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Daily news and top headlines for broadband communications engineering and design professionals
Verizon kick starts Memorial Day weekend with VOD marathon
May 24, 2013 12:23 pm | by Mike Robuck | News | CommentsVerizon has booted up its “On Demand Marathon,” which is offering its 4.9 million FiOS subscribers free access to 1,700 movies and more than 50 full seasons of TV series. The VOD marathon, which started today and runs through Tuesday, is the single largest free on demand event that Verizon has hosted.
Canoe licenses BlackArrow ad management tool
May 23, 2013 1:44 pm | by Brian Santo | News | CommentsCanoe has licensed BlackArrow Affiliate, the toolset from BlackArrow that enables programmers to manage ad avails in video on demand (VOD) services. MSOs can use BlackArrow Affiliate to schedule ad campaigns by criteria including day of week, time of day, and by program or series.
Cox steps up to aid Oklahoma tornado victims
May 23, 2013 12:56 pm | by Mike Robuck | News | CommentsCox Communications and parent company Cox Enterprises have stepped up to the plate to help customers that were impacted by the tornado that hit the Oklahoma City area on Monday. Cox is offering its TV Everywhere app outside of customers' homes in the affected area.
Report: Wi-Fi scores well in hometowns, but work a challenge
May 22, 2013 12:24 pm | by Mike Robuck | News | CommentsAccording to a recent study by Wi-Fi vendor Ubiquiti Networks, Wi-Fi users are generally pleased with how their networks perform in their hometowns, but not so much in their work environments. The study found that 48 percent of the users surveyed gave their Wi-Fi a “B” grade for its general availably and performance in their hometowns.
Cablevision cooks up TVE deal with Scripps
May 21, 2013 12:39 pm | by Mike Robuck | News | CommentsAuthenticated Cablevision subscribers can now view Scripps Networks channels, including Food Network, HGTV and Travel Channel, anywhere in the United States on their computers. Cablevision plans on offering the Scripps channels on additional devices at a later date.
FourthWall beefs up data/analytics platform
May 21, 2013 12:27 pm | by Mike Robuck | News | CommentsFourthWall Media has added some heft to its MassiveData television viewership platform that delivers data and analytics from pay-TV viewers. MassiveData, which FourthWall launched last year, will bring the total number of viewers who provide set top box data to 4.7 million
Netflix's Hastings: People don't love linear TV
May 20, 2013 2:06 pm | by The Canadian Press | News | CommentsSpeaking in Canada, the Netflix CEO says his biggest challenge there is competition from the likes of Videotron, Rogers and perhaps the combination of Bell and Astral should that merger happen. Netflix recently published an 11-page letter to shareholders entitled "Netflix Long Term View," outlining how the company believes it will thrive in the years ahead at the expense of conventional broadcast TV.
Dish pushes TVE app into Android devices, social media
May 20, 2013 12:52 pm | by Mike Robuck | News | CommentsDish Network has updated its TV Everywhere app to include Android devices and more Apple iOS devices and integrated it with Facebook and Twitter. After previously working with just iPads, the satellite video company’s Dish Anywhere app is now live on Android devices (version 4.0 or higher) and all Apple iOS devices that use operating systems that are versions 5.0 or higher.
AT&T updates on demand storefront
May 17, 2013 12:58 pm | by Mike Robuck | News | CommentsAT&T announced its new U-verse On Demand storefront this week, which was designed to improve the video experience for customers accessing the storefront on their televisions. The U-verse on Demand storefront features a new user interface (UI) for better navigation as well as colorful poster art to help viewers find content quicker.
Report: Carrier Wi-Fi heats ups
May 17, 2013 12:47 pm | by Mike Robuck | News | CommentsThe carrier Wi-Fi market continues to burn brightly as mobile operators are using it to offload the heavy traffic from their 3G and 4G networks. According to a recent report by Infonetics Research, carrier Wi-Fi equipment revenue, including carrier Wi-Fi access points and Wi-Fi hotspot controllers, increased 53 percent worldwide in 2012 from 2011.
Actiontec to build screencast boxes supporting Intel WiDi
May 15, 2013 2:19 pm | by Brian Santo | Product Releases | CommentsActiontec Electronics said it will be the lead developer of a new line of products incorporating Intel wireless WiDi designed to link laptops to TVs. WiDi is already built into Intel’s current Core processors, and the company said it has integrated the technology in its forthcoming fourth-generation Core processors as well.
Comcast shores up services in Superstorm Sandy area
May 15, 2013 12:51 pm | by Mike Robuck | News | CommentsIn order to better serve its subscribers, Comcast is putting its collective resources into the New Jersey Shore area that was hit by Superstorm Sandy last year. Along the Jersey Shore communities, Comcast has upgraded 144 miles of its infrastructure and plans on offering new services in the area over the coming months.
Denmark’s Stofa re-ups with SeaChange
May 15, 2013 12:43 pm | by Mike Robuck | News | CommentsSeaChange International announced that Stofa, the second-largest cable operator in Denmark, has signed a multi-year service and maintenance contract for its Adrenalin VOD services. The new deal built upon the existing relationship between the vendor and cable operator that dated back to 2007.
Report: MoCA brings home networking device market to a boil
May 15, 2013 12:38 pm | by Mike Robuck | News | CommentsMoCA (multimedia over coax) has long since emerged as the home networking standard of choice for North American cable operators, but it’s also fueling the growth of the device market. According to a recent report by Infonetics Research, sales of set-top boxes with embedded MoCA technology grew 23 percent in the second half of last year while MoCA adapters increased by 129 percent.
Aereo saddles up for Atlanta
May 14, 2013 12:46 pm | by Mike Robuck | News | CommentsAereo said this morning that it was rolling its antenna and cloud-based TV service into the Atlanta area on June 17. Following tomorrow’s launch in Boston, Atlanta is the next stop on Aereo’s planned expansion into 22 cities this year.


