| This week's sponsor is Overture. |  | eBook: Finding New Gold in Copper This eBook from FierceTelecom will explore the ever-changing dynamics of service providers' copper networks and how they are using these new technologies to deliver a wider set of services to consumers and businesses. Download for free today. |
Today's Top Stories
1. Google set to reveal 'fiberhood' winners
2. Bell Canada wants to fight U.S. OTT invasion with 'made in Canada' service
3. YouView CEO: Don't count us out yet
4. Motorola pushes IPTV set-tops, peripherals at IBC 2012
5. Dune HD, MWare partner up to optimize IPTV expertise Editor's Corner: Mixed emotions about Google Fiber Also Noted: WiTech
Spotlight On... Former Insight founders set to lead new venture Penthera Partners
Octoshape and Axel announce partnership at IBC; Toner showcases IPTV and much more...  Streaming the Olympics: A game-changer for online video
The numbers are in: The 2012 Olympic Games were not only the most watched television event in U.S. history, with 219.4 million total viewers and an average of 31 million viewers each day; they also set records for online viewing, recording nearly 2 billion pageviews and 159 million video streams of events during the Games. If reports from independent research firms such as Pew Research hold weight, it's possible that eight out of ten Americans (about 78 percent) "watched or followed Olympic coverage either on television, online or on social networks." Special Report
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News From the Fierce Network:
1. Court allows Time Warner Cable to transport Nexstar stations to distant markets
| This week's sponsor is Limelight Networks. |  | "How to Master the Art of Content Marketing" discusses how to create a sustainable content marketing program with the flexibility to adjust to changing market dynamics. Gain the keys to excite audiences and drive business results. Download Now.
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Mixed emotions about Google Fiber
 I am by nature, profession, or something less definable, a cynic. I take a while to warmly endorse anything. Thus, unlike some in the tech space, I'm still wary about Google Fiber's ultimate promise.
This is not to say that I don't envy those 89 percent of the residents in Kansas City (Missouri and Kansas) who have been authenticated to get the service. Even in these tough times I would have found $10 in sofa change to put my name on the list for ultra-high-speed broadband and IP-based TV. My cynicism kicks into overdrive, though, when I look at the history of these sorts of "competitive" cable-killing offerings, going all the way back to Bell Atlantic's (later to be Verizon's) FutureVision telcoTV venture in Toms River, N.J. Bell Atlantic threw scads of money at FutureVision; people in the town seemed to warm to it; it forced cable incumbent Adelphia to lower rates; and it went gently into that good dark night, never more to be seen or heard. The comparison to Google Fiber is, at least to this cynical mind, inevitable. Both B.A. and Google have pockets so deep there are some who claim they're bottomless. Both have the determination to push hard on a complacent incumbent operator base. And both seem to have a radical network that will do the job--and an audience that's willing to take a flier on it...Continued  More
Read more about: FutureVision
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| Sponsor: Acme Packet FierceLive! Webinars > The 1000x challenge; More Spectrum - How, how much and from where? - Tuesday, September 18th, 12pm ET / 9am PT
Events > 2012 FTTH Conference & Expo - September 23-27 - Dallas, TX
> ITEXPO 2012 - October 2-5 - Austin, TX
> TelcoTV 2012 - October 24-26 - Las Vegas, NV
> Content and Communications World (CCW) - November 14-15 - New York, NY
Marketplace > Research: LTE: a real disruptive technology and business opportunity?
> Whitepaper: Online Video Publishing Buying Tips
> Whitepaper: How to Master the Art of Content Marketing
> Whitepaper: Leveraging Website Marketing: Top 10 Website Solution Capabilities
> EBook: Unified Communications, Where it is, Where it's Going
> Whitepaper: Improving Content Publishing Workflow Efficiency for Multi-Device Delivery
> Whitepaper: Case Study: 4G Operator Maximizes Revenue with Flexibile, and Discovery-driven Audit Capabilities
> EBook: The New Data Center
> EBook: Finding New Gold in Copper
Jobs > Public Safety DAS Engineer - Houston, TX - Connectivity Wireless Solutions
> Project Manager - Washington, D.C. – IT WORKS!
> Project Coordinator Job - Parsippany-Troy Hills, NJ, USA – Yoh
> Project / Construction Coordinator Job - St. Louis, MO, USA – Yoh
> Telecommunications Project Coordinator Job - Overland Park, KS, USA – Yoh
> Network Test Engineer Job - Overland Park, KS, USA – Yoh
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* General ad info: Click here | Today's Top News 1. Google set to reveal 'fiberhood' winners
Google (Nasdaq: GOOG) said that 180 out of 202 possible neighborhoods in the twin Kansas Cities (Missouri and Kansas) have "reached their goals" and qualified to become "fiberhoods," the first participants in the company's high-speed broadband fiber network. "This number has blown us away--and it's not even the final tally. We're still processing some final address verification requests and pre-registrations from apartment buildings and condos," wrote Kevin Lo, general manager of Google Access, in a Google Fiber blog post. Lo promised that the more-than-just-a-search-engine company will announce the first batch of fiberhoods Thursday, including "the order in which they'll be constructed, along with more detail about the next steps." Those next steps, no doubt, will include when the ultra-high-speed services will be turned on; a final list of available Google Fiber TV channels and some other details that will be worked out for neighborhoods with a population that met Google's subscription goals and paid a $10 qualification fee. Google apparently made a last-ditch effort--calling it a "rally"--to enlist more neighborhoods after some local reports suggested some of the more disadvantaged areas of the cities wouldn't make the list. Those neighborhoods might have squeaked in as the Google deadline approached and passed, but they are probably still down on the list behind the more prosperous neighborhoods that immediately jumped on the fiber bandwagon. "Three fiberhoods reached their goals on the very first day of our announcement and from there you just took off, encouraging your friends and neighbors to pre-register," Lo wrote. "The momentum has been terrific--63 fiberhoods qualified in the past week alone." Qualified customers aren't getting anything free. They will have the opportunity to pay for one of three packages: $120 per month for TV and high-speed Internet; $70 per month for high-speed Internet alone (both with free installation); or $300 for installation and seven years of broadband Internet at "today's average Internet speeds," Lo said. Google also will connect libraries, schools and community buildings selected by the cities in the qualified fiberhoods. Lo wrote that conversations across the region with Kansas City residents revealed that many weren't enamored with the Internet or its potential. "[O]ffering an affordable service is only one step towards increasing Internet access. In fact, studies show that the main reason people don't want the Internet is that they don't think the web is relevant," he wrote. Now, he promised, they'll get the opportunity--as long as they're among the 89 percent or so who qualified. "Some fiberhoods won't qualify this time around. If you live in one of those fiberhoods, we want you to know that we've heard your concerns. We will include you in a future rally sometime next year when you can try to qualify for Fiber again," he promised those who may not have any Internet access. For more:
-see this Google blog
-read this Kansas City Star story Related articles:
Google Fiber could actually widen digital divide in Kansas City
Google Fiber pre-registrations crack 30% penetration in 6 Kansas City neighborhoods Read more about: Kansas City, Google Fiber
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| Webinar: Telco-OTT: the Good, the Fast and the Nimble
Thursday, September 27, 11am ET / 8am PT
Service providers have been in a perennial battle with "over-the-top" internet vendors who leverage bandwidth but often do not play by the same regulatory or financial rules. Does it need to be a battle of us vs. them? Register Today! |
2. Bell Canada wants to fight U.S. OTT invasion with 'made in Canada' service
Bell Canada (NYSE: BCE) has had enough of over-the-top (OTT) video competitors like Netflix (Nasdaq: NFLX) invading the Great White North and taking away customers. The telco's answer is a "made in Canada" service available "on demand on any device" that would showcase Canadian and international movies and leverage the assets of Astral Media, which Bell Canada hopes to buy. The service would be available "to all Canadians through the cable, satellite or IPTV provider of their choice," Bell Canada CEO George Cope told the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) during a hearing into the Astral acquisition, according to a story in The Telegram. Cope did not give details about when the service might launch, how much it would cost or what consumers will get to watch. He instead focused on BCE's desire to pay CAD 3.38 billion (USD 3.41 billion) to acquire Astral and bulk up to compete with intruders like Netflix, to which reportedly more than 10 percent of Canadians subscribe. "The Canadian system needs companies with the scale to compete against foreign content companies like Netflix, Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL), Google (Nasdaq: GOOG) and Amazon.com (Nasdaq: AMZN)," he said. "With scale, Canadian companies can make the investments in Canadian content and technology required to go head-to-head with these well-financed global competitors." As a further incentive to let a Canadian company rule the Canadian market, Cope pointed out that Netflix doesn't pay taxes in Canada or contribute to Canadian programming. The pitch was met with some degree of cynicism by Commissioner Tom Pentefountas, who wondered if Cope was "pulling rabbits" out of a hat with the announcement. Tech analyst Mike Battista told the newspaper that BCE's proposed service would appeal to "cable cutters" but that it wasn't clear what it would bring to Astral's existing pay TV subscribers. "The direction that TV is going is the Netflix model, the Apple TV model," Battista told the newspaper, noting that BCE must offer something similar or "they're going to fall behind." The move also apparently didn't cool anti-acquisition Bell competitors like Telus Corp. (Toronto: T.TO), which claims BCE would control too much of the market--37.6 percent of the viewing audience--if the deal is allowed to go through. BCE claims that it will own 33.5 percent of the English language market, just under CRTC's 35 percent threshold. For more:
- see this Telegram story Related articles:
Telus protests Bell Canada's Astral Media acquisition
Bell Canada's Astral Media acquisition gets green light from shareholders Read more about: Astral, NetFlix
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3. YouView CEO: Don't count us out yet
Even though its launch was delayed more than once, YouView is still a viable IPTV service that will succeed, Richard Halton, the company's chief executive, said during the IBC 2012 Conference in Amsterdam. Because IPTV is relatively immature in the U.K.--as far as market size is concerned--YouView believes it has an opportunity to build share. YouView has "become the debut platform for some content services," Halton said, according to a story in USwitch. "The lack of U.K. penetration to date of Apple and Google also gives a clue that we are not behind." U.K. households are already accustomed to plugging smart TVs into set-top boxes, so Halton expressed confidence that the YouView model of selling boxes would succeed. YouView may have launched late, but now that it's operating it is taking advantage of the latest trends within the industry, including exploring second screen offerings, Halton added. "There are different partnership opportunities, so what I am looking for is how you treat this in the home, using a second screen app," he said in a BroadbandTVNews story. "The cloud is too far away to control the TV, so you're looking at Wi-Fi." YouView isn't the only one looking at Wi-Fi. Set-top box maker Amino Communications will now be using a Wi-Fi USB solution from chipset5 and software provider Celeno Communications, according to an article in Advanced Television. The Amino Wi-Fi USB dongle will be especially important for service providers that want to enable after-market IP set-tops to wirelessly receive HD content, the two companies said. For more:
- see this USwitch article
- check out this BroadbandTVNews story
- read the Advanced Television story Related articles:
YouView's launched but BT won't offer it until autumn
YouView brings 'simplicity,' CTO says in interview
Amino debuts Freedom Live media gateway at IP&TV World Forum Read more about: YouView
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4. Motorola pushes IPTV set-tops, peripherals at IBC 2012
Google (Nasdaq: GOOG) may have put a sale sign on its Motorola Mobility cable equipment business unit—then again it may not have, it all depends on any given day's story. Whatever the case, the set-top box player is moving forward as if nothing is amiss at IBC 2012 in Amsterdam where it introduced a series of new IPTV set-top boxes and peripherals aimed at the EMEA market. "Motorola pioneered the shift to IP in TV and we continue to drive its evolution with our new line of set-tops," Home Devices Vice President Keith Kelley said in the news release. In addition to the set-tops, Moto announced enhancements to its "ultimate open operating system for IP set-tops" (KreaTV) including a hardware abstraction layer to more easily upgrade to new hardware in the future. The new IPTV units include a pair that Moto called "diminutive (and) energy-efficient)" and "ideal for hospitality OTT, multi-room or entry-level deployments." These new units are designed to hide behind the TV or other home entertainment devices and can be controlled via an RF remote, the company said. The new IPTV boxes also include those with expanded disk memory for DVR and optional display and touch keys and processing power designed to support gaming, advanced interactive applications and browser options, as well as space for a user installable disk/memory module to expand the DVR capacity, the news release said. Moto also said it had expanded its line of Microsoft Mediaroom set-tops to include ultra-low power units and to add wireless capability so the unit can be moved throughout a residence and supplied by the home's Wi-Fi system. Closer to home—if home is the United States--Verizon (NYSE: VZ) said it would use Motorola Mobility as a DRM supplier to secure its FiOS Flex View multi-screen TV Everywhere play. For more:
- see this news release
- and this story Related articles:
Google said to be preparing to sell off Motorola Home unit
UTStarcom bids adieu to IPTV equipment; Informir adds new boxes
AT&T adds free wireless receiver to some U-verse bundles Read more about: Motorola Mobility
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5. Dune HD, MWare partner up to optimize IPTV expertise
Following the old adage that two heads--or in this case companies--are better than one, set-top box maker Dune HD and end-to-end IPTV platform provider MWare are bringing both ends of their equation together for the benefit of IPTV content providers and operators, the two companies said in a news release. The partnership was announced at IBC 2012 in Amsterdam, where the two companies said the platform will deliver "a simple, flexible and scalable solution that makes it easy to provide multiscreen content." "Providers just want to get content out to their customers, without having to worry about technical complexity," MWare CEO Sander Kerstens said in the news release. "Our approach makes content delivery simple by partnering with leading vendors such as Dune HD and wrapping their technology into a single, flexible solution designed to fit the content provider's individual needs." The partnership is part of a "new global strategy" Dune HD is pursuing to get its products out in front of a worldwide audience. These products include entry-level IPTV players as well as middle- and high-level models that also support Blu-ray and digital TV, which Dune HD defines as satellite/cable TV. What Dune HD doesn't have is the end-to-end capability that MWare brings to the party, said Dune HD CEO Konstantin Dyshlevoy. "[C]ontent providers have the perfect opportunity to reach a growing audience, monetise their programming and build successful businesses. However to achieve this they need to work with providers that deliver an end-to-end solution that is tailored to their requirements," he said in the news release. "[O]ur partnership with MWare makes content delivery seamless--from studio to living room, whatever device they want to watch on." For more:
- see the Dune HD news release Related articles:
Motorola pushes IPTV set-tops, peripherals at IBC 2012
Long-awaited Horizon gateway set for launch this week Read more about: Dune HD, MWare
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Also Noted
SPOTLIGHT ON... Former Insight founders set to lead new venture Penthera Partners Insight Communications' co-founders Michael Willner and Sidney Knafel are back in the saddle, six months after the cable MSO was acquired by Time Warner Cable (NYSE: TWC) for $3 billion. The pair are investing in and leading new media technology venture Penthera Partners, with Willner becoming CEO and Knafel serving as vice chairman. Penthera is a little different than a cable company. It's a privately held software firm that has developed a patented software engine to efficiently move HD video between the cloud and smartphones, tablets and IP-enabled set-top boxes. Willner, who was CEO at Insight, will "guide Penthera as CEO through the next phase in its evolution," a news release said. Article More news from across the World Wide Web: > Cloud-based streaming technology vendor Octoshape and video software specialist Axel Technologies used IBC 2012 to announce a partnership to create a multi-screen video platform. Story > Traditional cable TV vendor Toner Cable showcased IPTV video encoders at the Amsterdam-based IBC 2012. Story > Regional Minnesota telco Integra Telecom is rolling out IPTV services using Innovative Systems' middleware platform. Story > The Open IPTV Forum (OIPF) and Hybrid Broadcast Broadband TV Consortium (HbbTV) are working together to test technologies "common to IPTV and enhanced broadcast environments." Story > QuickPlay has added enhanced support for the Microsoft Mediaroom IPTV platform to extend multiscreen services to iOS. Story And finally… The days are counting down fast to the end of Italy's Fastweb IPTV service, which will close its doors Nov. 5. Story > The 1000x challenge; More Spectrum - How, how much and from where? - Tuesday, September 18th, 12pm ET / 9am PT In our quest for solutions to the 1000x mobile data challenge, the next stop is to explore options for more spectrum. Join us to understand where you can get more of it, at which bands and what innovative methods are needed to unlock it. Register Today!
| > 2012 FTTH Conference & Expo - September 23-27 - Dallas, TX The future of unlimited innovation in commerce, education, entertainment and health care –made possible by virtually unlimited bandwidth – is finally here and now. Come be a part of it at the 2012 FTTH Conference & Expo. Hear from FTTH industry leaders, see and experience the latest fiber access technologies and learn from the companies and service providers that are building the ultra-fast networks of tomorrow. More than 2000 decision makers will gather in Dallas for the latest developments in FTTH products, solutions, technology and best practices in the industry - 35 track sessions, panels, keynotes and 130 exhibitors in the most comprehensive EXPO in the industry. Learn more. > ITEXPO 2012 - October 2-5 - Austin, TX The world's largest communications & tech event - discover more new insights, new products and networking to keep you and your company ahead of the curve. Join industry powerhouses for a week of business-building and researching today’s most powerful communications solutions. Register today. > TelcoTV 2012 - October 24-26 - Las Vegas, NV TelcoTV 2012 is devoted to telecom service providers and their development of profitable video services. Its unique program attracts more than 2,000 attendees, including telcos, OTT video providers, content and technology companies all focused on multi-screen video services and next-gen broadband applications. Register Today! FierceBroadWireless and FierceIPTV Customers Save $300. Enter Priority Code TTV12FIERCE to get your discount. > Content and Communications World (CCW) - November 14-15 - New York, NY Thousands of attendees and exhibitors alike participate in the ever-changing conversation surrounding content creation, management and distribution/delivery. Join them! Register today with VIP Code CCEY8 to receive your free pass!
| > Research: LTE: a real disruptive technology and business opportunity? WiTech's latest Report "LTE: a disruptive technology and business opportunity" presents an in-depth analysis about the promising technology LTE by taking into account not only technology aspects but also business aspects. It points out the key drivers that are continuously changing the Telecom Market. Download this report today! > Whitepaper: Online Video Publishing Buying Tips Technology in the online video publishing industry is changing quickly and figuring out which features you need and don't need can be challenging. Help your solution grow by reading this checklist of the top 10 things you must consider before buying an online video platform. Download now. > Whitepaper: How to Master the Art of Content Marketing "How to Master the Art of Content Marketing" discusses how to create a sustainable content marketing program with the flexibility to adjust to changing market dynamics. Gain the keys to excite audiences and drive business results. Download Now. > Whitepaper: Leveraging Website Marketing: Top 10 Website Solution Capabilities In this report you will learn how today's WCM platforms are fusing the best marketing automation practices with content management, allowing marketers to leverage content in new and innovative ways. Discover 10 of the top capabilities you should be considering for your website. Download Now. > EBook: Unified Communications, Where it is, Where it's Going This eBook from FierceEnterpriseCommunications will provide an update on the various facets of Unified Communications, look at how premise-based versus hosted solutions measure up, and include a look at what's expected to come down the road. Download for free today! > Whitepaper: Improving Content Publishing Workflow Efficiency for Multi-Device Delivery Discover how choosing a solution to provide multi-screen delivery of your content can have a major impact on the efficiency of your publishing workflow and bottom line. Download Now. > Whitepaper: Case Study: 4G Operator Maximizes Revenue with Flexibile, and Discovery-driven Audit Capabilities A US 4G operator was perfectly suited to handle the predicted annual doubling of global mobile data traffic. But as the company faced exponential subscriber and network usage growth, they realized they needed to better monitor that usage. Learn how this US 4G operator realized 13x ROI for its retail business in the first six months. Download Today! > EBook: The New Data Center In this FierceTelecom eBook we'll discuss the strategies service providers are taking to build a sustainable and profitable data center business. To read more click here to download. > EBook: Finding New Gold in Copper This eBook from FierceTelecom will explore the ever-changing dynamics of service providers' copper networks and how they are using these new technologies to deliver a wider set of services to consumers and businesses. Download for free today.
| > Public Safety DAS Engineer - Houston, TX - Connectivity Wireless Solutions Connectivity Wireless Solutions delivers best in class consulting, engineering, project management, installation, and staffing services to wireless carrier and enterprise customers. The Public Safety DAS Engineer is tasked with collecting and analyzing RF data typically with tools such as test phones and needs analysis equipment such as ZK Celltest and spectrum analyzers. Learn More! > Project Manager - Washington, D.C. – IT WORKS! IT WORKS! is looking for mid-level, hands on professional with a balanced mix of technology and project management experience to support the development and implementation of a Wi-Fi project within a transportation environment in the Northeast United States. Learn more! > Project Coordinator Job - Parsippany-Troy Hills, NJ, USA – Yoh Yoh has a contract opportunity for a Project Coordinator to join our client located in Parsippany, NJ. The Project Coordinator is needed for a multi-department project. Primary functions include support of Project Manager by maintaining document control and tracking project activities within project timelines. Excellent computer skills are desired...Learn more. > Project / Construction Coordinator Job - St. Louis, MO, USA – Yoh Yoh has a contract opportunity for a Project / Construction Coordinator to join our client Located in St. Louis, MO. This role will work in cooperation with the Project Manager in Coordinating and managing construction schedules, providing Job in progress and QC / QA Reports. One to two years of experience in wireless telecom construction, equipment installation, testing and field operations preferred...Learn more. > Telecommunications Project Coordinator Job - Overland Park, KS, USA – Yoh Yoh has a contract opportunity for a Project Coordinator to join our client in Overland Park, KS. Job Responsibilities include creating and maintaining program/project reports as well as supporting ad-hoc reporting requests of multiple organizations. Must have previous telecommunications experience...Learn more. > Network Test Engineer Job - Overland Park, KS, USA – Yoh Network Implementation Test Engineer (mid shift) will work remotely with field personnel to conduct hardware and software testing and upgrades on customer Wireless Network. The engineer will follow proven methods of procedures to ensure implementation work does not negatively affect our customers. Candidate must be proficient with UNIX and the use of text editors...Learn more. > Need a job? Need to hire? Visit FierceWirelessJobs | ©2012 FierceMarkets This email was sent to ignoble.experiment@arconati.us as part of the FierceIPTV email list which is administered by FierceMarkets, 1900 L Street NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20036, (202) 628-8778.
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