Advanced Television

Regulation

Time Warner, Viacom counter-sue over iPad TV

Time Warner Cable and Viacom have counter-sued each other in an escalating battle over whether cable companies have the right to distribute TV shows to devices such as Apple’s iPad. TWC asked a court for a declaratory judgement regarding Viacom’s demand that the cable company stops delivering its programming on devices such as the iPad. […]

April 8, 2011

Google criticised for anti-piracy efforts

A US congressional hearing into IP piracy has suggested that Google was falling short in its anti-piracy efforts. Rep. Bob Goodlatte, Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee’s Intellectual Property, Competition and the Internet Subcommittee that is investigating Web sites accused of pirating intellectual property, noted certain of Google’s efforts, such as removing apps connected with […]

April 7, 2011By Colin Mann

HomeGrid Forum hails smart grid breakthrough as ITU-T Aadvances G.hnem recommendations

The HomeGrid Forum today hasthe news that the G.hnem standard has entered the final stages of approval at the ITU, the UN’s International Telecommunications Union. Two new recommendations, G.9955 (PHY and system architecture) and G.9956 (DLL) form the global G.hnem standard for low frequency (9-500 KHz) powerline communications (PLC) for smart meters, energy management systems, […]

April 7, 2011

Hollywood studios sue Zediva streaming

Six Hollywood studios are suing an Internet movie-rental site, Zediva, claiming the Silicon Valley start-up infringes their copyright by streaming films over the web directly from DVD players. Zediva streams movies shortly after they are available on DVD – but weeks before legitimate sites such as Netflix have them available. Its members pay as little […]

April 5, 2011

Momentum building for US piracy legislation

Lawmakers from both parties in Congress are gathering at the Capitol with representatives from industry to once again denounce the effects of online piracy and counterfeiting on the US economy. “The Internet has regrettably become a cash-cow for the criminals and organised crime cartels who profit from digital piracy and counterfeit products,” said House Judiciary […]

April 4, 2011

Compal, Technicolor green lighted by Euro Certification Board

Cable Europe Labs has disclosed new products that passed the rigorous testing programme of the Euro Cable Certification Board. Euro-DOCSIS cable modems, cable modem termination systems (CMTSs), and set-top boxes are fundamental for the development and improvement of broadband services, guarantying their functionality is essential. “Broadband services in Europe are growing rapidly, and the high […]

April 1, 2011

UK ISPs “mustn’t set their own rules”

Speaking at a House of Commons debate on net neutrality, the executive director of the Open Rights Group called for Government to step in to prevent ISPs making up the rules for Internet service. Jim Killock said: “What we have here is ISPs setting the rules. They are the de facto regulation of content on […]

March 31, 2011

Ofcom budget cut 20% this year

Ofcom is to cut its £142.5 million(€161.2m)  budget by more than 20 per cent this year in a bid to “front load” a four-year cost savings plan to meet the government’s comprehensive spending review targets. The media and telecoms regulator’s budget will fall by £26.7 million for the year to the end of March 2012, […]

March 31, 2011

HomePNA ratifies new broadband access spec

The HomePNA Alliance has announced Fast EoC, a new industry specification aimed to deliver performance up to 320 Megabits per second (Mbps) in regular mode, and up to 640 Megabits per second (Mbps) and more than 300 Mbps user data throughput to Multi-Dwelling Unit (MDU) environments in a new “enhanced” mode. HomePNA’s Fast EoC targets […]

March 30, 2011

Virgin Media wins appeal over Rovi EPG patent

Virgin Media has won an appeal ruling confirming it didn’t infringe European patents for interactive programme guides held by Rovi’s Gemstar-TV Guide International because the patents were deemed invalid. The ruling by a three-judge panel in the Court of Appeal in London upholds a lower court decision from 2009 that two of Gemstar’s three patents […]

March 29, 2011