IDT Corp. is making a bid to buy up the remaining stock of voice-over-IP provider Net2Phone Inc. for a hefty $1.70 per share in cash. IDT, which already directly or indirectly owns through its affiliates approximately 41 percent of Net2Phone’s outstanding equity securities and commands a 57 percent voting position, made the tender offer after […]
Foote, Amato, Field lead pack of SCTE Awards winners
As befitting the “big as Texas” theme of this year’s Cable-Tec Expo, the Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers didn’t skimp on the kudos hardware, handing out a slew of honors Wednesday to members at the annual awards luncheon. The awards lunch recognizes the accomplishments of members, chapters, operators and vendors for their efforts to support […]
JDS lands BellSouth fiber deal
JDS Uniphase Corp. is alight today with an announcement that BellSouth Corp. has selected its WaveReady passive optical network transport technology for deployment in the telco’s next-generation network, now under construction. The WaveReady PON gear will be used in the outer loop portion of BellSouth’s new fiber network, with shipments expected to begin within a […]
Verizon pumps up fiber service
Verizon Inc. is extending its fiber-to-the premise play once again, announcing it will light optical lines for business services in parts of Texas, California and Florida, as well as extending its residential FiOS service to Albany County, N.Y. In new markets including Los Angeles, Tampa and Dallas, Verizon FiOS Internet Service for Business targets companies […]
Tollgrade speeds up with Cheetah products
Tollgrade Communications Inc. has added to its Cheetah line of test equipment, including a new broadband service assurance platform, and a DOCSIS-compliant, voice-over-IP test point product. The CheetahXD broadband service assurance software suite offers Web-based fault and performance testing features to monitor a range of transponders ranging from DOCSIS and HMS to legacy versions. The […]
Cable competitors boost programming
Cable’s video archrivals are on the move today, announcing deals to expand their lineups of HD and digital TV programming. First up, EchoStar Communications Corp. announced it will tap the VOOM HD lineup, adding 10 new high-definition channels to its DISH Network service starting May 1. The agreement with EchoStar is the first carriage agreement […]
Qwest adds FTTH to network diet
Qwest Communications is following the fiber lead set by its Bell siblings with an announcement that it has started to build a fiber-based residential communications network just outside of Denver. The Denver-based telco has installed a FTTH network in the new RidgeGate housing development south of Denver, offering high-speed data, television programming and local and […]
Golf Channel tees up PowerVu for American feeds
The Golf Channel is adding to its digital transmission swing, using Scientific-Atlanta Inc.’s PowerVu encoding system to deliver program feeds to North America. The Golf Channel installed the PowerVu encoding system in its Orlando, Fla. headquarters. Three parallel PowerVu systems deliver the content to each of the three continents, and all are managed by a […]
Microsoft tunes in BellSouth IPTV trial
Microsoft Corp. ‘s Microsoft TV division has gained a significant foothold in the United States, announcing that Bell operator BellSouth Corp. will stage a technical trial of its Internet Protocol Television Edition software. The trial will harness BellSouth’s digital subscriber line connections and supply a video offering starting some time in the first half of […]
Sachs: 2004 was very good for cable
Outgoing National Cable & Telecommunications Association President Robert Sachs said 2004 was a strong year for growth in digital cable and other advanced services. At his final year-end wrapup briefing as NCTA chief, Sachs noted an improving economy boosted the rollout of advanced services such as video-on-demand, HDTV and voice-over-Internet Protocol telephony. “That’s led to […]