| This week's sponsors are Digitalsmiths, QuickPlay Media, and SeaChange. |  | eBook: Future of Multiscreen Programming This eBook from FierceCable will examine multiscreen programming hardware and software solutions being deployed by major cable MSOs, and take a look at some of the advanced services distributors can offer subscribers. Download for free today. |
Today's Top Stories
1. Set-tops will become extinct, Time Warner Cable CEO Britt says
2. Powell: Cable is on cusp of innovation that will revolutionize the industry
3. Westlake: Microsoft negotiating more deals with multichannel providers for Xbox
4. A look at advanced guides from Cablevision, DirecTV, AT&T, and the future of channel surfing
5. Willner: Pay-TV distributors will let subscribers transfer programming from DVRs to tablets, smartphones Editor's Corner: FierceCable: The Best of 2012 Also Noted: F5
Spotlight On...  Top 10 connected TV interfaces: Do Apple, Google, Microsoft make the cut?
Top cable marketing stories of 2012 and much more...  Follow @FierceCable on Twitter!
| This week's sponsor is Kontron. | 
| Webinar: Growth for Network Equipment Providers in challenging economic times
Thursday, December 13, 2pm ET / 11am PT
As compute platforms evolve in core and edge networks, there is still a need to optimize processing hardware and software solutions for end-to-end communications. The webinar will discuss how NEPs can continue to grow revenue in challenging economic times. Register today! |
| 
FierceCable: The Best of 2012
 We've included some of our top interviews, columns and news stories in this FierceCable Best of 2012 issue.
It's been a wild year for the cable industry, with new products ranging from connected TVs to tablet computers changing the way subscribers view programming. Fierce competition has prompted cable operators to step up their marketing efforts, and we've included some unique ad campaigns in this issue. Pay TV providers are also investing more in research and development--we've included some of our favorite stories about innovative patent applications in this report. We hope you enjoy this special issue of FierceCable. –Steve Read more about: best of 2012
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| Sponsor: Acme Packet FierceLive! Webinars > Why Situational Performance is a Key to Delivering High Quality Mobile Web Experiences - Tuesday, November 27th, 2pm ET / 11am PT
> Webinar: RCS Simplified: Home-Grown and Hosting Models Wednesday, November 28, 3 pm GMT / 10 am ET / 7 am PT
> The 1000x challenge: Can the whole be more than sum of its parts? - Wednesday, December 5th - 12pm ET / 9am PT
> Seamless IPv6 Migration: Carrier-grade NAT & Beyond - December 11, 2pm ET / 11am PT
> Growth for Network Equipment Providers in challenging economic times - Thursday, December 13, 2pm ET / 11am PT
Events > Fierce Innovation Awards 2012 Live Announcement of this Year's Winners - Now Available On-Demand
Marketplace > Shifting Performance Strategies and Solutions for Mobile and Web Experience
> Whitepaper: Getting to the Carrier-Grade Cloud on Time
> Whitepaper: Learn more about your Network and Customers with Strategic Analytics
> Whitepaper: BYOD: A Global Perspective
> Free White Paper: 802.11ac Technology Introduction
> Research: M-commerce in the UK 2012 | Verdict Channel Reports
> Research: Software: Global Industry Guide
> Research: Enterprise Applications Market Forecast in the US to 2014
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* General ad info: Click here | Today's Top News 1. Set-tops will become extinct, Time Warner Cable CEO Britt says
BOSTON--Cable set-tops will become extinct, and eventually be replaced by smart TVs and other IP-connected devices such as gaming consoles, Time Warner Cable CEO Glenn Britt told attendees at the opening session here at The Cable Show. Asked by CNN anchor and panel moderator Erin Burnett if set-tops would "go the way of the dodo bird, Britt said: "Yes--although people from [set-top vendors] Cisco and Motorola [Mobility] probably don't want to hear that." Britt said CE devices will allow the cable industry to offer subscribers a better user interface than those that it could offer through digital cable set-tops. Time Warner Cable announced last week that it was beginning to allow subscribers to access some programming from their cable subscriptions through connected TVs from Samsung and Roku's over-the-top video set-top. The cable industry's "video platform worked well for a long time, but it's somewhat archaic. Few people can write software to it," Britt said. AOL CEO Tim Armstrong and Discovery Communications CEO David Zaslav joined Britt on a panel during the opening general session here at The Cable Show. Armstrong said new technology and distribution platforms create opportunities for programmers and content owners to develop brands that could reach viewers on TV, the Web and mobile devices. "It seems pretty clear there's a massive opportunity for people to come up with different formats, new formats, and also mix in mobile from a platform standpoint," Armstrong said. TV Everywhere distribution was another key topic of debate on the panel. Zaslav said he supports the idea of TVE distribution, where cable operators and programmers allow authenticated subscribers to access content from their cable TV subscriptions on the Web and mobile devices. "Somebody is going to come over the top," Zaslav said, noting that cable operators, through their relationships with subscribers, are positioned well to offer multiplatform content. But Britt suggested that programmers and operators still don't see eye-to-eye on how multiplatform distribution terms should be accounted for in carriage deals that networks strike with MSOs. Britt and Zaslav were also critical of the idea of Dish's Hopper multiroom DVR, which allows subscribers to automatically remove all commercials from primetime programming from the Big Four broadcast networks, with Britt noting that both advertising and subscription revenue are essential for the industry. "I don't think we want to destroy one of those revenue streams," Britt said. Related articles:
Time Warner Cable to support HBO on Roku, Xbox and Samsung TVs
Dish Network uses Auto Hop commercial skipper to distinguish its DVR
DirecTV CEO disses Dish's Hopper, Verizon-cable deals
Comcast finds way to deliver ads to subscribers who skip commercials on DVR Read more about: Time Warner Cable, Dish Network, Discovery Communications, The Cable Show
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| This week's sponsor is Acme Packet. | 
| Webinar: RCS Simplified: Home-Grown and Hosting Models
Wednesday, November 28, 3 pm GMT / 10 am ET / 7 am PT
Acme Packet and Vodafone will outline options that meet RCS market requirements and leverage operator strengths, including simplified IMS, hosting and cloud models, key service delivery requirements and much more! Register today! |
2. Powell: Cable is on cusp of innovation that will revolutionize the industry
FierceCable caught up with the National Cable & Telecommunications Association's president and CEO, Michael Powell, as he was writing a speech that he delivered at the opening of The Cable Show convention in Boston in May 2012. The former FCC chairman talks about NCTA's strategy in inviting executives from outside companies such as Netflix, Verizon and Google to the confab, and weighs in on topics ranging from broadband usage caps to debate about TV Everywhere content distribution.  | | Powell | FierceCable: The cable industry is finally growing basic video subscribers. Charter and Cablevision increased video subscribers during the first quarter, and your other members reduced basic subscriber losses and gained broadband customers. Does that give you some momentum heading into the convention, and will it reduce talk about cord cutting? Michael Powell: It definitely increases momentum. I think the industry has a sense of excitement about their continuing success. It's sometimes forgotten that for over a decade the industry was investing heavily and heavily borrowing into debt and having its stocks get hammered mercilessly. The investment community wasn't sure if that bet was going to pay off. I do think we're starting to have a moment where we seem to be emerging from that long period of sowing those seeds, and are starting to enjoy some of the benefits of it both in the television side and on the broadband side. We should never forget that there was a long period of doubt about whether that would be the case, but that it's emerging and it's proving to be a very successful story. Does it kill the debate about cord cutting? Probably not in and of itself, but facts do matter. Sometimes I think the stories are substantially more exaggerated than the facts support, but that's something that gets evaluated every quarter. I do think our companies are very focused because of the competition that potentially those alternatives provide and have been working very hard to improve customer satisfaction, customer value, so that they lose fewer subscriptions. During the worst recession in the history of the United States the industry really maintains fairly good subscriber numbers which to me demonstrates that the average American cable subscriber still finds a really good return on their entertainment dollar for the service they're buying. FC: Executives from Netflix and Verizon Wireless will speak at The Cable Show. Will NCTA continue to recruit speakers from companies that have traditionally been cable competitors? MP: My strong view is these are great companies with great innovators and entrepreneurs, and that we can learn a lot from them and I believe they can learn a lot from us. I think these shows to have value shouldn't be big convocations where you talk to yourself. I think they're more constructive if we are talking to a whole range of people who are participating in the ecosystem. I can tell you we went out of our way to make a point of trying to invite and encourage visitors from industries who have not traditionally come to the show. We will have a big team from Netflix there. We will have people from Google TV, we will have people from Verizon, we will have people from Microsoft, from AOL. I can tell you that is a conscious choice on our part, a desire to invigorate the show with greater amount of exchange. I think it's going to be very successful. We're very happy that we've secured a pretty good group who will be walking the floor and appearing on our sessions. FC: What do you think is going to generate the most buzz at The Cable Show this year--either topics on the panel sessions or technology on the show floor? MP: I think you'll see a couple of things.  Click here to continue reading this Hot Seat Interview with Michael Powell.
Read more about: Ncta, The Cable Show
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3. Westlake: Microsoft negotiating more deals with multichannel providers for Xbox
Blair Westlake, Corporate Vice President, Microsoft Media & Entertainment Group
 | | Westlake | Microsoft is beginning to allow millions TV viewers with an Xbox gaming console to use its Kinect cameras' voice and motion controls to interact with both programming and advertising. Comcast, Verizon and AT&T offer subscribers apps that can deliver live programming to the Xbox, and Microsoft says it is talking to other multichannel providers about offering subscribers similar apps. FierceCable caught up recently with Blair Westlake, who oversees the software giant's talks with distributors, programmers and advertisers as corporate VP of Microsoft's Media & Entertainment Group. Westlake discusses Microsoft's Xbox strategy, and explains how programmers such as Children's Television Workshop are using the Xbox to offer viewers an interactive version of Sesame Street. FierceCable: You've announced Xbox apps with Comcast and Verizon FiOS. Are there other pay TV providers that you would expect to launch Xbox apps soon? Blair Westlake: We offer through AT&T U-verse as well. The first three in terms of sequential players to get involved with this on the MVPD [multichannel video programming distributor] side were BSkyB, Canal Plus and Foxtel in Australia. It hasn't been limited to the U.S. There are a number of other MVPDs that we are in discussions with. Each has a different idea on how they want to do it. Where they're lighting up TV Everywhere – each is doing it not too dissimilar, but certainly not in the same fashion. FC: Could you explain some of the rights issues that Microsoft and the MSOs face in distributing video through the Xbox? Verizon is only offering about 20 networks that you can access through the Xbox app. BW: It's actually 26. That number is going to be growing over the course of this year. In the case of MVPD apps, the rights are between the MVPD and the programmer. Click here to continue reading this Hot Seat Interview with Blair Westlake. Read more about: AT&T, Xbox
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4. A look at advanced guides from Cablevision, DirecTV, AT&T, and the future of channel surfing
It's already been a big month for advancements in interactive program guides, with the debut of AT&T's voice activated U-verse remote control and the rollout of Cablevision's cloud-based Optimum Program Guide in Long Island. DirecTV may raise the bar this week with the launch of Genie, a DVR that recommends TV shows and movies to subscribers based on their viewing habits. For years, cable operators and satellite TV providers focused on the quality of HD video or the pricing of their programming packages to win subscribers. With viewers finding it difficult to sort through thousands of live and video-on-demand programming choices, we're beginning to see more multichannel providers tout advanced program guides as a competitive differentiator. The latest IPGs integrate recommendation engines that suggest titles to viewers based on their viewing habits and recommendations from friends, and can respond to voice or gesture controls. Cablevision has come a long way since the 1980s, when it didn't offer subscribers remote controls. I grew up in Northern New Jersey, and my family subscribed to Cablevision. Instead of using a remote control, we had to press buttons on the clunky Jerrold cable box that was connected to a converter behind the TV in order to change channels. There was no interactive program guide available to search for TV shows and movies. The only way to find out what was on TV was to check out Cablevision's channel 14, which displayed a passive, scrolling guide of listings. Or you could pick up a newspaper. Today, Cablevision, like most major pay TV providers, offers subscribers apps for smartphones and tablets such as Apple's (Nasdaq: AAPL) iPad that subscribers can use to channel surf. The Optimum Program Guide that Cablevision began rolling out last week uses an interface that is similar to guides that it has developed for mobile devices, PCs and Macs. It lets subscribers store their favorite VOD programs in an archive, and rate TV shows. It also recommends titles to subscribers who can browse 30 days of TV listings that are stored on cloud-based servers. What DirecTV will offer to subscribers with its Genie DVR isn't a new idea. TiVo has been automatically recording programs to subscriber DVRs for years based on their viewing habits. The late Jeffrey Zaslow documented TiVo's recommendation engine in a great feature in The Wall Street Journal in 2002, headlined "If TiVo Thinks You are Gay, Here's How to Set It Straight." Continue reading this Commentary online. Read more about: Verizon, Kinect, Microsoft, Motorola Xoom
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5. Willner: Pay-TV distributors will let subscribers transfer programming from DVRs to tablets, smartphones
 | | Willner | Former Insight Communications CEO Michael Willner says he expects major pay TV distributors to begin offering products later this year which will allow subscribers to transfer programs stored on a DVR to tablet computers and smartphones. Willner and Insight co-founder Sidney Knafel recently bought a controlling stake in IP video software developer Penthera Partners. The company is pitching cable operators, satellite TV providers, telcos, programmers and hardware manufacturers software that could be used to transfer high-definition programming from DVRs or cloud-based servers to mobile devices, and software that could allow consumers to share video shot with a smartphone with anyone connected to a cable set-top. In this interview with FierceCable, Willner talks about Penthera's strategy and moves he expects cable operators to make in offering subscribers advanced mobile video products. Verizon's joint venture with Comcast, Time Warner Cable and other cable MSOs--and their plans to develop products that rely on digital cable programming and Verizon's network--could bode well for Penthera, Willner said. FierceCable: We're seeing both satellite providers and cable operators looking at using side-car set-tops to allow subscribers to transfer programs from a DVR to a tablet or smartphone. Could Penthera play a role in that type of product? Michael Willner: That's a part of what Penthera can do. It can be the driving engine that efficiently transfers these very high capacity, high consuming programs, which are high-definition, one-hour video programs or more, into a mobile device. In any arena that involves the transfer of this kind of data from place to place, Penthera can and should play a role. FC: Do you have any pay-TV customers that you're working with today? MW: We're working on license agreements with distributors and programmers. It's not just cable. It could be telephone companies, it could be satellite companies. There could be hardware manufacturers, cell phone manufacturers. There are a lot of different business to business relationships that can grow out of this technology. There is also consumer facing product that is in the Apple app store, which is Ribit, which is the video sharing portion of this. FC: Verizon and its cable MSO partners have said that they will develop products that rely on digital cable programming and Verizon's network. Could that be good for your company? Click here to continue reading this Hot Seat Interview with Michael Willner. Read more about: Penthera, Comcast
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Also Noted | This week's sponsor is F5 | 
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December 11, 2pm ET / 11am PT
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SPOTLIGHT ON... Top 10 connected TV interfaces: Do Apple, Google, Microsoft make the cut? Connected TVs and devices ranging from gaming consoles to Blu-ray players are making it easier for consumers to watch both movies and hit TV series without having to rely on a cable or satellite TV subscription. This FierceCable slideshow takes a look at the top 10 connected TV user interfaces. Most of the connected TV interfaces allow viewers to access programming from Netflix and other online video suppliers. Microsoft incorporates voice commands and gesture controls for its Xbox 360 interface, while Nintendo lets gamers who buy its new Wii U device to use a touch screen display on the game controller to channel surf. Samsung, LG and other consumer electronics manufacturers continue to increase the amount of over-the-top video content and applications that can be accessed through their connected TV user interfaces. Check out our picks for the top 10 most compelling connected TV interfaces of 2012. Here are some of the top marketing stories we've covered this year: > DirecTV: Cable TV can make your house explode. Article, video > Time Warner Cable, Cablevision kick off new ad campaigns. Article, video > DirecTV hires Charlie Sheen to star in 'Get rid of cable' ad. Article, video > Time Warner Cable plugs Netflix in Super Bowl commercial. Article, video > Charter launches first brand advertising campaign. Article, video > Cablevision uses animated dog to sell WiFi. Article, video > NCTA touts cable's multiplatform capabilities in new ad campaign. Article, video And finally… Comcast, Dish pursue radically different advertising strategies. Article Here are the top cable patent stories of 2012: > Time Warner Cable patents method for disabling fast-forward function on DVRs. Article > Cablevision develops 'virtual communal television viewing' technology. Article > Comcast patents technology for recommending alternative TV programming to subscribers. Article > Google fiber edging device could help it rapidly connect homes in Kansas City to 1-Gig network. Article > Comcast reveals social TV strategy that rewards subscribers in patent application. Article > Cablevision develops technology for WiFi-based mobile phone service. Article And finally ... Verizon details social TV, voice recognition and next-gen guide in patent application. Article > Why Situational Performance is a Key to Delivering High Quality Mobile Web Experiences - Tuesday, November 27th, 2pm ET / 11am PT The mobile revolution has radically transformed how companies engage their audiences, and delivering an engaging mobile experience for different situations has proven to be a complex problem. Join us to learn how to gain significant performance improvements and deliver impactful mobile experiences on any device, anywhere. Register Today! > Webinar: RCS Simplified: Home-Grown and Hosting Models Wednesday, November 28, 3 pm GMT / 10 am ET / 7 am PT Acme Packet and Vodafone will outline options that meet RCS market requirements and leverage operator strengths, including simplified IMS, hosting and cloud models, key service delivery requirements and much more! Register today! > The 1000x challenge: Can the whole be more than sum of its parts? - Wednesday, December 5th - 12pm ET / 9am PT The final piece to solving the 1000x puzzle is squeezing higher efficiency out of all the resources, specifically the spectrum, small cells and macro cells, devices, applications and services. But with the complexity of today's networks, is that possible? Tune in to this webinar in the 1000x series to find the answers. Register Today! > Seamless IPv6 Migration: Carrier-grade NAT & Beyond - December 11, 2pm ET / 11am PT During this webinar, we will discuss a solution allowing IPv4 and IPv6 to work simultaneously during migration without causing interruption to services or subscribers. Register today! > Growth for Network Equipment Providers in challenging economic times - Thursday, December 13, 2pm ET / 11am PT As compute platforms evolve in core and edge networks, there is still a need to optimize processing hardware and software solutions for end-to-end communications. The webinar will discuss how NEPs can continue to grow revenue in challenging economic times. Register today!
| > Fierce Innovation Awards 2012 Live Announcement of this Year's Winners - Now Available On-Demand Please join Jason Nelson, Publisher of FierceWireless, FierceTelecom, and FierceCable as we announce the winners of the Fierce Innovation Awards 2012. Click here to RSVP today.
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Editor: 
With reference to TiVo, DirecTV, Cablevision and the ability to have "recommendations" on your STB, I think that idea is past its prime. I had Netflix for a while, and HATED those constant recommendations. I get enough links and recommendations online; I don't need them on my TV too. I switched to DISH, and when a DISH coworker introduced me to the Hopper I was blown away. I can record up to 2,000 hours of TV (twice what DTV's Genie offers), and PrimeTime Anytime automatically records the entire primetime lineup for me on the big four networks. That's all the recommendation I need!
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