|
|
|||||||||
 |
|||||||||
 |
|||||||||
 |
|||||||||
 |
|||||||||
 |
|||||||||
 |
|||||||||
 |
|||||||||
 |
|||||||||
|
|||||||||
|
|||||||||
 |
|||||||||
|
Our Latest Issues
Visit our archive to access more than 200 features! |
Scroll down page or click below for news - latest first
Tuesday
Friday 30th May
Triple play "not enough"
China 3G licensing plans
Private equity eyes Sogecable
Cable and DTH bloom in Portugal
Movies on UK iTunes
TV retailers under Government's scrutiny over DTT
Amazon streaming video
Broadband subs to reach 415m this year
BBC told to slow online development
Pace lands US deal
Corbina TV on Microsoft Mediaroom platform
Velocix for Telecinco
Triple play "not enough"
From Colin Mann in CologneOperators need to go beyond the triple play of voice, video and data, according to Bob McIntyre, CTO of Cisco’s Service Provider Group. "Triple play is not enough," he warned delegates attending the Broadband Summit at the ANGA Cable Congress.
"The competitive edge will come with an integrated solution," he suggested, recommending that operators add a mobile offering to their service offering.
Back to top
An official from China's State-Owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission (SASAC) has indicated that the overall direction for issuing 3G licences once the telecom industry restructuring is complete has been settled. China Mobile is operating a TD-SCDMA network, the new China Telecom is building a CDMA2000 network on the basis of its acquired CDMA business, whilst the new China Unicom is upgrading from GSM to WCDMA.
According to rumours, China Mobile may be the lead operator of TD-SCDMA in the future, with the other two operators also using the standard. If China Mobile is not the only TD-SCDMA operator and other TD-SCDMA licenses are issued, China Mobile will also receive a WCDMA licence.
However, China Mobile is currently in talks with China Telecom and China Netcom over acquiring their trial TD-SCDMA networks, and the government has made explicit its intention to throw its weight behind the standard. Given this, it is unlikely that China Mobile will be receiving a WCDMA licence in the near future.
Back to top
Private equity eyes Sogecable
From David Del Valle in Madrid
The sale of Sogecable pay-TV division, Digital Plus, is also attracting interest from several private equity firms, such as Permira and Apax, with suggestions that Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp, Mexican media mogul Carlos Slim and even Telefónica are potential bidders.
Prisa has hired HSBC to handle the sale process. The company is now in a hurry to sell the pay-TV division as the HSBC's E4.11 billion bridging loan to finance the recent Sogecable takeover bid is about to expire.
Prisa has a recent valuation of Sogecable carried out by Morgan Stanley, with around E3 billion, including debt. For the company, Digital Plus has become a financial burden. The pay-TV division only captured 15,000 subscribers in the first quarter against Telefónica’s 45,000 and ONO's 51,000.
Back to top
Cable and DTH bloom in PortugalAs at the end of March, the services of subscription television which use cable and satellite technologies registered around 2 million users in Portugal, representing around 18.8 subscribers per 100 inhabitants. Of these two million users, 75 per cent were customers of the cable distribution service - almost 1.5 million customers - while Direct To Home (DTH) technology had half a million users.
With respect to the cable television service, in the first quarter, the total number of cabled households for all operators was 4.13 million, 91’000 more households than in the previous quarter. This is the largest increase, in absolute terms, since December 2002. This jump was however partly due to the revision by ICP-ANACOM of the values given previously for cabled households.
Between January and March, the number of subscribers to the cable television service grew by around 0.5 per cent or by seven thousand subscribers, reaching a total of 1.497 million subscribers. Year-on-year there was an increase of around 4.1 per cent, representing the addition of around 59 thousand new subscribers. This increase in the number of subscribers is due to the significant growth seen in the North region where 16 thousand new subscribers were recorded in comparison to the first quarter of 2007.The subscriber penetration rate, calculated in terms of cabled households fell to around 39 per cent, as the increase in cabled households outstripped subscriber growth.
Regarding the television distribution service using Direct To Home (DTH) technology, there were half a million subscribers at the end of March, 3.3 per cent more than in the previous quarter and 12.5 per cent more than in the same quarter of 2007. In absolute terms, this translates to 16 thousand more subscribers during the quarter, more than double the number of new cable subscribers.
Back to top
Movies on UK iTunesApple is expected to begin imminently selling films from four major Hollywood studios for download in the UK as part of its iTunes Internet service at prices on a par with DVDs. The company intends to unveil agreements with Disney, Paramount, Twentieth Century Fox, and Warner Brothers.
It is the first time that Hollywood films have been available to British subscribers, although similar agreements have been struck for the US already. Canada is also expected to be covered by the new agreement.
Back to top
TV retailers under Government's scrutiny over DTT
From David Del Valle in Madrid
The Spanish Administration has warned that it will impose fines on those retailers who sell analogue TV sets, unable to receive DTT signals, without informing the consumer that the device is not ready for DTT.
With this measure, the Government hopes to avoid retailers' temptation to flood the market with old TV sets, in their attempt to clear stock prior to the analogue switch-off in April 2010.
The Ministry of Health and Consumer has pointed out that such practices will be deemed fraudulent and prosecuted accordingly.
Back to top
Amazon streaming videoInternet retail giant Amazon is preparing to launch a streaming video service in the next few weeks to extend its digital offerings.
The Seattle-based company has been beefing up its digital media offerings in order to better compete with rivals such as Apple Inc, which currently dominates the category with the iTunes music download service.
Back to top
Broadband subs to reach 415m this year
Worldwide broadband subscriptions will reach 415 million in 2008, representing one billion discrete broadband users, according to Strategy Analytics. The number of broadband subscriptions will continue to grow to 621 million by 2012.While DSL remains the dominant access technology, accounting for two-thirds of worldwide subscriptions, newer access technologies are taking hold.
"Fibre and WiMAX will increasingly displace traditional broadband access technologies, such as DSL and Cable," said Ben Piper, Director of the Strategy Analytics Broadband Network Strategies service. "This phenomenon is punctuated by the Asia Pacific region, where WiMAX is expected to grow from 4.8 million subscriptions in 2008 to 23 million by 2012."
Back to top
BBC told to slow online developmentThe BBC Trust has told the public service broadcaster to slow the pace of its online developments because of competitive tensions with the commercial sector and "poor financial accountability".
In the first of its service reviews under the BBC’s new Charter, the Trust, the corporation’s governing body, said it would apply stronger scrutiny before authorising new developments at bbc.co.uk, particularly in "hyper-local" news coverage and educational services – areas where local newspapers and other commercial groups have suggested the BBC has overreached its public service remit and distorted the market.
Back to top
Pace lands US dealUK set-top-box maker Pace has secured a major US contract which will significantly increase its profits for this year. The deal - for the US cable market - is for a low cost digital to analogue converter product that will enable the transition to all-digital networks and will be delivered over the next three years.
Back to top
Corbina TV on Microsoft Mediaroom platform
VimpelCom-Communications and Microsoft have confirmed a strategic partnership to deliver new connected TV experiences to consumers in Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) through Corbina TV, which will be powered by the Microsoft Mediaroom IPTV and multimedia software platform. Corbina TV will be operated by Corbina Telecom, a subsidiary of VimpelCom.Based on the Microsoft Mediaroom software platform, Corbina TV will deliver connected and personalised TV services for consumers in Russia and the CIS, with advanced features, such as video on demand, digital video recording, instant channel changing, and a fast search function.
Back to top
Velocix, provider of the Digital Asset Delivery Network, has announced that Telecinco, Spain’s number one TV station, is utilising the company’s digital delivery services for its recently launched MiTele Internet TV offering. MiTele allows online viewers to catch up on their favorite Telecinco TV programmes after they have aired. The Velocix network provides an Internet fast lane for delivery of large digital assets like video, music, software and games.
Back to top
Thursday 29th May
CSA awards mobile TV licences
Bundesliga rights sought after
Sony to eliminate cable STBs?
Digital TV disappoints UK consumers
blinkx traffic surging
Over 1bn users will view online video in 2013
Cross-sell not easy
TiVo critic pick
Millions of US homes not ready for digital
Teleste takes Cableway
BT Vision and emuse plan ahead
Motorola’s high five
UTStarcom NGN for Tiscali
A+ IPTV using GoBackTV solution
CSA awards mobile TV licencesFrench regulator CSA has awarded DVB-H mobile TV broadcast licences to thirteen private channels. There are two new entrants, France Telecom’s Orange Sports and film director Luc Besson’s EuropaCorp TV. The other eleven are BFM TV, Canal Plus, Direct 8, Eurosport, I-Tele, M6, NRJ 12, NT1, TF1, Virgin 17 and W9. CSA has also reserved three channels for public broadcasters France 2, France 3 and Arte.
The regulator had received 36 mobile TV licence applications. CSA head Michel Boyon said that if spectrum is freed up by the analogue switch-off, the body would issue a tender for around fifteen more mobile TV channels in 2009.
CSA advisor Elisabeth Flury-Herard explained that the eleven existing channels were chosen for their popularity, as they represent 48 per cent of the national audience and between 72 and 75 per cent of the private TV audience. She added that up to one-third of the content of the mobile version of existing channels could be different. Only two pay mobile TV channels were selected, Eurosport, which will charge E1 per month, and Canal Plus, which will charge E25 to non-subscribers to its regular pay TV service and E15 to subscribers.
Canal Plus aims to reach break-even in three years with 500,000 mobile TV subscribers. All of the other channels will feature in the basic mobile TV package which will be paid for by mobile phone subscriptions or included in the cost of pocket TVs themselves.
Back to top
Bundesliga rights sought after
From Colin Mann in CologneRights for live coverage of German Bundesliga football have attracted the attention of a range of German broadcasters and platform operators. Questioned during the CEO Strategy Summit at ANGA Cable, a number of executives confirmed they had registered their interest in the rights auction.
Michael Boernicke, CEO of pay-TV platform Premiere, which previously held the rights, said that the operator was interested in all packages that were available, and stressed that if successful, it would "make it simple" for the viewer to access them.
While Boernicke was confident that Premiere would be successful in regaining the rights, which it lost to cable operator consortium Arena, Andreas Bereczky, Director, Production at state broadcaster ZDF, said that there may be "some crumbs" left for the service. "We’ll take a look at the new constellation," he said.
Back to top
Sony to eliminate cable STBs?Sony has signed a deal with six major cable TV operators in the US that will pave the way for digital TVs that can receive cable programmes without the need for a set-top box. The agreement, which other consumer electronics manufacturers are invited to join, is to create TVs and other devices that can provide interactive digital and HD video services, the cable television trade body NCTA said.
The six cable operators who have signed the agreement with Sony are Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Cablevision, Cox Communications, Charter Communications and Bright House Networks.
The NCTA said the agreement will help establish a competitive market for "two-way" digital cable-ready products. It addresses how such products will be brought to market with interactive services like video-on-demand, digital video recording and interactive programming guides.
The companies will use the Java-based technology called Tru2way for their interactive ‘plug-and-play’ standard. Tru2way, which was formerly called OpenCable, is built into televisions, set-top boxes and other devices, and will allow companies to develop services that can be offered across all products that comply with the specification.
Back to top
Digital TV disappoints UK consumersNearly three million new homes took up digital TV in 2007. Today, nearly 9 out of 10 homes in the UK have ‘gone digital and spend £4.2 billion (E5.25bn) on their service every year. However, the first ever digital TV customer satisfaction survey by uSwitch.com, featuring the top three providers - who hold 95 per cent of the market - reveals that more than 1 in 4 customers are not satisfied.
The survey of 10,000 digital TV customers says over a quarter of customers (6 million) are not satisfied with their digital TV company. Three companies account for 95 per cent of the digital TV market: Freeview (43 per cent), Sky (37 per cent) and Virgin Media (15 per cent).
Sky has been voted number 1 by its customers for best overall satisfaction. 76 per cent of its customers are satisfied with its service overall. Yet despite winning the top award for overall satisfaction, Sky’s customers have voted it last for value for money. Its 57per cent score in this category leaves 3.6 million customers undecided or dissatisfied with the value for money they receive from their service. Sky customers pay an average of £31.17 per month for their digital TV service – almost double the £16.70 paid by Virgin Media customers.
Freeview is the undisputed winner of the best value for money award. Three quarters (75 per cent) of its customers are satisfied with the value they receive from their service.
Back to top
blinkx, the video search engine, has revealed that its market share for video search is now 10 times higher than a year ago, as users increasingly turn to blinkx to find video content ranging from premium high definition movies and sports, to breaking news and top quality niche content.
According to Hitwise Intelligence, traffic to blinkx has increased steadily over the past year and its market share of visits for the week ending May 10th, 2008 is 10 times higher than the same week in 2007. In the same period, blinkx has added dozens of new content partners and increasingly powers video search and advertising for other Web sites.
Back to top
Over 1bn users will view online video in 2013A new study from ABI Research forecasts the number of viewers who access video via the Web to nearly quadruple in the next few years, reaching at least one billion in 2013.
"The rapid expansion of broadband video creates opportunities across a number of market sectors," comments senior analyst Cesar Bachelet. "A wide variety of actors aim to gain a share of this fast-growing market: not only content owners such as the BBC and NBC Universal, and Internet portals such as AOL and Yahoo!, but also a range of new entrants including user-generated content sites such as YouTube and Dailymotion, broadband video sites such as CinemaNow and Lovefilm, and Internet TV providers such as Apple and Zattoo."
Back to top
The Time Warner UK Advertising Council - a joint venture between, IPC Media, Turner Broadcasting, AOL UK, Time and Fortune magazines and Warner Bros - has failed to strike a single deal since being established in October 2007 reports Media Week.
The council was established to act as a hub for campaigns to be run across Time Warner's vast media network, which includes IPC Media's consumer magazines such as Marie Claire and NME, AOL's main portal and Turner Broadcasting's TV st But the constituent companies have so far failed to combine on commercial deals, although they insist that progress is being made.
Back to top
Soon a subset of TiVo users will be able to automatically record a critic’s picks of The Chicago Tribune.
TiVo announced a partnership with The Tribune that will deliver the recommendations of Maureen Ryan, the TV critic for The Tribune, straight to the TVs of users who sign up for the service.
The recommendation service will be available only to the roughly 100,000 TiVo subscribers in the region surrounding Chicago. But Thomas S. Rogers, chief executive of TiVo, said in an interview that TiVo was in talks about similar partnerships with other print media outlets. The service, if extended to other markets, could create new relevance for local television critics, whose numbers have shrunk in recent years as newspapers cut expenses.
Back to top
Millions of US homes not ready for digitalAlmost 25 million US households have at least one television that won't work next year when the nation's broadcasters switch to digital signals, according to a report by Nielsen Media Research. Of the total, more than 10 million homes are completely unready for the transition from analogue broadcasting, which takes effect February 17th, the survey found. Nielsen bases its figures on a total of 112.8 million US households.
Back to top
Teleste takes Cableway
From Colin Mann in CologneFollowing a frame agreement signed in January, broadband video specialist Teleste and cable network turnkey service company Cableway have developed a turn-key solution for the German market. The new concept- revealed at the ANGA\Cable trade fair, brings the complete network competence in Cableway’s hands, as a result of which the company will be able to provide a nationwide service in one complete package.
Back to top
BT Vision and emuse plan aheadBT Vision and emuse have further extended their existing relationship with a commitment to building a significant pipeline of new IPTV applications over the next 12 months.
Following the launch by the two companies of the OnVision magazine service in December 2007 (the world's first commercial Tasman browser application) this deal will see BT Vision maintain its position as the leading exponent of enhanced functionality on the Microsoft Mediaroom platform. The pipeline of applications to be developed will include further enhancements to the OnVision service, a new BT Vision Sports service, a 24/7 AdZone showcasing innovative advertising and sponsorship, a lifestyle magazine service and a games and gaming portal.
Back to top
Motorola’s high five
From Colin Mann in CologneMotorola has unveiled its TX32 Decoupled Downstream Module aimed at cable operators looking to offer ultra-broadband triple-play services at greater speeds and lower overall costs. The solution – which Motorola claims enables a five-fold increase in downstream CMTS capacity to accelerate the delivery of personal media experiences - allows cable operators to deliver significantly increased bandwidth to new DOCSIS/EuroDOCSIS 3.0 cable modems while preserving operator investment in legacy DOCSIS/EuroDOCSIS 1.x and 2.0 cable modems.
Dr George Simmons, corporate vice president and general manager, Access Network Solutions, Home and Networks Mobility, Motorola, said that the solution allowed cable operators to deploy channel bonding services straightaway, with only minor adjustments to their network at the headend. "This represents a giant leap forward in the race for cost-effective, higher-capacity broadband solutions to deliver enhanced personal media experiences," he claimed.
Back to top
UTStarcom NGN for TiscaliUTStarcom, a leader in IP-based, end-to-end networking solutions and services, has confirmed the successful network launch of the new Next Generation Network (NGN) softswitch provided by UTStarcom to Tiscali Italia. Tiscali Italia is experiencing rapid growth on its broadband network in its major markets throughout Italy and has chosen UTStarcom for its mSwitchR NGN system as part of a new strategy. The strategy will enable Tiscali Italia to maintain and expand its current service support capability for direct access customers while ensuring low risk and reduced time to market for the rollout of triple play services.
Back to top
A+ IPTV using GoBackTV solutionGoBackTV, the innovative supplier of digital video headend and edge solutions, announced that the A+ Group has begun taking subscription orders for Cable IPTV service in Ishøj, Denmark, in preparation for its commercial launch early next month. The service uses GoBackTV’s GigaQAM IP to extend FastTV IPTV services over the Ishøj "antenna society" facilities, and currently includes up to 50 standard definition and two high definition channels.
Back to top
Wednesday 28th May
Cable needs consolidation
Premiere prepares for possible News Corp offer
EU device tax under review
YouTube rights fight 'threatens net'
Adult TV profits hit
MTN eyes Reliance
Strong April for UK commercial TV
Microsoft and Chunghwa team for IPTV
Vodafone new chief
Teleste unveils Luminato
NetCologne and Cisco hit 200 Mbps
SKY Italia deploys Harmonic solution
Thomson’s smart VoD vision
C4 gadget to aid DAB take-up
Turksat selects Conax
Cable needs consolidation
From Colin Mann in CologneThe German cable industry is going through "seismic shifts" and will need to consolidate, according to Unitymedia Group CEO Parm Sandhu. Participating in the CEO Strategy Summit at the ANGA Cable Congress, he told delegates that the industry needed to face up to a very different reality.
"We’re competing with companies on a global scale, such as Deutsche Telekom, Vodafone and Telefónica O2," he said, suggesting that in such an environment, it would be very difficult for city networks such as NetCologne to survive as separate entities. He felt that the piecemeal sale of Deutsche Telekom’s former cable networks had only produced two winners: Deutsche Telekom, which had enjoyed an effective DSL monopoly for much of the subsequent period, and commercial broadcasters, who were continuing to rely on outdated analogue distribution.
Back to top
Premiere prepares for possible News Corp offer
German pay-TV station Premiere has named two investment banks to represent the interest of all shareholders should News Corp make a takeover offer. Chief Executive Michael Boernicke said while News has raised its stake to 25.01 per cent he had no indication whether they intended to lift their stake to 30 per cent and trigger a tender offer for the company.
"But if it comes to a tender offer the executive board has to represent the interests of all shareholders," Boernicke said. "Investment banks UniCredit and Morgan Stanley are monitoring the capital market and could support Premiere in its own transactions," Boernicke added.
Hardware makers are meeting politicians and copyright societies to discuss introducing a Europe-wide levy on media devices, offsetting revenue apparently lost from personal copying. Since 2001, 22 of Europe’s 27 countries have made technology manufacturers pay the surcharge on products that allow music, books, movies and other copyrighted content to be copied.
Now the European Commission’s internal market and services directorate is hosting a public hearing on the topic and the FT reports that after years of resistance several makers, including Nokia, Motorola and Apple, are ready to compromise: "They are thought to be willing to accept surcharges if they are harmonised in Europe."
Currently countries exempt from the levy law are Ireland, UK, Malta, Cyprus and Luxembourg. In the UK, the Music Business Group (MBG) last month called on the UK government to let it introduce the so-called 'iPod tax', rather than follow an earlier recommendation to legalise format-shifting.
Back to top
YouTube rights fight 'threatens net'A $1 billion dollar lawsuit against YouTube threatens Internet freedom, according to its owner Google. Viacom is suing the video sharing service for its inability to keep copyrighted material off its’ site, it says it has identified 150,000 unauthorised clips on YouTube.
In court documents Google's lawyers say the action "threatens the way hundreds of millions of people legitimately exchange information" over the web. The search giant's legal team also maintained that YouTube had been faithful to the requirements of the 1998 Digital Millennium Copyright Act and that they responded properly to claims of infringement.
Viacom disagreed that either firm had lived up to that standard and said that they had done "little or nothing" to stop infringement.
Back to top
Adult TV profits hitNorthern & Shell’s adult channels saw profits dip from £11.5 million to £8.26 million (E10.3m) as its channels faced competiton from so-called ‘Babe’ channels where FTA programmes encourage premium rate phone calls. The company says it expects Ofcom’s forthcoming crackdown on these channels will see revenues recover.
The group also said a flotation of the Portland Media broadcast business, shelved last year, is "not off the table." Portland expanded during the year with the launch of Pulse, a broadcast venture that airs programming related to video games.
Back to top
MTN eyes RelianceSouth Africa’s MTN is considering a reverse takeover of India’s Reliance Communications as part of talks to combine the pair and create an emerging markets telecoms giant. The proposal would follow the same structure as one abruptly rejected at the weekend by Bharti Airtel, India’s biggest mobile operator by sales, which until last week was locked in takeover talks with MTN.
A takeover of Reliance Communications by MTN would create one of the world’s top emerging markets telecoms groups with a combined market value of close to $70 billion and nearly 120 million subscribers across Africa, the Middle East and south Asia. Reliance would gain access to MTN’s global network, while MTN would win a significant foothold in the fast-growing south Asian market.
Back to top
Strong April for UK commercial TVCommercial TV is continuing to flourish with total commercial impacts in April 2008 up 13.5 per cent on April last year, according to the latest figures from The Broadcasters’ Audience Research Board (BARB). The figure marks a 20 per cent rise in the number of April commercial impacts over the last five years and comes as broadcast TV viewing – both total and commercial only – enjoys its best start to a year since 1993. The new BARB figures show that, in 2008 to date, the UK has watched an average of 11 minutes more commercial TV a day than the same period 15 years ago.
All key audiences for advertisers enjoyed major increases in commercial impacts in April. ABC1 impacts are up 16.2 per cent on last April, 16-24s are up 12 per cent and 16-34s are up 12.3 per cent. The BARB figures give the lie to the nonsense talked about young people not watching TV.
Back to top
Microsoft and Chunghwa team for IPTVMicrosoft and Chunghwa Telecom, Taiwan`s top telco, will co-launch an operation called IPTV Ecosystem Development Center in Taiwan to zero in the Internet-based TV market. The operation will see Microsoft offer its Mediaroom platform for IPTVs while Chunghwa integrates systems. The operation will work with Taiwan`s set-top box makers and content providers to tap markets overseas.
Back to top
Vodafone new chiefVodafone Group has announced that, after five years in the role, Arun Sarin will be retiring as Chief Executive at the end of the Company's AGM on 29th July 2008. He will be succeeded by Deputy Chief Executive Vittorio Colao.
Back to top
Teleste unveils Luminato
From Colin Mann in CologneBroadband cable networks specialist Teleste has introduced its new Luminato IPTV headend platform, which combines a wide range of TV technologies into a single, modular platform. Luminato – revealed at the ANGA Cable trade fair - is a complete headend solution for operators providing cable and IP TV services, and it includes support for all major TV technologies, including DVB, IPTV and HDTV.
"Luminato lights the path into the future of cable and IP television," said Teleste's Mika Kavanti, business director, digital video and broadband solution. "It covers all TV needs with one platform, which can easily be expanded to accommodate current and future requirements. He suggested that the platform’s small footprint and power consumption would ensure lower lifetime costs and provide a solid foundation for expanding and delivering IP and cable TV services.
Back to top
NetCologne and Cisco hit 200 Mbps
From Colin Mann in CologneCisco and regional telecommunications operator NetCologne are joining forces to bring broadband speeds up to 200Mbps with live streaming of high-definition Internet Protocol (IP) video to the ANGA Cable trade fair. The ultra-high-speed service is delivered over NetCologne’s hybrid fiber coaxial (HFC) network using Euro-DOCSIS 3.0 standard compliant technology from Cisco.
"We are demonstrating up to 200 Mbps today but we know that we can achieve double that bandwidth and more with Cisco’s solution over our existing HFC infrastructure," said Guido Schwarzfeld, head of the broadband cable division at NetCologne. NetCologne" goal is to harmonise the different types of infrastructure the company is providing. Through both HFC and Fibre-to-the-Building (FTTB) networks, NetCologne will initially offer its clients internet connections of up to 100 Mbps.
"The advantage of video over IP is that we can serve all our customers from a single headend, across all access technologies," added Mr. Schwarzfeld. "It" a new approach to pay-TV that will make the quality of experience consistent for our customers."
"Global Internet traffic will grow to 26 exabytes per month by 2011, with video streams and downloads accounting for 70 per cent of that traffic," said Michael Ganser, vice president and general manager, Cisco Germany. "Together with NetCologne, we have the opportunity to demonstrate a Cisco-based solution for next-generation broadband services that can give operators a valuable competitive edge by accelerating their speed to market for IPTV and high-speed data services."
Back to top
SKY Italia deploys Harmonic solutionHarmonic has revealed that SKY Italia, a wholly owned subsidiary of News Corp, has deployed Harmonic’s compression and IP-based statistical multiplexing solutions for its direct broadcast satellite (DBS) service. Serving 4.5 million subscribers, SKY Italia is Italy's leading payTV operator and the fifth largest satellite provider worldwide. The new headend architecture encompasses Harmonic's DiviCom Electra 1000 standard definition (SD) MPEG-2 encoders, the ProStream stream processing platform with DiviTrackIP distributed statistical multiplexing, and NMX Digital Service Manager.
Back to top
Thomson’s smart VoD vision
From Colin Mann in Cologne
Media and entertainment technologist has unveiled its SmartVision video services platform for cable operators launching On Demand services. Previously available for IPTV platforms, the solution has extended its supported infrastructures to include cable."Thomson brings to cable operators a comprehensive solution for Video On Demand that benefits from the rich feature sets and extensive deployments gained with IPTV operators over the last five years," said Patrick Montliaud Vice President of Thomson Networks and Integration Solutions, within the Systems division.
Back to top
C4 gadget to aid DAB take-upChannel 4 Radio is hoping a new electronic device that enables mobile phone users to plug into digital radio will rescue digital audio broadcasting. The broadcaster, set to launch digital station E4 Radio this year, is in talks with electronics manufacturers to create a branded plug-in DAB device for iPods and mobile phones. The broadcaster is keen to create an E4 or Channel 4-branded device that will cost no more than £20 (E25). Channel 4 would market the plug-in to young people alongside its new digital stations.
Back to top
Turksat selects ConaxCable TV and satellite operator Turksat has chosen to deploy a Conax CAS7 conditional access solution for the new Turksat DTV platform. The unique cable operator in Turkey, Turksat serves over 1.7 million homes across the region. Partnering between Broadcast Group Turkey and Conax to deploy a content security solution will enable Turksat to focus on securing their core business and assets and provide the high-quality pay content.
Back to top
Monday 26th May
Viewing behaviour shifts as IPTV gains traction
Sogecable: Prisa takes control
RAI initiates Freeview/Freesat project
Google’s Page talks TV ‘white space’ plan
GAO report probes US readiness for DTV transition
XDC co-financing agreements for EU digital cinema
Viasat pay-TV packages for Telia
BBC online local news
ABC upgrading online player
IPL web and mobile video deals
Weather Channel bids in
Viewing behaviour shifts as IPTV gains tractionResearch from analyst firm Canalys indicates that, while the IPTV market will continue to gather momentum over the next four years, competition from other video delivery platforms will make it increasingly difficult for service providers to convince consumers to invest in services. Established cable, satellite and terrestrial digital TV offerings will continue to develop, and online video services will increasingly compete for viewer attention, making it essential that IPTV providers (and indeed pay-TV operators in general) continue to develop their services in a bid to differentiate them from the competition.
"IPTV growth was strong in 2007, albeit from a relatively small base," said Canalys senior analyst Adrian Drozd. "The number of worldwide IPTV subscribers increased from under four million at the end of 2006 to over ten million at the end of last year, with annualised subscription revenue closing in on the two billion Euro mark," Drozd continued. "Solid progress is expected to continue over the next four years. By the end of 2011, Canalys expects the number of IPTV subscribers to have reached 67 million – more than a six-fold increase over 2007 levels."
EMEA remains the leading region in terms of consumer uptake, accounting for 54 per cent of the worldwide subscriber total at the end of last year. "France is still the driving force in the Western European IPTV market," explained Drozd, "with France Telecom having passed the one million subscriber mark and both Free Telecom and Neuf Cegetel continuing to expand."
But rapid growth in the French market has been facilitated by service providers’ desire to promote low-cost triple-play bundles, where IPTV is part of the service mix, but not a huge revenue generator in its own right. "While the growth of IPTV in France has dwarfed the progress of most other European countries, it has arguably come at the expense of revenue generation," Drozd added. "IPTV has helped to attract and retain subscribers, but the emphasis must now shift to revenue generation to justify the significant investments being made in video delivery."
Outside Europe, progress has also been strong. "Seven IPTV services had more than half a million subscribers each by the end of 2007," said Drozd. "Verizon has since exceeded the one million mark in the US and PCCW (Hong Kong) is closing in on that milestone."
But despite early promise, major hurdles remain for the IPTV market. Canalys believes that usurping the role of established cable and satellite digital TV platforms will be a tougher challenge than many in the IPTV industry expect. Convincing consumers to switch pay-TV provider will be both difficult and expensive, unless services are either highly price-competitive or offer considerable benefits over the competition.
"Offering the same content and services as the competition will not provide the necessary returns, but delivering a compelling mix of on-demand and high-definition programming alongside a range of advanced interactive services just might," Drozd concluded.
Back to top
Sogecable: Prisa takes control
From David del Valle in MadridThe Spanish media group Prisa, owner of the newspaper El País, is taking full control of the TV company Sogecable, owner of Digital Plus, Canal Plus and Cuatro, by acquiring the remainder 2.29 per ceny shares to reach 100 per cent for E75.5 million.
The move paves the way for the sale of Sogecable's pay-TV division, Digital Plus, to tackle Prisa's huge debt of E4.9 billion. The CEO of Prisa, Juan Luis Cebrian, is working on a new strategic plan that will include, he confirmed, "the eventual partial or total sale" of the pay-TV business. Digital Plus currently has 2.1 million subscribers and an EBITDA of E320 million.
Back to top
RAI initiates Freeview/Freesat project
From Branislav Pekic in RomeThe Board of Directors of Italian state broadcaster RAI is examining a project to launch a joint digital terrestrial television package on a free-to-air satellite platform with other national broadcasters.
The initiative also involves commercial broadcasters Mediaset and Telecom Italia Media (owner of the La7 TV channel) and aims to provide 100 per cent national coverage using digital terrestrial and satellite technology. As a result, the estimated four to six per cent of the Italian population that would not be reached with terrestrial frequencies by the 2012 switch-off deadline would be guaranteed continued TV reception.
A total of 8,069,889 DTT receivers were distributed in Italy at the end of March, according to the latest report from GFK Marketing Services for DGTVi. Out of the total, 1,961,072 (24.3 per cent) are TV sets with an integrated DTT decoder, while 6,108,817 (75.7 per cent) are external decoders. Of the stand-alone boxes, 59.5 per cent were acquired without the state subsidy, 34 per cent are subsidised interactive decoders, while 6.5 per cent are basic digital boxes (so-called zappers).
Back to top
Google’s Page talks TV ‘white space’ planGoogle co-founder Larry Page has spoke in-depth concerning the company's proposal for a new generation of wireless devices to operate on soon-to-be-vacant television airwaves.
Page is hoping to convince lawmakers in Congress and officials at the Federal Communications Commission to allow the ‘white space’ between television channels to be accessed by low-power wireless devices. "I think it will make a huge difference to everybody," Page said.
Page highlighted the benefits of making more spectrum available, while downplaying opposition from broadcasters, and makers and users of wireless microphones, who fear the wireless devices would cause interference.
"I think the debate's really been politicised," Page said. Page said making more spectrum available would benefit computer users, giving them Internet connections with greater range and speed, and it would also benefit Google itself. "If we have ten per cent better connectivity in the US, we get ten per cent more revenue in the US, and those are big numbers for us," Page said.
Google is part of a coalition of technology companies that has been lobbying the FCC to allow unlicensed use of white-space spectrum. The group also includes Microsoft Corp, Dell Inc, Intel Corp, Hewlett-Packard Co and the north American unit of Philips Electronics.
GAO report probes US readiness for DTV transition
A US Government Accountability Office study is raising questions about how fully ready TV stations will be for next February’s digital TV transition, even as it reports "substantial progress" since its last station survey.
The study hints that for some smaller-city northern stations, the timing of the switch, at the height of winter, and the needed equipment changes on antennas could mandate switching to digital before the scheduled change. That would avoid the possibility that snow and ice could prevent workers from accessing towers.
The report is generating some concern from Capitol Hill, which has been using the GAO to independently track the progress of the transition. The latest report said the good news is that the 91 per cent of the 1,122 full-power stations that were surveyed already are generating a digital signal, with 68 per cent of those doing so at full strength and on the channel they will use after the February 17th transition.
The not-so-good news is that 13 per cent of stations still have work to do, whether relocating digital or analogue antennas, buying equipment, building digital production facilities or getting approval for their signals from other countries. Stations along the US border need the approval of Canada and Mexico for their new digital signals; some don’t yet have it.
In addition, some stations can’t easily generate both analogue and digital at the same time, either because of antenna limits or because doing so would require a significant power reduction for analogue signals that would leave a number of viewers without signals. The GAO survey said 47 stations said they still need to build or reinforce a broadcast tower for digital facilities. Another 69 stations said that due to financial woes, they hadn’t yet started airing a digital signal or in some cases started construction on needed digital facilities.
Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Daniel K. Inouye, D-Hawaii, said he was generally pleased with the report, but concerned "that there remain a number of hurdles for the industry to overcome."
Back to top
XDC co-financing agreements for EU digital cinema
XDC, the digital cinema service company in Europe and affiliate of EVS Broadcast Equipment, has announced the signature of non-exclusive long-term agreements with Warner Bros, Paramount Pictures, Twentieth Century Fox and Walt Disney Studios to co-finance the future deployment of maximum 8,000 DCI-compliant digital cinema installations in 22 European countries.
The roll-out period under the agreement will last for a maximum of five years while each digitised screen shall be co-financed over a period of maximum 10 years. Those agreements are co-financing more than 65 per cent of the value of digital exhibition systems made of projectors, servers, applications and services, for a maximum estimated global investment of E600 million. These agreements mark and ease the beginning of the large scale deployment of digital cinema in Europe.
Back to top
Viasat pay-TV packages for TeliaViasat Broadcasting has signed a five year agreement with Swedish telco Telia to enable Viasat to market and sell its pay-TV channel packages to Telia’s 300,000+ IPTV customers and broadband subscribers.. Viasat’s free-TV channels TV3, TV6, TV8 and ZTV, which together account for a third of the commercial viewing in Sweden, will also be included in Telia’s ‘Lagom’ and ‘Stor’ packages from June 1st
The agreement will enable Telia’s Digital TV customers to access a total of 17 Viasat free-TV and pay-TV channels in six different Viasat channel packages.old premium package of 16 Viasat channels and 29 third party channels. Viasat will be able to directly market its services to Telia’s broadband customer base. Telia has more than one million broadband customers and more than 300,000 IPTV customers, which represents approximately 90 per cent of the total Swedish IPTV subscriber market.
Back to top
BBC online local newsThe BBC has come up with new plans for local online video news in its 60 regional centres. The plan would see existing BBC Local websites augmented with up to 20 minutes worth of video each day produced by local teams of journalists.
Back to top
ABC upgrading online playerABC.com is souping up its full-episode broadband player with new features this Autumn
Among the new features for the broadcaster's online destination are full-screen viewing, high definition, content recommendation technology, closed captioning and the ability to send video links that can be embedded on blogs and social networks.
ABC.com was the first full-episode player online when it launched in 2006, and as of April this year, it is the most dominant one: Its 8.9 million unique users was tops for the month among broadcasters, according to Nielsen Online. ABC.com also leads in minutes spent per user.
Back to top
IPL web and mobile video deals
The Indian Premier Cricket League has reached an agreement to stream matches live on the Internet and to mobile phones in regions including India, Pakistan and the Middle East in a deal with Dubai-based company netlinkblue reported to be worth almost $50 million over 10 years.
Netlinkblue is looking to target cricket fans with content from the Twenty20 competition including live streaming and a 72-hour online catch-up service.
The deal excludes markets such as the US, UK, South Africa and New Zealand due to existing deals with broadcasters. In the UK Setanta has a five year pay-TV deal with the IPL that also covers online video rights.
Back to top
Weather Channel bids inTime Warner and a partnership between NBC Universal and Blackstone Group have emerged as front runners in the auction for the Weather Channel ahead of the deadline for second round bids. Offers are understood to value the business at $3 billion-$4 billion, well short of the $5 billion Landmark Communications said it hoped to attain.
Back to top
