Comcast’s latest market to get Xfinity Home will be its Sacramento and Central Valley service area in California. Subscribers in that area will be able to get the service starting May 30. Xfinity Home includes a palette of services, including police and fire alarm protection, control of digital thermostats and lighting, and the ability to […]
Telecommunications
Minority groups ask FCC for Lifeline extension
Nine leading senior, consumer, disability and minority organizations are calling on FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski to allow states seven additional months – until Jan. 1, 2013 – to modernize the Universal Service Fund’s (USF) Lifeline program. The joint statement was signed by the Alliance for Generational Equity, California Alliance for Retired Americans, Community Action Partnership, […]
Kohl asks DOJ, FCC to ‘carefully scrutinize’ Verizon AWS deal
The same senator that asked the FCC and Justice Department to block AT&T’s merger with T-Mobile USA is now asking the agencies to “carefully scrutinize” Verizon’s AWS spectrum purchase and marketing deals with four cable companies. Herb Kohl, chairman of the Senate antitrust committee, sent a letter to DOJ Attorney General Eric Holder and FCC […]
FCC action clears Sprint CDMA, LTE on 800 MHz
Sprint will be able to use its 800 MHz spectrum for CDMA and LTE after the FCC passed regulations yesterday permitting more flexible use of the band. The FCC had previously limited 800 MHz licensees to 25 KHz channels with a bandwidth of 20 KHz, regulations which effectively precluded Sprint from using its 800 MHz […]
SeaChange sells media services company
Avail-TVN has purchased SeaChange International’s On Demand Group (ODG) for $27 million. Separately, SeaChange acknowledged that its Nucleus Soft Box Gateway software is an element of Comcast’s Reference Development Kit (RDK). The company will also be a systems integrator for projects based on the RDK. The Comcast RDK is an integrated software bundle that powers […]
Yahoo seeks to shake up search, Web browsing
Joining the battle to redefine Internet search, Yahoo is taking aim with a new browser enhancement it calls “Axis.” It alters browsers made by other companies to display search results in a more convenient and visual format. The troubled Internet company released Axis in Apple’s App Store late Wednesday. That version will work only on […]
Jury: Google didn’t infringe on Oracle’s patents
A federal jury ruled Wednesday that Google did not infringe on Oracle’s patents when the Internet search leader developed its popular Android software for mobile devices. Wednesday’s verdict comes about two weeks after the same jury, with two additional members, failed to agree on a pivotal issue in Oracle’s copyright infringement case against Google. As […]
Alcatel-Lucent core routers take on Cisco, Juniper
Alcatel-Lucent is moving in on the market for core network gear with new routers that support up to 32 terabytes per second. The infrastructure giant has typically focused on the edge of the network, but its 7950 XRS core router system handles traffic at the heart of networks, an equipment market long dominated by Cisco […]
DT: T-Mobile selloff ‘unlikely’
Deutsche Telekom’s CEO has all but ruled out a second attempt to selloff T-Mobile USA to another operator. “We continue to look for a long-term solution to improve earnings in our U.S. business,” Rene Obermann said in an excerpt of a speech given during Deutsche Telekom’s annual shareholder meeting today. “However, a complete sale like […]
TCL licenses Hillcrest’s Freespace technology
Android-based smart TVs from Chinese manufacturer TCL Multimedia will soon come with motion-sensing remotes using Hillcrest Labs’ Freespace technology. The Smart TV system will be available in China this month and in other markets later this year. TCL has taken a worldwide license to use Hillcrest’s Freespace MotionEngine Smart TV software and its Freespace Gesture […]