News
• Portuguese cable operator picks Concurrent for VOD
By Mike Robuck
Portugal’s largest cable operator, ZON TV, is slated to launch a newly expanded video-on-demand (VOD) service in Lisbon and Porto in the fourth quarter of this year using Concurrent’s Media Hawk Content Delivery System.
ZON TV Cabo, a subsidiary of ZON Multimedia with more than 1.5 million customers, offers pay-TV, broadband Internet and telephony services and is one of the major cable operators in Europe. ZON TV Cabo is building a VOD system that will provide users with an advanced interactive and entertainment experience. Its pay-TV service is available nationwide through cable and satellite platforms and consists of more than 100 digital TV and radio channels.
In April, Cox Communications announced that it was deploying Concurrent’s MediaHawk 4500 VOD servers across its entire VOD-enabled footprint (story here).
• Energy Star touts its energy-efficient DTAs
By Traci Patterson
U.S. consumers are expected to purchase about 22 million digital-to-analog (DTA) converter boxes in preparation for the digital transition. These DTAs could consume more than three billion kilowatt hours (kWh) per year and cost Americans $270 million annually in electricity costs, according to Energy Star, who quoted data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
But DTA converter boxes that have earned the Energy Star consume no more than 8 watts in “On Mode” and 1 watt in “Sleep Mode,” the company said, and they automatically power down after four hours or so of user inactivity.
For a list of Energy Star-qualified DTA converter boxes, click here.
• Research and Markets releases VoIP report
By Traci Patterson
Research and Markets has released the following report: "Voice Over Internet Protocol Providers (VoIP) in the U.S."
The industry report encompasses all voice services sent as data packets. The provision of Internet access services and cable television services are excluded from this industry report.
This report covers the scope, size, disposition and growth of the industry, including the key sensitivities and success factors. Also included are five-year industry forecasts, growth rates, and an analysis of the industry’s key players and their market shares.
More Broadband Direct:
• Qwest in Utah: Tax Comcast like a telco
• NetEx's bandwidth optimization software addresses TCP
• Verizon phases out analog in Texas, adds HD in other states
• U-verse arrives in South Bend
• Broadcom to buy AMD for $193 million
• Cox promotes Pantoya to VP of sales, marketing in Va.
