios, publishers and other content owners to reach consumers directly and via third-parties with secure digital media. Sales of digital media are enabled via SMS, credit and debit card payments and piracy is prevented by use of DRM technology.
The videos are available in a wide range of market leading formats that can be played on PCs, home cinema devices and portable media players.
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HomeChoice enhances Asian offeringUK broadband VOD service provider HomeChoice is launching an enhanced on-demand Asian offering. The move aims to strengthen HomeChoice's Asian service and builds on the launch of two brand new leading Asian broadcast channels, Sony Entertainment Television Asia and Zee TV, at the beginning of November.
The move follows the conclusion of a deal with B on Demand EU Ltd., an Eros Group company. Eros will be responsible for managing HomeChoice's video on-demand Asian line-up, which will include a significantly improved on-demand movie service and a brand new on-demand music service. HomeChoice will also be introducing a brand new Asian voice package, which will offer customers reduced rate calls to a range of Asian destinations.
Jyoti Deshpande, CEO of Eros, said that "aggressive windows for the films coupled with the convenience of 'on-demand' at a competitive subscription option should make this a unique and attractive proposition for our very savvy potential customers."
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SureWest to offer HDNet and HDNet MoviesUS independent telco SureWest Communications has revealed that high-definition networks HDNet and HDNet Movies will feature in its HDTV service set to launch this year. SureWest is currently finalising its beta testing as it prepares to become the first company in the United States to offer HDTV commercially over its IP-based, fibre-to-the-premise (FTTP) network.
Mark Cuban, co-founder and president of HDNet, suggested the move was "a great opportunity to be part of something as ground-breaking as the first launch of HDTV over an IP network." HDNet and HDNet Movies broadcast an original slate of news, sports, music and entertainment programming, all in 1080i high-definition format, with a widescreen 16x9 aspect ratio and crystal-clear resolution.
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Tata Sky DTH service gets clearance
From Shveta Malik in New Delhi
The Department of Telecom (DoT) has cleared the proposal for Tata Sky DTH service, a joint venture of Star and conglomerate Tata Group.
Reports suggest that the proposal stuck at the Wireless Planning and Co-ordination wing of DoT, which gives clearance for all wireless installations in the country. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has already cleared the proposal.
Tata Sky Ltd had recently signed an agreement with Indian Space Research Organisation to lease high-powered Ku band transponders from the space agency's communication satellite for launching Direct-to-Home services across the country. As per the agreement, Tata Sky would lease all 12 Ku-band transponders on the INSAT 4A satellite, which would help the company to transmit 150 channels in digital quality to the remotest areas in the country.
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Yahoo! Music and Nvidia introduce interactive serviceInternet music content site Yahoo! Music and graphics Nvidia Corporation (Nasdaq: NVDA) today announced "Yahoo! Artist Mods," a new programme that lets consumers create animated music videos by combining hot music titles with interactive digital animation.
According to Dave Goldberg, general manager of Yahoo! Music, Yahoo! Artist Mods blends two favourite pastimes – watching music videos and playing video games.
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conVISUAL expands into Japan
Multimedia messaging and mobile entertainment services provider conVISUAL and Japanese mobile content provider, Forecast Communications, are teaming up to distribute Hollywood movie content, in the form of video clips, licensed by conVISUAL to the Japanese mobile phone market. Japan's estimated 38 million UMTS mobile users are being targeted under the initiative."High-quality movie content gives the UMTS market an important impulse, " said Dr Thomas Wolf, CEO of conVISUAL. Our experience with this strategically important market, will help us to a good position for the introduction of UMTS services to other markets, too."
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Pace gets HD OK from PremierePay-TV solutions provider Pace Micro Technology has become the first supplier to achieve set-top box certification from Premiere for Europe's first high definition pay-TV service.
The Pace DS810 that has been selected and certified by Premiere, is the world's first DVB-S2 MPEG-4/H.264 high definition (HD) set-top box for commercial deployment.
The DS810 is the third Pace set-top box to achieve Premiere certification. Earlier this year the TDS460 personal video recorder passed through the certification process, with Pace's DS210 achieving certification in March 2004 to support the initial launch of Premiere's digital services.
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Thursday 8th December 2005
Cisco: video will grow internet traffic 500%
Neuf to launch new video services
News Corp mulls search options
Apple sells 3m iTunes videos
Cingular launches HSDPA 3G
Canadian Satellite Radio IPO
Sky: "we'd pay £1bn again"
Inmarsat pushes BGAN
FilmFlex hits 1m
Siemens integrates Entone
Cisco: video will grow internet traffic 500%John Chambers, chief executive of Cisco Systems, the world's biggest maker of internet networking kit, says strong demand for online video could lead internet network traffic to grow by as much as 500 per cent per year over the next few years.
Chambers says for Cisco this growth is at the heart of fulfilling its promise of 10-15% annual growth. "In order to hit 10-15 per cent growth, you've got to put more balls up in the air," he said, speaking of Cisco's eight declared advanced technologies: "We should have some failures," he said. "If we don't have enough failures that means I'm not taking enough risks."
Number seven on the list is digital video and that's behind Cisco's $6.9bn buy of Scientific-Atlanta, the world's number two set top box maker.
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Neuf to launch new video services
From Sotires Eleftheriou in ParisFrench triple play ADSL operator Neuf Cegetel is to roll out a range of new video services from January. A video telephony service called Neuf Video, will enable subscribers to see each other while telephoning, the subscriber connects a web-cam to the Neuf set top box, the conversation takes place via a telephone handset, also connected to the Neuf-box using VOIP. This service will be free of charge.
Another new function, called MP9 Premium, will enable TV programmes to be recorded directly on the subscriber's PC. Recording will be programmable via the EPG or by entering programme times directly and the usual PVR functions will be available. The recording will be in encrypted form and can only be played back via the Neuf set top box. This will be a pay service, but the price has not yet been set. This complements the MP9 software Neuf has been offering its subscribers, enabling multimedia content (photos etc) on the PC to be displayed on the TV. Other services to be offered will be an RSS TV system, enabling newsflashes currently only on the web to be displayed on the TV.
Neuf TV launched a year ago, using a separate set top box connected to the TV via a SCART connector and the Neuf modem via an Ethernet cable. Neuf is to market a cordless connection system, using a mains borne signal, in the coming weeks for about E100. To date about 50,000 subscribers to the ADSL service have taken up the TV option, Neuf hopes this will exceed 200,000 by the end of 2006. Its total ADSL clients by the end of this year will be between 1.1 and 1.2 million.
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News Corp mulls search optionsRoss Levinsohn, head of interactive at News Corp., told an investors conference the company was considering teaming up with a partner in sponsored search as it expands its online strategy, although it may still go for an acquisition.
On internet content Levinsohn revealed News Corp. would begin producing Web-only episodes next year of the Fox show, "Family Guy." They would be accessible mostly on the show's own Web site but also be promoted on IGN, a gaming site that News Corp. acquired.
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Apple sells 3m iTunes videosApple has sold more than 3m video downloads since it began offering them through its iTunes Music Store two months ago, the company revealed.
Apple CEO Steve Jobs said the company's "next challenge" is to widen the range of content on offer. This week it added TV show downloads from NBC, Sci-FI and USA Network. Most episodes, which include up-to-date series and older, "vintage" shows, are priced at $1.99.
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Cingular launches HSDPA 3GCingular the largest US mobile carrier, launched its 3G network in 16 cities, becoming the first mobile network operator in the world to deploy a 3G network based on HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access) technology.
The company said its BroadbandConnect service would be available initially in cities including Austin, Dallas, Houston, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, San Diego, San Francisco and San Jose. Cingular is the last of the big three US mobile operators to launch its 3G network – Verizon Wireless and Sprint Nextel have both rolled out 3G networks based on Qualcomm's rival CDMA EV-DO technology.
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Canadian Satellite Radio IPOCanadian Satellite Radio Holdings will conduct an initial public offering valuing the company at C$800 million. The company, aligned with XM in the United States, said it intends to use IPO proceeds to complete its initial infrastructure rollout and fund operating expenses for the launch of its XM Canada satellite radio service.
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Sky: "we'd pay £1bn again"Sky indicated it will hold on to as much Premier League Football as it can, suggesting it would pay a similar sum to the £1.1bn (E1.6bn) it paid for the live rights five years ago even if it got fewer matches. If Sky could secure similar levels of exclusivity for its games, it could pay a similar fee, it told a Parliamentary committee.
Under a new deal, the Premier League matches will be divided into six packages of 23 games with no single broadcaster able to bid for all of them. In order to attract new bidders for the rights - such as internet and cable companies - it is understood the packages will be platform-neutral, allowing holders to distribute on television, broadband or over mobile phones.
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Inmarsat pushes BGANInmarsat says its new Broadband Global Area Network (BGAN) would allow data transfer speeds of up to 492 kilobits per second. "It enables anyone to set up a broadband mobile office in minutes and remain fully productive -- wherever they are on the planet," Inmarsat's Chief Operating Officer Michael Butler said.
The service, which took six years to develop, can be accessed through a range of lightweight satellite terminals, the smallest of which is about half the size of a laptop computer. The BGAN service is delivered using the company's new generation of Inmarsat-4 satellites, the second of which was launched last month. Inmarsat said the service would be initially available across Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia, and would be extended to North and South America during the second quarter of 2006.
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FilmFlex hits 1mFilmFlex, the movie VOD service backed by Sony Pictures, Walt Disney and pay-TV specialist ON Demand Group, confirmed its one millionth ‘buy' from its catalogue of over 300 films available to cable customers. ntl and Telewest began the large-scale deployment of TV on demand in January 2005 and services are currently available to over one million customers around the UK.
FilmFlex plans to grow the number of film titles available to 400 by end of 2005 and 500 by early 2006. Andrew Keyte, Managing Director, FilmFlex, commented, "We are delighted to be some months ahead of our original roll out plan. The ntl and Telewest teams have done a spectacular job in deploying Video On Demand across the UK. With all the recent speculation about various new VOD services in the future, we are pleased to say that for FilmFlex the future is now and we actually have a million homes capable of using our service today."
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Siemens integrates EntoneSiemens Communications announced the integration of Entone Technologies' Hydra IP Video Gateway set-top box as part of the Siemens SURPASS Home Entertainment portfolio of Internet protocol television (IPTV) solutions. With Entone's Hydra, service providers can use existing coaxial wiring for multi-stream video distribution within homes.
"The SURPASS Home Entertainment solution, coupled with Entone's IP video
gateway technology, provides broadband operators with a way to avoid many
of the costs and complexities involved with set-top boxes that require
Ethernet cabling," said Chris Coles, president and CEO of IPTV middleware
leader Myrio Corp., - a Siemens company.
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Wednesday 7th December 2005
Liberty buys online retailer
CNN subscriber service
Film Four for free
ITV to buy Friends Reunited
Fox Sports' monopoly plan revealed in court
TW and MSN close on ad deal
Premiere premieres HD
Charter choses OpenStream
Conax Central Europe success
Liberty buys online retailerLiberty Media announced the $477m takeover of an online retailer of meat, flowers and fruit as part of its expansion in e-commerce. Provide Commerce operates ProFlowers, Cherry Moon Farms, Uptown Prime and Secret Spoon websites.
Liberty owns QVC as well as stakes in Expedia, IAC/InterActiveCorp, and News Corporation and is in the process of creating a tracking stock for its interactive assets such as QVC, IAC and now Provide. "We believe in the power of video to drive television and web-based retailing businesses and Provide is a compelling addition to our strategy," Liberty chief John Malone said. Provide last month reported a narrower loss than expected in its first quarter on revenue growth of 34 per cent to $27.8m.
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CNN subscriber serviceCNN has expanded its online presence with the launch of a subscription-only broadband video service. CNN is aimed at the demanding web surfer for whom pre-recorded news packages are not enough. CNN.com general manager David Payne said: "CNN Pipeline is to online news what the iPod is to digital music."
The new service has its own staff and studio, and allows subscribers to flick between four live channels (or 'pipes') of high-quality video footage. CNN Pipeline will not carry advertising so CNN will be seeking a high number of subscribers to finance the project. The network's first step into broadband video came in June when it made its pre-recorded programme packages available to stream online.
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Film Four for freeChannel 4 could scrap the subscription on its FilmFour service and put the movie channel onto Freeview next year, says The Guardian. FilmFour currently has about 400,000 subscribers at £7 (E11) a month and is reckoned to breakeven, but C4 sees little prospect for expansion. If the channel switched to Freeview – following sibling channel E4 – it would carry advertising.
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ITV to buy Friends ReunitedITV has agreed to buy Friends Reunited, the website which has 15 million users and brings together old school friends, for £120m (E174m). ITV will pay an extra sum of up to £55m in 2009, according to Friends Reunited's performance.
It said the deal will allow ITV to "strengthen significantly" its online presence and wants to team up the website with ITV.com in areas such as dating, recruitment and classifieds.
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Fox Sports' monopoly plan revealed in court
From Rose Major in MelbourneCompetition in Australia's pay-TV sports channel market could cost Fox Sports over A$100 million a year, according to 1998 documents revealed in a Sydney court.
While the channel, which is owned by News Corp's News Ltd and Publishing & Broadcasting Ltd, was forecast in 1998 to have cashflow of A$101 million a year if it was the sole sports channel in the market, the existence of a rival could mean negative cashflow of A$23 million.
The business plan was produced in the court where Seven is suing 21 media, telecoms and sports parties over the collapse of it pay-TV sports service, C7, in 2002.
News Ltd's chief operating officer Peter Macourt admitted both that Fox Sports would be advantaged by having no rival and that a deal between C7 and Optus' pay-TV platform would have driven up the cost of sports programming. But he said he doubted whether the business model was produced specifically with the aim of working out the threat from C7.
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TW and MSN close on ad dealTime Warner is close to a deal with Microsoft Corp. to team up on online advertising to compete with Google according to the WSJ. It said the two companies were now focusing on a deal that would combine their advertising-related assets, with little or no money changing hands.
Time Warner has been holding talks with both Microsoft and Google over taking stakes in AOL. The WSJ said that, under an advertising deal Time AOL would drop Google as its main Internet search provider and switch to Microsoft's MSN service.
Under their current agreement, Google derived about 11 percent of its first-half revenue from AOL, which also generates substantial revenue from the contract.
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Premiere premieres HDGermany’s Premiere as part of a field test for subscribers showed the Bundesliga
game between Stuttgart and Bayern München live in HDTV format on Saturday. Premiere had already been able to certify the first Pace HD receiver with the new MPEG4/H.264 and DVB-S2 technology worldwide. This makes Premiere subscribers the first viewers in the world to experience high-definition television with the new MPEG4/H.264 and DVB-S2 technology.
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Charter choses OpenStreamTANDBERG Television announced that Charter Communications has expanded its deployment of the TANDBERG Television OpenStream Digital Services platform to support a national rollout of digital on-demand services. Charter has now deployed OpenStream in multiple markets within seven states, including Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin with multiple server vendors, billing systems, and set-top box manufacturers.
"OpenStream's flexibility and ability to interoperate with multiple digital networks, video on demand (VOD) servers, billing systems, and on-demand applications is a key reason why we chose TANDBERG Television to support our VOD deployments across the country," said Pragash Pillai, Charter Vice President of Advanced Engineering, Digital Video.
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Conax Central Europe successConax has underlined its success in Central and Eastern Europe with three new customers: STV Cable AS (STV) of Estonia will use Conax CAS7 for encryption of their digital program offering. STV is looking at creating additional Digital-TV packets and will bring the number of digital channels offered up to 100 already from Christmas. In Poland, the cable operator Poznanska Winogradzke has signed up with Conax through the system integrator Wachowiak & Syn S.C. And the first cable operator in Romania using Conax encryption technology is Digital Cable Systems SA (DCS).DCS was founded in February 2005 and is owned by a number of private shareholders. They expect to launch their new service within year-end.
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Tuesday 6th December 2005
NTL proposes to Virgin
Com Hem swaps private equity owners
Telefonica gets closer to PCCW
China 3G and digital TV early next year: MII
Revenue review of IP
Sky: more questions on vote
Two-Way TV licenses mobile to Star
Thomson buys HD edit
NTL proposes to VirginUK cableco NTL has made a £817 million (E1.18 billion) offer for Virgin Mobile the VMNO (Virtual Mobile Network Operator) owned by Richard Branson’s group.
The audacious move is a bid by NTL to become the UK’s first quadruple play – TV, telephony, broadband internet and mobile – operator and to adopt a new customer friendly brand. According to reports Branson, still main owner of Virgin, is all for the deal which, via the cash and shares offer, would make him, at 12-15 per cent, the biggest shareholder in the new group. He would demand a seat on the board as a result.
There’s less certainty about price for winning over the minority shareholders and NTL may need to sweeten the deal; Virgin’s value has soared this year on the back of M&A activity in the sector. However, mobile telephony in the UK is intensively competitive and in the past Virgin has had a rocky relationship with its network provider T-Mobile, which has apparently given its blessing to this deal.
NTL is currently awaiting regulator approval for its takeover of Telewest, its rival cableco. Assuming this goes through it will have a customer base of 5 million subscribers including 3.3 million for pay television and 2.5 million for broadband. Virgin mobile has five million subscribers.
As well as the quadruple play potential – which will put NTL temporarily ahead of both Sky and BT – there’s also the attraction of replacing the NTL name with the more customer friendly Virgin badge; UK cablcos have earned themselves an unenviable reputation for poor customer service.
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Com Hem swaps private equity owners
EQT, the Stockholm private equity firm, announced it is to sell Com Hem, the cable operator, to US private equity groups, Providence Equity Partners and Carlyle.
No price for the deal was given but it is thought to be around E1 billion including debt. The two buyers of Com Hem previously teamed up in 2003 to buy Casema, the third-largest cable operator in the Netherlands. Under the terms of the agreement, Gunnar Asp, Com Hem chief executive, will retain his role and the company’s business plan will continue unchanged. With 630 employees, Com Hem has been among the more innovative cable operators in Europe, developing a bundle of products called "Com Bo" - that includes television, broadband and telephone services.
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Telefonica gets closer to PCCW
From David Del Valle in MadridSpanish telco Telefonica is reportedly talking with Hong Kong-based PCCW, over the expansion of its IPTV platform Now Broadband TV. Jack So Chak-Kwong, the Chairman of PCCW, confirmed that Telefonica has enquired about PCCW's broadband TV broadcasting system and business model. He has also announced that PCCW has plans to expand its IPTV service abroad.
PCCW is shared with 20 per cent by China Netcom in which Telefonica holds a 5 per cent stake. Telefonica currently operates in Spain the ADSL-based pay-TV service Imagenio that had 123,000 subscribers at the end of October.
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China 3G and digital TV early next year: MII
From Shveta Malik in New Delhi
China is planning to launch 3G mobile technology and digital TV early next year. According to the China Daily, it is the first time that officials from the Ministry of Information Industry (MII) have provided a timetable for the launch of 3G in China.
"The 3G and digital TV promotion campaigns will be launched in the first half of next year and they will add a lot of vitality to the industry," Wang Bingke, deputy director general of the reform and operation department under the Ministry of Information Industry (MII) said. Wang said that since China has promised to offer 3G services and digital TV broadcasting for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, it is time to push for large-scale deployment of these technologies.Last month MII said China had entered the final technological preparatory phase for 3G commercialisation. Yang Zemin, director of the Telecommunications Research Institute of the MII said recent moves by US-based Qualcomm Co meant that its CDMA 2000 standard is now close to a commercial launch, according to Xinhua news agency. The technical trial for China’s homegrown TD-SCDMA standard has been successfully completed and commercialisation is imminent, it was reported.
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The UK Chancellor Gordon Brown announced he has commissioned an independent review into intellectual property rights in the UK. Andrew Gowers, former editor of the Financial Times, will lead the review. It will look at the way in which Government administers the awarding of intellectual property rights, and the support given to consumers and business.
In addition to considering how businesses negotiate the complexity of the copyright and patent system, it will also look at whether the current technical and legal IP infringement framework reflects the digital environment, and whether provisions for 'fair use' by citizens are reasonable. The Government has previously committed to examining whether the current term of copyright protection on sound recordings and performers' rights is appropriate. This will also be conducted within the review.
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Some City investors are demanding more information about the voting process by which News Corp gained more control of BSkyB. Their concern is a surge in stock lending ahead of the vote at the annual meeting. According to the Guardian, in the days leading up to the vote the amount stock lent between major players in the market jumped to more than 22 per cent.
At the meeting on November 4, 54.2 per cent of the stock not already held by News Corp voted in favour of a plan to waive so-called "creeping control" provisions. The move allowed News Corp to increase its stake from 37 per cent to 39 per cent without triggering City rules that would normally force the New York-based media group to launch a full takeover of the pay TV company.
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Two-Way TV licenses mobile to Star
Two Way TV Australia Limited has agreed with STAR Group licensing mobile-to-TV technology called Simcast, which can be used to create a range of interactive TV applications that viewers can respond to using their mobile phones. STAR intends to use the Simcast system for a range of interactive applications across its network of channels. The system has already been deployed in successful trials in China and India, involving chat and voting applications. STAR broadcasts over 50 channels in eight languages. Two Way will receive an upfront fee and an ongoing share in the revenue generated by viewers sending in messages from their mobile phones. Two Way will also provide support and maintenance in return for a monthly fee. The deal has a term of five years.
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Thomson announced that it is to acquire 33 per cent of Canopus, a Japan-based leader in high-definition desktop video editing software. Thomson will launch a public tender offer for the remaining Canopus shares. The value of the private transaction combined with the pending tender offer would represent approximately E91.3 million on an equity value basis.
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Monday 5th December 2005
EU backs 2012 deadline, will study spectrum trading
Cablevision backs a la carte
Icahn would break up TW
India to launch multi-media mobile satellite
DirecTV new DVRs
First UK soap exclusively for mobile
FST prices cut
Omneon Moscow office
EU backs 2012 deadline, will study spectrum tradingEuropean Union ministers have formally backed a 2012 deadline for switching over to digital. "We agreed that most EU countries will try to complete the transition from analogue to digital television broadcasting by 2012," said Alun Michael, industry minister for Britain, which holds the EU Presidency.
Michael expected most, if not all, EU member states to achieve a switchover by the deadline though one or two states said this would be a technical challenge. Ten member states have said they will complete the switchover earlier, by 2010, while five have made no indication of whether they will make the change by 2012.
Ministers agreed to move forward with consideration of Commission proposals to introduce trading in analogue radio spectrum freed up by the switchover to digital but admitted there was no consensus among the 25 EU member states. Some states are concerned that the Commission's liberal "market based" approach could spur speculation. "Spectrum is a vital and scarce resource and I think it's becoming recognised generally that it needs to be managed carefully," Michael said.
A study for the Commission estimated that freeing up spectrum from a switch to digital technology would produce a net benefit of E8 to E9 billion through greater efficiency.
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Cablevision Chairman Charles Dolan confirmed his company’s reputation for unpredictability when he threw his support behind the FCC's recommendation of an a la carte option for cable subscribers, calling it "in the best interests of consumers".
"Cablevision agrees with FCC Chairman Kevin Martin's assertion before the Senate Commerce Committee on November 29 that the opportunity to purchase programming on an a la carte basis would be in the best interests of consumers," Dolan said. "We do not believe in the long term that selling programming a la carte will be detrimental to either programmers or cable operators."
Dolan’s statement breaks with the position of other cable providers. The National Cable and Telecommunications Association criticises the pay per channel option saying it would result in higher prices and less programming diversity.
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Dissident shareholders led by Carl Icahn are looking to split Time Warner into four separate companies as part of radical restructuring. The plan, which will form the basis of a proxy fight for board control, is being developed by Lazard, hired by Icahn to analyse "strategic alternatives". Icahn’s investor group owns just under three per cent of Time Warner.
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India to launch multi-media mobile satellite
From Shveta Malik in New DelhiThe Indian government has given its approval for design and launch of GSAT-6 / INSAT-4E, a multi-media mobile satellite system, at a total estimated cost of US$61 million (E52.2 million).
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) proposes to build a National Satellite System (GSAT-6) / INSAT-4E) that will offer a Satellite Digital Multimedia Broadcasting (S-DMB) service, via mobile phones and mobile video/audio receivers for vehicles.GSAT 6/INSAT-4E will have five C x S transponders each of 9 MHz bandwidth and five S x C transponders each of 2.7 MHz bandwidth which will together cover the entire country.
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DirecTV's most advanced DVR the DirecTV Plus, has gone on sale. DirecTV Plus is available to new and existing DirecTV customers at no cost, if they obtain a $100 promotional voucher.
It now features Series Link, Record Now/ Pay Later pay-per-view, Bookmarks and DirecTV Mix Channels which enables customers to view up to six live channels, all on one screen. In addition, the new DVR enables users to record and store up to 100 hours of DirecTV programming, as well as pause and rewind live television for up to 90 minutes.
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First UK soap exclusively for mobile
Farringdon Road Films announced the launch of 'Brick-it' the first soap series to be made exclusively for mobile phones. The series will launch at the end of January 2006 with a new five-minute episode every weekday to all video enabled phones.
The company says this is the first time that a team with experience in television and feature films has to the mobile platform. This is the first ongoing video content to be produced specifically for mobile devices, with an emphasis on close-ups and a fast-paced plotline.
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South Korea's two largest manufacturers of FSTs are slashing prices in an effort to boost market share. Samsung and LG Electronics are set to cut retail prices of LCD sets in their home market by more than 20 per cent. Despite the popularity of flat-screen TVs, analysts have warned that over-supply in the sector could force prices down sharply.
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Omneon Video Networks announced plans to establish new offices in Smolenskaya Square in Central Moscow. It says it is set to build on the increasing volume of sales in that region and to provide a high level of pre- and post-sale support to the company's customers, integrators, and application developers.
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