Broadcom Corp. announced two new VoIP devices for consumer applications at the Spring 2006 VON Conference and Expo. The two new devices, a terminal adapter (TA) router chip and a low-cost IP phone chip, can be used as standalone VoIP processors. OEMs will be able to use the ICs to create feature-rich and cost-effective TA […]
MobilePro, Cox team on government wireless
Cox Communications has secured an agreement with the State of Arizona that allows any Arizona municipality to grant Cox a contract for Wi-Fi services without going through an RFP process. In anticipation of the increased business that this could represent, Cox has designated MobilePro Corp. its preferred vendor to provide Wi-Fi and wireless broadband services […]
Nielsen: Two-thirds of American Web users are broadband subs
The number of active broadband users from home increased 28 percent year-over-year, from 74.3 million in February 2005 to 95.5 million in February 2006, according to the latest research published by Nielsen//NetRatings. Overall Internet penetration in the U.S. has stabilized over the past few years, reaching 74 percent at home in February 2006, Nielsen//NetRatings determined. […]
Telewest fires up HD-PVR duo
Telewest has launched TVDrive, the new high definition, personal video recorder service it announced last Fall. The company claims to have the first HD-PVR service combo in the U.K. Telewest currently passes 4.7 million homes, and has 1.8 million residential customers of its TV, phone and Internet services. If successful, the service will no doubt […]
RCN reups with Convergys
RCN Corp. signed a five-year renewal on its contract with Convergys Corp. for billing and customer care systems. RCN is taking care of business at home after last week selling off its interests in Megacable, a Mexican communications company; the proceeds of that sale will be used to pay down debt. The renewed agreement continues […]
SCTE designates Tom Wilcox as HR veep
The Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers (SCTE) announced that Thomas R. Wilcox III has joined its staff as vice president, human resources, legal, and administration. Wilcox also will oversee risk management issues and serve as the staff liaison to both the SCTE Planning Committee and the recently established SCTE Foundation. Wilcox joined SCTE from Celero […]
WildBlue marketing targets SC, TN and AL
Satellite broadband service provider WildBlue Communications continued its state-by-state high-speed data (HSD) marketing push, this week targeting South Carolina, Tennessee and Alabama. Nine months after it began providing its satellite-based HSD high-speed Internet to the lower 48 states, WildBlue remains far from a household name. Several weeks ago, the company embarked on a state-by-state campaign to […]
Dish launches local HD in KC
EchoStar Communications Corp. continued its rollout of local high definition TV channels, launching the service in Kansas City and its 30 surrounding counties. The rollout began in early February with the delivery of local HD channels in New York City. Last week, the company began offering local HD channels in Albuquerque, Atlanta, Boston, Minneapolis, Philadelphia, […]
Report: 2009 digital TV deadline to spur U.S. pay TV boom
The new deadline requiring conversion from analog to digital TV broadcasting by February 2009 will be a windfall for U.S. pay TV providers, according to a new report from technology research firm Strategy Analytics. The report assumes that this deadline, unlike several similar previous deadlines, will actually stick. Millions of households continue to stick with […]
Cablevision puts Stern on-demand
Cablevision Systems Corp. and iN DEMAND Networks will make Howard TV – Howard Stern’s subscription video-on-demand service – available to Cablevision’s digital cable customers throughout the New York metropolitan area starting March 14. The subscription-VOD service gives cable customers unlimited and uncensored access to in-studio footage filmed during Stern’s morning satellite radio program, including the ability […]