The FCC wants the US cable industry to adopt an open-standard, “gateway” device to replace current set-tops by the end of 2012, according to extracts of the FCC’s National Broadband Plan. The cable industry has resisted a one-size-fits-all approach to set tops. The FCC wants the new “gateway” to be a standard interface that “bridges” […]

Legislation to combat Internet piracy in the UK, including Internet bans for persistent illegal file-sharers, has cleared the Lords and now goes to the Commons where it may be rushed through before the general election. Peers passed the Digital Economy Bill, which has cross-party support, after further concessions on a controversial the “catch-all” clause 17. […]

Agama Technologies has confirmed that the Norwegian triple-play service provider Altibox (formerly Lyse Tele) has selected to commercially deploy a full-scale Agama Embedded Monitoring Solution in their set-top box population. The installation monitors both IPTV and VOD services, and enables Altibox to ensure the quality of experience with their substantial and growing subscriber base.

From David Del Valle in Madrid The must-carry obligation traditionally imposed on nation wide terrestrial TV channels to open up their signals to cable and satellite platforms for free distribution is coming to an end in Spain. The new overall TV law (Ley General Audiovisual) frees private TV channels from the must-carry obligation and allows […]

Rentrak Corporation, an expert in multi-screen media measurement serving the advertising and entertainment industries, has announced that MTV Networks (MTVN) has become the first major cable group to subscribe to Rentrak’s TV Essentials service. MTVN will use the massive set-top viewing database available through TV Essentials to make more informed decisions in audience targeting, advertising, […]

Virgin Media has unveiled a new trial using telegraph poles to deliver ultrafast 50Mb broadband to the Berkshire village of Woolhampton. By connecting homes directly to Virgin Media’s fibre optic network, the trial will effectively increase broadband speeds more than ten-fold. As well as ultrafast broadband, villagers will be offered Virgin Media’s TV service. The […]

In the first few months following the adoption of the three-strikes anti-piracy legislation in France, online piracy has increased 3 per cent in the period September to December last year. Instead of stopping, file-sharers are seeking alternatives to bypass the new law. The research also reveals that disconnecting file-sharers will actually hurt the revenues of […]

Plans to suspend the Internet accounts of people who download music illegally are unfair, according to BT’s chief executive, Ian Livingston. Livingston says illegal file-sharers should be fined rather than have their Internet accounts cut off. He and other industry figures have written to the Financial Times urging changes to the Digital Economy Bill. Livingston […]

Swiss operator Cablecom will provide a CI+ option for its subscribers from June, it will allow its new digital channel package to be watched on other sets via a Digicard charged at CHF99 a month. The new basic digital TV package will contain 55 channels and cost CHF23.20 a month. For CHF4 a month subscribers […]

Tapping the potential of set-top-box (STB) data will not be easy nor quick, according to a white paper from the Council for Research Excellence. The study, a yearlong endeavour, concluded that only through broad industry collaboration would the industry realise the benefits of STB data. The Nielsen-funded CRE, an independent group of media, agency and […]