Wal-Mart Stores previewed its “Disc to Digital” service for converting DVDs into an online library on Wednesday. Based on my experience, I’d give it a six out of 10. That’s the number of discs I was able to convert from a completely unscientific sampling of my personal DVD library. The new service allows movie fans […]
Telecommunications
Shaw continues to climb Wi-Fi learning curve
Shaw Communications’ Wi-Fi trial is still ongoing with its customers in Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton, and the lessons learned from the trial are creating the framework for broader rollouts of the service later this year. Shaw has previously said that it planned on making the Wi-Fi service available to its residential subscribers in the spring […]
Elevate expands Sprint MVNO deal, adds WiMAX
Elevate said today it will use Clearwire’s WiMAX network for fixed and mobile broadband services through an expanded MVNO deal with Sprint. The company had planned to use LightSquared’s now-stalled wholesale mobile broadband service, but the indefinite delays in the company’s LTE network have apparently sent it looking elsewhere. It will sell Clearwire’s WiMAX service […]
Home automation: Comcast to add Technicolor touchscreen
While Comcast has opened the floodgates on its Xfinity Home service, with plans to have it launched in virtually every system by year’s end, it will also start using a second touchscreen from Technicolor later this year. The current touchscreen for Xfinity Home is by SMC Networks. The touchscreens are the “brains” of the home […]
Hargray to acquire Charter system in South Carolina
Hargray Communications has entered into a definitive agreement to buy Charter Communications’ Beaufort County cable system in South Carolina that serves about 7,000 subscribers. The deal, which is subject to closing conditions, is slated to close by June 30. Hargray, which provides triple-play cable services and phone services, already serves customers in Jasper and Hampton […]
Leap, T-Mobile swap AWS spectrum
T-Mobile USA and Leap Wireless International said today they plan to swap spectrum in a number of markets as they work to find additional bandwidth for their respective LTE networks. The deal will give Leap an additional 10 MHz of AWS spectrum in Phoenix and Houston, as well as in Galveston and Bryan-College Station, Texas. […]
AOL to sell more than 800 patents to Microsoft
AOL shares surged Monday to their highest level in more than a year after it said it has agreed to sell 800 of its patents and license others to Microsoft for about $1.06 billion in cash. The New York-based website developer and Internet access company said it plans to return some of the sale proceeds […]
Verizon pulls the plug on ‘naked’ DSL
Verizon’s experiment with offering DSL on its own and not as part of a bundle, aka naked DSL, has ended after less than two years. From the inception of DSL, telcos would not offer the service except as a complement to traditional wireline phone service. The tactic served to encourage customers to keep their landlines. […]
T-Mobile attacks Verizon spectrum claims
T-Mobile USA is going after Verizon Wireless’ claims that it uses spectrum more efficiently than other operators, a new line of attack in its fight to block Verizon’s $3.9 billion purchase of nationwide AWS spectrum. Verizon has told the FCC it is already using its spectrum more efficiently than other providers and “serves more customers […]
Page recaps 1st year as Google CEO
Google’s policy of openness seems to permeate everything it does. In fact, this week’s sneak peak at “Project Glass,” the company’s new connected glasses, is in stark contrast to the shadowy world of Apple product development. Google CEO Larry Page continued the company’s tradition of transparency with a lengthy open letter posted on Google’s official […]