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Daily news and top headlines for broadband communications engineering and design professionals
SCTE outlines CALM Act best practices
April 4, 2013 2:15 pm | by Brian Santo | CommentsThe CALM Act requires that the audio level of commercial messages be at the same average loudness as the associated programming content. SCTE 197 provides guidelines for cable operators for recording measured loudness and loudness metadata value.
Midcontinent launches whole home service
April 4, 2013 1:59 pm | by Brian Santo | CommentsThe MSO has begun deploying a whole-home service based on TiVo equipment and technology. It will roll out the service in Rapid City and the Northern Black Hills area in South Dakota, followed by Minnesota, North Dakota and the remaining South Dakota markets in the coming months.
BCI buying James Cable
April 4, 2013 1:54 pm | by Brian Santo | CommentsThe company formed by former executives from Bresnan Communications is buying James Cable. The value of the purchase of James Cable was not disclosed, but could be in the neighborhood of $150 million. The move follows BCI’s purchase of the Allegiance cable systems in January.
Broadcom launches first 5G WiFi hotspot
April 3, 2013 1:59 pm | by Andrew Berg, Wireless Week | CommentsBroadcom continues its push to support 5G WiFi with the announcement today of a router that supports the technology; it has made the 5G WiFi hotspot available through SK Telecom. Broadcom's 802.11ac Wi-Fi boasts speeds up to three times faster and up to six times more power efficient than previous generations of Wi-Fi.
Cisco intends to buy Ubiquisys
April 3, 2013 1:49 pm | by Ben Munsen, Wireless Week | CommentsUbiquisys provides 3G and LTE small cell technologies to help close the seams in wireless connectivity. The Ubiquisys purchase will mesh with other recent Cisco acquisitions, like Intucell and Broadhop, and further strengthen the company’s mobile strategy.
Verizon denies Vodafone buyout rumors
April 3, 2013 1:45 pm | by Andrew Berg, Wireless Week | CommentsA post on the Financial Times' Alaphaville blog yesterday cited "usually reliable people" who said Verizon Communications and AT&T are mulling a breakup bid for Vodafone at a 40 percent premium to Vodafone’s current price, or about $3.65 a share. The supposed bid would value Vodafone at approximately $245 billion.
Survey: FTTH leads to huge opex savings
April 3, 2013 1:27 pm | by Brian Santo | CommentsCompanies deploying fiber to the home are reporting saving an average of 20 percent on opex costs. The survey from the FTTH Council also reveals to 20 percent yearly increase in North American homes connected to all-fiber networks.
Epix now live on the PlayStation3
April 2, 2013 1:42 pm | by Brian Santo | CommentsLaunched in 2009, Epix has deals with Cox Communications, Charter Communications, Dish Network, Mediacom Communications, the NCTC, Suddenlink Communications and Verizon. The company plans to launch on the PlayStation Vita in a few weeks.
MegaPath using Edgewater gear
April 2, 2013 1:36 pm | by Brian Santo | CommentsThe company is deploying equipment from Edgewater to deliver its business VoIP and data services. Megapath provides managed data, voice, security and hosted IT services in North America, using T1 and Ethernet connections. It is now installing its T1 and Ethernet circuits using Edgewater’s EdgeMarc 4552 Series ESBC as a WAN access router.
Cogeco Cable launches guide apps
April 2, 2013 1:27 pm | by Brian Santo | CommentsCogeco Cable has launched two new apps, one subscribers can use for content search and discovery and then also to set home equipment to record programs, the other enables remote scheduling of PVRs. Both apps were developed with Rovi Corp.
Comcast has IPv6 running on all Arris-based systems
April 2, 2013 1:23 pm | by Brian Santo | CommentsComcast has enabled IPv6 functionality on its entire Arris C4 CMTS footprint, completing a process begun the middle of last year. The transition to IPv6 is necessitated because the fund of IPv4 addresses is approaching exhaustion. At the same time, NIST has just issued IPv6 transition guidelines.
Report: VZW, AT&T crafting bid to buy Vodafone
April 2, 2013 1:11 pm | by Andrew Berg, Wireless Week | CommentsVerizon Communications and AT&T are said to be mulling a breakup bid for Vodafone that would value Vodafone at approximately $245 billion. Verizon entered into a joint venture with Vodafone back in 2000, creating what is now Verizon Wireless. Verizon currently owns 55 percent of the company, while Veodafone holds the remaining 45 percent.
Appeals court: Aereo is legal
April 2, 2013 1:06 pm | by The Associated Press | CommentsAereo, which offers inexpensive live broadcast television feeds to computers, tablets and smartphones, doesn't violate U.S. copyright law, a divided federal appeals court said Monday. The decision was based in part on Cablevision's landmark court case that established the legality of the networked PVR system.
MetroPCS responds to ISS merger concerns
April 1, 2013 12:17 pm | by Andrew Berg, Wireless Week | CommentsIn a letter to investors, MetroPCS today reiterated its call for shareholders to approve the proposed combination with T-Mobile USA. The letter comes after Institutional Shareholder Services Inc. (ISS), a proxy adviser firm, last week advised MetroPCS shareholders to vote against the proposed merger, citing the negative market response to the merge
Apple patents iPhone with wraparound display
April 1, 2013 12:10 pm | by Associated Press | CommentsApple is seeking a patent for an iPhone that has a display that wraps around the edges of the device, expanding the viewable area and eliminating all physical buttons. The patent application reveals that Apple has put some thought into a device that takes advantage of a new generation of displays, which don't have to be flat and rigid like today's liquid-crystal displays, or LCDs.
