* Bowser promoted to SVP, CFO at Cox
By Traci Patterson
Last week, Mark F. Bowser was promoted to SVP and CFO of Cox Communications.
Bowser will be responsible for the management of Cox's commercial services and cable advertising divisions, Cox Business and Cox Media, respectively. Most recently, Bowser served as the VP of Cox Business.
* TM Forum’s CIG calls on interactive, addressable advertising
By Mike Robuck
The TM Forum has announced that its Cable Interest Group (CIG) has organized an industry call on interactive and addressable advertising.
"The cable industry is moving very fast," stated Kelly Neiman. "With all-IP networks starting to have the ability to offer many of the same services as traditional cable networks, it has never been more important to build new revenue streams. To do this successfully, at the right price level and with industry support, a standardization of
approach is essential."
The CIG is a committee of global MSOs within the TM Forum that coordinate requirements for the management of new and existing services for cable companies based on the work of IPDR, now part of the TM Forum collaboration program. The forum is promoting its push into the cable industry at a range of industry events, including this week’s IP Cable and Interactive TV Advertising Show, which are co-located with the IPTV World Forum.
* Ciena’s revenues, net income increase in Q1
By Traci Patterson
Ciena Corp. reported revenues of $227.4 million in the first quarter of 2008, ended Jan. 31 – an increase of 38 percent year-over-year.
Ciena’s net income was $28.8 million, or $0.28 per diluted share, compared with $11.1 million, or $0.12 per diluted share, in the year-ago quarter.
“While we are mindful of the macro economic environment, indications from our customers to date suggest no change in the fundamental drivers of Ciena’s business: the demand for increasing network capacity and the transition to Ethernet/IP-based network infrastructures,” said Gary Smith, Ciena’s president and CEO.
* Harmonic’s encoder completes testing with Microsoft Mediaroom
By Traci Patterson
Harmonic’s new DiviCom Ion AVC standard-definition (SD) encoder has completed encoder-conformance testing for the Microsoft Mediaroom IPTV and multimedia software platform.
The encoder can deliver four simultaneous MPEG-4 AVC (H.264) SD channels, in both high and low resolution formats, and it gives service providers a dense, high-quality platform for constant bit-rate (CBR) video delivery.
Harmonic, a Microsoft Mediaroom ecosystem partner, powers video headends for the majority of Microsoft's IPTV customers. Harmonic delivers more than 5,000 broadcast video channels worldwide, to more than four million IPTV subscribers, and the company counts more than 100 telco operators as customers. Microsoft Mediaroom – which is deployed with, or is being trialed with, more than 20 service providers worldwide – enables TV features such as the simultaneous recording of multiple high-definition (HD) and SD channels, personal media sharing, and whole-home and remote digital video recording.
* SureWest adds VoIP, HD DVR
By Brian Santo
SureWest Communications has launched a voice VoIP service and has begun providing an IP-based, multi-stream, high-definition digital video recorder (HD DVR).
The company expects that the VoIP product, with its set of advanced features, will make its bundles more attractive. Additionally, SureWest recently added its fiftieth HD channel – KMAX HD.
* Google-DoubleClick deal approved by European Commission
By Brian Santo
The European Commission has decided that Google can proceed with its $3.1 billion acquisition of DoubleClick, without condition.
"The Commission's in-depth market investigation found that Google and DoubleClick were not exerting major competitive constraints on each other's activities and could, therefore, not be considered as competitors at the moment," the Commission, the executive arm of the European Union, said in a statement.
More Broadband Direct:
• TWC signs up for Rentrak’s VOD measurement services
• Charter’s CFO to resign; subsidiary to sell $500M in notes
• Cisco an investor in P2P HDTV network startup
• Online video site Hulu opening to public
• TWC courts partners to sell business services
• RCN increases revenue, loses more in Q4
• Verimatrix’s ViewRight PC Player debuts at IPTV World Forum
• UEI inks deal to use Hillcrest Labs’ Freespace technology
• Broadband Briefs for 3/11/08
