| 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. Cablevision, Bright House, WOW, Cox top phone customer satisfaction survey
2. Frontier to target cable subscribers impacted by outages and price hikes
3. Angelakis: Comcast would support competing user interfaces
4. Time Warner names Plepler new HBO CEO; Bill Nelson to retire
5. Broadband provider OpenBand denied franchise renewal in Virginia Also Noted: Qualcomm
Spotlight On... Will FCC ruling spark cable-CLEC deals?
Comcast hires Dungy to pitch Internet Essentials; Shaw launches TV Everywhere service and much more...  Follow @FierceCable on Twitter!
News From the Fierce Network:
1. AT&T connection glitch blamed for CenturyLink phone outages in Alabama
2. Verizon's Shammo: We have enough spectrum for 4-5 years
3. Forecast: Apple's iOS 6 launch could boost App Store revenues to $5B
| This week's sponsor is Acme Packet. | 
| 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! |
| Sponsor: Akamai FierceLive! Webinars > Telco-OTT: the Good, the Fast and the Nimble - Thursday, September 27, 11am ET / 8am PT
> The 1000x challenge; Small cells everywhere! - Wednesday, October 17, 12pm ET / 9am PT
Events > Fierce Innovation Awards 2012 - An Operator- Reviewed Awards Program From the Publishers of FierceWireless, FierceTelecom, FierceCable
> Video World Conference & Expo 2012 - October 3-5 - Austin, TX
> TVNEXT - October 10-11 - Santa Clara, CA
> CTAM Summit & CTAM Insights Conferences - October 14-16 - Orlando, FL
> 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
> Whitepaper: Rethink IP/Optical Core Management
> EBook: The New Data Center
> EBook: Finding New Gold in Copper
> Whitepaper: Kabel Deutschland Uses Lavastorm Analytics' Flexibility to Optimize Revenue Assurance and Fraud Management Processes
Jobs > Project Manager Job - Charlotte, NC, USA – Yoh
> Wireless Project Manager Job - Cerritos, CA, USA – Yoh
> Field Technicians (5) Job - Melbourne, FL, USA – Yoh
> Field Technician (CDMA and LTE experience preferred) Job - Plano, TX, USA – Yoh
* Post a classified ad: Click here.
* General ad info: Click here | Today's Top News 1. Cablevision, Bright House, WOW, Cox top phone customer satisfaction survey
Cable operators dominated incumbent telcos in J.D. Power's latest residential telephone customer satisfaction survey, which ranked Cablevision (NYSE: CVC), Bright House Networks, WideOpenWest and Cox Communications as the top regional providers. Cablevision's Optimum Voice was the top phone service in the East Region, scoring 706 points on a 1,000-point scale. It was followed by Verizon (NYSE: VZ), which scored 692 points, AT&T (NYSE: T) (679); Cox Communications (676); Time Warner Cable (NYSE: TWC) (669); Comcast (Nasdaq: CMCSA) (661); and Frontier Communications (Nasdaq: FTR) (660). Bright House led the South Region, scoring 728 points. It was followed by Verizon (704); Cox (695); AT&T (692); Windstream (692); Charter Communications (Nasdaq: CHTR) (667); Time Warner Cable (666); and CenturyLink (NYSE: CTL) (665). WOW was the top telephone provider in the North Central region, scoring 732 points. It was followed by Cincinnati Bell (698); AT&T (680); Comcast (680); Time Warner Cable (662); CenturyLink (659); and Charter (659). Cox won the West Region, with 704 points. It was followed by Comcast (689); Verizon (683); Time Warner Cable (673); AT&T (670); CenturyLink (668); and Charter (651). J.D. Power said the study measures overall satisfaction, performance and reliability, cost of service, billing, offerings and promotions and customer service. The company said it found that younger consumers are more likely to switch providers compared to older phone customers. For more:
- see the release Related articles:
Cox, Cablevision top Verizon and AT&T in J.D. Power commercial high-speed Internet survey
Consumer Reports: WOW, Verizon are best triple-play providers
AT&T, DirecTV beat cable in J.D. Power pay TV customer satisfaction survey Read more about: Cincinnati Bell, Windstream
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| This week's sponsor is Akamai. |  | "Shifting Performance Strategies and Solutions for Mobile and Web Delivery" Discover ways to improve web and mobile performance with less cost and complexity in this new independent study commissioned by Forrester Consulting. Download Now.
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2. Frontier to target cable subscribers impacted by outages and price hikes
Frontier Communications (Nasdaq: FTR) is looking to grow its high-speed Internet business by targeting cable subscribers in areas impacted by service outages and rate hikes, president and COO Dan McCarthy said at the Goldman Sachs Communacopia conference Thursday. The rural telco, whose chief cable rivals are Comcast (Nasdaq: CMCSA), Time Warner Cable (NYSE: TWC) and Charter Communications (Nasdaq: CHTR), will look for surgical marketing opportunities, McCarthy said. "People don't wake up every day, and say, 'I want to switch broadband providers.' It's really about finding what is that lever to pull. Sometimes it's a message at a key point--it could be during an outage, it could be during change of prices for them. It could be there are some substandard speeds that are being offered," McCarthy said. "We are looking at what is the right mix of messaging and promotional offers that really allow us to do that. I think you'll see us be pretty aggressive in that area," he added. Frontier has struggled with large outages itself this year. The company disclosed in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing on Thursday that 277 of its central offices in West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Indiana and the Carolinas were impacted by storms in June and early July, forcing it to buy 203,000 generators and replace 167,000 feet of cable. Frontier said its incremental overtime and contractor costs in the third quarter are expected to increase by $15 million compared to the second quarter. Frontier offers subscribers on systems that it acquired from Verizon (NYSE: VZ) FiOS TV, and it resells Dish Network (Nasdaq: DISH) programming. It also began selling a standalone DSL service in the second quarter called Simply Broadband. "We are seeing success in attracting and retaining customers with this product and it is having a positive impact on our Q3 residential customer counts," Frontier said in the SEC filing. For more:
- see the SEC filing Related articles:
Frontier loses 7K FiOS subs in Q2 2012, reports strong sales of Dish's Hopper DVR
Frontier insists it won't drop FiOS; rural telco offers bundled discounts
Frontier increases broadband speeds in Ohio Read more about: Comcast
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3. Angelakis: Comcast would support competing user interfaces
While Comcast (Nasdaq: CMCSA) is focused on expanding the rollout of its new Xfinity X1 user interface, the MSO is open to partnering with technology providers to offer subscribers other options to navigate video programming, CFO Michael Angelakis said Wednesday at a Goldman Sachs investor conference.  | | Angelakis (Image source: Comcast) | When asked about the idea of letting subscribers access competing TV user interfaces from a company such as Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL), Angelakis said, "To the extent that a partner or somebody comes in with an interface option that can build upon that experience, we're open to those discussions." But Comcast will continue to invest in improving its own user interface, Angelakis emphasized. "I don't think we can depend on anyone else to provide a great experience to our customers," he said at the Goldman Sachs Communacopia conference in New York. Time Warner Cable (NYSE: TWC) CEO Glenn Britt said recently that the MSO would support competing user interfaces, as long as subscribers continued to pay for subscription video programming. "I don't think we have a difference of opinion as compared to some of our peers," Angelakis said when asked about Time Warner Cable's user interface strategy. He also noted that Comcast already allows subscribers to use Microsoft's (Nasdaq: MSFT) Xbox 360 to access cable programming, and how the MSO has built apps for Apple and Google (Nasdaq: GOOG) Android mobile devices. Comcast recently launched X1--a cloud-based interactive program guide that lets subscribers access apps for Facebook, Twitter and Pandora Internet Radio--in Boston and Atlanta. The product runs on home video gateways that Pace (LSE: PIC) supplies to Comcast. Angelakis said Comcast plans to launch X1 in five additional markets by the end of the year, and that the company is still putting together a rollout schedule for 2013. He said that Comcast hopes to share data on how X1 has impacted its video business within the next six months. "There is constant innovation on that product," he added. Related articles:
Comcast launches X1 in Atlanta; reports 65% increase in Q2 cable self-installs
Comcast Cable CEO Smit offers sneak peek at X1 service
Comcast unveils Project Dayview, aims X1 at Boston
Reviewer unimpressed with Comcast's Xfinity X1 service
Comcast, Shazam offer glimpse at future Read more about: X1
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4. Time Warner names Plepler new HBO CEO; Bill Nelson to retire
Time Warner (NYSE: TWX) said Thursday that 20-year HBO veteran Richard Plepler will take over as CEO of the top premium cable network at the end of the year, following the retirement of current chief Bill Nelson. Plepler, who joined HBO in 1992 has senior VP of corporate communications, had been co-president since 2007. Time Warner said that Eric Kessler, who is also co-president, will serve as president and COO. Michael Lombardo will remain president of programming. "The company will not miss a step with the new team, which has the combination of talent and experience to drive HBO to new heights of creative excellence, innovation, and financial performance," Time Warner CEO Jeff Bewkes said in a statement. While HBO remains the most popular premium cable network, it faces increased competition from Showtime, Starz and online video providers such as Netflix (Nasdaq: NFLX). The network has seen increased demand for its HBO Go app, and faces increased pressure from consumer groups to offer the TV Everywhere service as a standalone product. For more:
- see the release Related articles:
HBO subscriber losses pressure cable, satellite affiliates
Time Warner CEO Bewkes pushes cable ops to let subs watch HBO Go through Roku, connected TVs
Netflix outbids HBO for Dreamworks content
Time Warner Cable to support HBO on Roku, Xbox and Samsung TVs
HBO to sell 'True Blood' beauty products on HSN; AT&T pays dividend Read more about: Time Warner
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5. Broadband provider OpenBand denied franchise renewal in Virginia
For the second time, a Loudoun County, Va., board of supervisors has denied a franchise agreement between the county and Dulles-based broadband telecommunications provider OpenBand. A previous board rejected an earlier version of the proposed agreement in November only to have it resubmitted to--and rejected by--the current board in a 5-3-1 vote this week. "One of the things that we as a board have to look at is, is it in the best interest of our citizens?" said Supervisor Ralph Buona in a Washington Post story. Since OpenBand is embroiled in two lawsuits with county homeowners' associations, "I just can't reconcile that being in the interest of our constituents," he said. The situation with OpenBand, which provides triple play services in several county communities including Lansdowne and Southern Walk, has gone litigious in the past year. Homeowners' associations representing Southern Walk at Broadlands and Lansdowne on the Potomac filed federal complaints stating that "exclusive property easements established in contracts between OpenBand and the communities' developers had effectively resulted in a monopoly" and that competing cable service providers Comcast (Nasdaq: CMCSA) and Verizon (NYSE: VZ) were unable to access the neighborhoods. The U.S. District Court dismissed the Southern Walk complaint with prejudice in February; Lansdowne got a July ruling that the terms of OpenBand's agreement were "in violation of the Federal Communication Commission's exclusivity order," the Post story said. Both cases will be reviewed by the 4th Circuit Appeals Court in the coming months, the newspaper said. Buona and Supervisor Shawn Williams have held meetings with OpenBand in the past to try to hash out a new agreement, but apparently things didn't work out since they both voted against a new deal, the Loudoun Times reported. Supervisor Matt Letourneau, who voted to approve the franchise, said his decision was based on a belief that the county board should not interfere in a dispute between two private entities (the homeowners' associations and OpenBand), further adding he believed rejection would lead to more litigation. OpenBand, which did not provide comment for either story, has been providing triple play services under a transition period outlined in a previous franchise agreement that expired in June 2009. For more:
- the Washington Post has this story
- the Loudoun Times has this story Related articles:
Philadelphia claims Verizon hasn't lived up to its FiOS agreement
Supreme Court decline to review Texas franchise dispute Read more about: Loudoun County
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Also Noted | This week's sponsor is Qualcomm. |  | Webinar: The 1000x challenge; Small cells everywhere!
Wednesday, October 17th, 12pm ET / 9am PT To solve the 1000x mobile data challenge, we need more small cells, actually, much more, and everywhere - But, isn't interference a limiting factor? How dense can we deploy them? What are the future enhancements that takes HetNets to the next level? Find out the answers at this Qualcomm webinar. Register Today! |
SPOTLIGHT ON... Will FCC ruling spark cable-CLEC deals?  In today's spotlight, FierceTelecom managing editor Samantha Bookman takes a look at the impact that the FCC's decision to allow cable operators to buy competitive local exchange carriers could have on the industry. Comcast (Nasdaq: CMCSA) has already demonstrated its interest in using CLECs to grow its commercial business through its acquisitions of New Global Telecom and Cimco. "Given its ability to suck up companies of just about any size--its NBCUniversal merger, for example, in which it gained major traction in the content provider space--its next acquisition moves may be interesting in terms of size and scope," Bookman writes. Read more
Cable industry news from across the web: > Comcast signed former Indianapolis Colts head coach Tony Dungy to be the national spokesman for its Internet Essentials broadband access program for low-income homes. News release > Canadian MSO Shaw Communications launched a TV Everywhere service called Shaw Go. News release >The Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers said it formed working group focused on recycling that will be headed by Colt Recycling VP of sales and marketing Peter Muscanelli. News release And finally … GSN named former Zynga and EA executive Jeff Karp EVP of mobile and social games. News release > 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! > The 1000x challenge; Small cells everywhere! - Wednesday, October 17, 12pm ET / 9am PT To solve the 1000x mobile data challenge, we need more small cells, actually, much more, and everywhere - But, isn't interference a limiting factor? How dense can we deploy them? What are the future enhancements that takes HetNets to the next level? Find out the answers at this Qualcomm webinar. Register Today!
| > Fierce Innovation Awards 2012 - An Operator- Reviewed Awards Program From the Publishers of FierceWireless, FierceTelecom, FierceCable This program is designed to recognize the innovative companies and products that are defining the future of the broadband communications industry. Submissions will be judged based on effective application of and performance in networks, innovative approach, and contribution to revenue & profitability. Submit your application today! > Video World Conference & Expo 2012 - October 3-5 - Austin, TX The first-of-its-kind event focuses on the identification of opportunities, creation of strategies and monetization of new & enhanced video products for business & consumers. We’ve assembled the best & brightest industry minds to provide attendees the knowledge to boost their video IQ. Register now. > TVNEXT - October 10-11 - Santa Clara, CA Social TV, TV Apps, Cloud TV, Broadband TV, and more... It's all part of the re-imagining of TV happening only at the 6th annual TVNEXT in October. Hear from over 50 top-notch speakers and networks with hundreds of the "who's-who" in the TV and entertainment industry. Learn more! > CTAM Summit & CTAM Insights Conferences - October 14-16 - Orlando, FL Discover what consumers crave with speakers from Trendrr, Zoove & Hill Holliday. Additional Speakers: Deepak Chopra, Lionsgate CEO Jon Feltheimer and NBC’s David Gregory. Additional Topics: Second Screen TV apps, Mobile Marketing and Amazing Sensory Research Tools. Register for one conference and access both! Register Today and bring a colleague at $595 Guest Rate! > 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! > Whitepaper: Rethink IP/Optical Core Management Are You Ready to Rethink Your Network With the Alcatel-Lucent 1830 Photonic Service Switch? It's time to integrate the IP and optical layers of your network infrastructure and ensure optimal efficiency. Learn more about how you can rethink IP/Optical core management by downloading our whitepaper. > 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. > Whitepaper: Kabel Deutschland Uses Lavastorm Analytics' Flexibility to Optimize Revenue Assurance and Fraud Management Processes Learn how Kabel Deutschland achieved quantifiable ROI in less than one year, accelerated detection of fraudulent activity by more than 2000 percent, and improved customer satisfaction. Download this case study today.
| > Project Manager Job - Charlotte, NC, USA – Yoh Yoh has a contract opportunity for a Project Manager to join our client in Charlotte, NC 28217. The Senior Project Manager is responsible for planning and managing medium to large sized application development projects. Six (6) years of previous experience with technical applications and/or information systems (or equivalent) required...Learn more. > Wireless Project Manager Job - Cerritos, CA, USA – Yoh Yoh has a one (1) year full time contract opportunity for a Wireless Project Manager to join a large telecom client located in the Los Angeles CA area (Cerritos CA). Responsibilities include managing project completions (LTE, UMTS, NSB, and all other modifications) from issuance of work order to turn up including finance and timeline forecasts. The ideal candidate will have strong organizational and communication skills, be able to work independently and be able to work on scheduling and reporting...Learn more. > Field Technicians (5) Job - Melbourne, FL, USA – Yoh Yoh has five (5) month contract opportunities for five (5) Field Technicians to join our client in Melbourne, FL. This job will involve going out to sea and working on the Royal Caribbean Cruise Ships 2-3 weeks out of a month. Our client is an international communications and information technology company serving government and commercial markets in more than 150 countries. Minimum two (2) years' experience with VSAT systems required...Learn more. > Field Technician (CDMA and LTE experience preferred) Job - Plano, TX, USA – Yoh Yoh has a contract opportunity for a Field Technician (CDMA and LTE experience preferred) to join our client in Plano, TX. Responsibilities include developing proficiency in primary skills of customer relations, basic electricity, basic electronics, basic telephony, radio principles for CDMA, LTE and iDEN, and basic principles of digital transmission, fiber communication, data communication, telephony terminology, industry standards, and on-line network control/maintenance systems. Must be able to multi-task and maintain composure in stressful and demanding work environment...Learn more. | |
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