Satnews

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Rocketing residential router and gateway market to reach 120 million units by 2017

Editor    | 16-10-2012   

New research from Parks Associates has revealed that broadband providers worldwide will deploy 39 million high-end, feature-rich residential gateways in 2012, with over 20 million in Western Europe alone.
By 2017 this number will rise to 120 million residential gateways and routers worldwide, up from 75 million this year.
The analyst attributes the rise to operators refining their strategies to combat the potential threat of over-the-top (OTT) services and added value from other sources. It observes that over half of pay-TV households in Western Europe have access to TV Everywhere services and that gateways will increase the value proposition of these and other services by simplifying connection and management of connected devices and linking with cloud-based services.
"Residential gateways can provide greater service value and differentiation for operators as they combat service commoditisation," said Brett Sappington, director, research, Parks Associates. "Western Europe is an especially important market, given the high levels of broadband adoption and growing consumer demand for value-added services. By 2017, operators worldwide will be deploying over 65 million high-end gateways per year, with over 27 million in Western Europe."

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MyTF1Vod arrives on Xbox 360

Pascale Paoli-Lebailly    | 16-10-2012   

TF1’s video in demand (VOD) platform MyTF1Vod has launched an app on the Microsoft Xbox 360 Live online entertainment console, making it available to 2.5 million households in France.
Connected to Kinect technology by Xbox, the new application offers voice and gesture control over the VOD services.
MyTF1VOD lines-up more than 6,000 programmes ranging from US blockbusters to comedies, one-man shows, TV series and children’s content. With Xbox360, TF1 is targeting a new digital audience as XBox ranks as offering the highest connection rates for over the top (OTT) equipment.

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SFR, Numericable reported to be in merger talks

Pascale Paoli-Lebailly    | 16-10-2012   

Vivendi-owned telco SFR and cable operator Numericable are rumoured to be in discussions about potentially merging their activities to give birth to a French ultra-fast broadband (UFB) heavyweight.
The objective is to make the new entity to leverage both Numericable’s high-speed broadband triple play network (715,000 subs including 500,000 to FTTB, 4.6 million households passed) and SFR’s 16 million mobile customer portfolio, and 5 million fixed subs.
With the advent of Free on the telecom market, Vivendi would like to disengage from telecoms to focus on content while equity fund Carlyle, a Numericable co-owner with Altice, would like to get out of the business. Numericable’s debt amounts to â,¬2.9 billion.
According to reports in the French press, the parties are exploring the possibility of SFR keeping 49% of the new listed entity, along with a â,¬4 billion cash compensation. Analysts calculate that cost reductions and synergies would save another â,¬1 billion.
Another scenario calls for the new entity to be sold to Vodafone. In June 2011, Vivendi bought Vodafone’s 44% share of SFR for over â,¬7.7 billion.

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Tvinci gains $4.5M investment to drive OTT momentum

Editor    | 16-10-2012   

Capping what the company claims has been a “hugely successful” 2012, pay-OTT provider Tvinci has received a $4.5 million round of funding that will be invested in over the top platform development and international expansion.
The investmentâ€"led by the company's existing investors, Kaedan Capital and Zohar Gilon, and new investor Trellas Enterprisesâ€"comes as the company reports the best ever results in its five-year history which has seen revenues double every year since 2008, and triple in 2012 compared with 2011. In the last twelve months, Tvinci has doubled in size and has secured seven new TV operators as customers for its white-label OTT solutions, including Liberty Global, Finnish telco Elisa and other media companies and operators in Europe and Asia.
“Five years ago we began to advocate cross-device [OTT pay-TV] as the future of video delivery for both TV operators and industry newcomers, and we are now truly seeing its widespread adoption,” commented Ofer Shayo, CEO, Tvinci. “We now see a 'second wave’ of OTT deployments â€" cable, satellite and telco TV operators that launched multiple video apps and websites over the past 3-4 years, now incorporating OTT video as part of their core TV offering, and looking to do more than just stream content to connected devices.
"Our OTT 2.0 platform answers this immediate need not only for a new delivery method to connected devices, but also a brand new TV experience. This momentum powered our success this year, and has put us in a position to explore opportunities in wider global territories. With an established footprint in Europe, we are now gaining traction in Asia, Latin America and the US, and see these markets as huge potential addressable markets.”

[Lujdzo]

RTVE to fire 1,800 workers

Iñaki Ferreras    | 16-10-2012   

Spain’s Workers' Commissions (CCOO) is claiming that national public broadcaster RTVE is preparing a Record of Employment Regulation would affect 1,800 workers of the Corporation.

In a statement that the union has stated that "budget cuts and lack of a future plan for RTVE than cut costs, [will see it] spend less on programming…the organisational restructuring of TVE, RNE and interactive media strategy seems to be [only one] solution that the PP has ben found to the crisis: layoffs.”
RTVE chief Leopoldo Gonzalez-Echenique President has been the target of particular criticism from CCOO RTVE, accusing him of "lack of transparency, and clear manipulation” in statements."
The Corporation President insisted in his first appearance before the Parliament Control Committee that he “fully trusted” the human capital of RTVE and that they would "do everything possible to have the leadership" of television in Spain. For the moment, RTVE has already announced a 25% wage reduction throughout the company which has approximately 6,500 employees.
RTVE has already started an optimisation process that affects almost all areas of its business which will lead to the immediate elimination of 70 positions, with the integration of TVE and RTVE.es in TVE and its Interactive Services division.

[Lujdzo]

Kabel Deutschland expa$$$ HD line-up

Jörn Krieger    | 16-10-2012   

Germany's largest cable operator Kabel Deutschland has added three new HDTV channels to its cable network: action and entertainment channel AXN HD, movie channel Kinowelt TV HD and children's channel Cartoon Network HD.
The new services form part of pay-TV package "Kabel Premium HD" which now contains a total of 14 channels. The monthly subscription price is â,¬12.90.
The company which counts more than 1 million HD subscribers announced the addition of the three new channels in May 2012.

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Uruguay’s ANTEL exte$$$ fibre optic network

Iñaki Ferreras    | 16-10-2012   

State telco Antel is extending its fibre optic network within Uruguay beginning with connecting subscriber activations from Rocha and other cities.

Having passed 145,000 homes in Montevideo, the company headed by Carolina Cosse subscribers will now look at Tacuarembó fibre optic, Paysandú, Lavalleja, Rivera and Abroad, with the aims of passing an estimated total of 240,000 homes by the year-end.
According to Cosse, the average speed of the connections in Uruguay wil be in the region of 7 Mbps, which compared favourably to the average speed in Brazil, which is around 6.6 Mbps.
Some analysts predict that Uruguay could overtake Mexico with the expanded fibre network to get new subscribers who could obtain more than 10 Mbps according to official data. Provider ANTEL offers a 30 Mbps downstream connection.

[Lujdzo]

Uruguay’s ANTEL exte$$$ fibre optic network

Iñaki Ferreras    | 16-10-2012   

State telco Antel is extending its fibre optic network within Uruguay beginning with connecting subscriber activations from Rocha and other cities.

Having passed 145,000 homes in Montevideo, the company headed by Carolina Cosse subscribers will now look at Tacuarembó fibre optic, Paysandú, Lavalleja, Rivera and Abroad, with the aims of passing an estimated total of 240,000 homes by the year-end.
According to Cosse, the average speed of the connections in Uruguay wil be in the region of 7 Mbps, which compared favourably to the average speed in Brazil, which is around 6.6 Mbps.
Some analysts predict that Uruguay could overtake Mexico with the expanded fibre network to get new subscribers who could obtain more than 10 Mbps according to official data. Provider ANTEL offers a 30 Mbps downstream connection.

[Lujdzo]

Ono exte$$$ capital base

Iñaki Ferreras    | 16-10-2012   

Spain’s main cable operator Ono has completed a capital increase of â,¬168.7 million which the company says will be used to convert a participating loan during the refinancing of debt.
The move follows the agreement signed in May 2012 with banks to refinance and was performed through "the issue of new shares, to subscribe and pay off debts.”
Ono assured that the operation will have no impact on the capital structure of the company headed by José María Castilian and whose major shareholders are CCMP Capital Advisor Ono, Thomas H. Lee Partners and Providence Equity Partners, each with 15% equity. Other shareholders include Quadrangle Capital Partners with 9%; GE Capital with 8.8%; Multitel Group with 6.3%; Caisse de Depot et Placement du Quebec at 6.6%; Val Telecommunications, 5.4%; Ontario Teachers Pension Plan, 4.7%; and Santander with 4.4%.
In early February Ono placed a bond issue in the region of $1 billion intended to repay an advance bank debt maturing in 2012 and 2013. Ono said then that it had successfully placed bo$$$ for a total of â,¬2.2 billion in just over a year. In mid-May of this year, Ono reached agreement with 12 banks to refinance its debt for â,¬1.4 billion and extend maturities until 2018.

[Lujdzo]

Netflix opens for business in Denmark, Sweden

Editor    | 16-10-2012   

The Scandinavia region as a whole is now considered the fourth largest pay-TV market and Netflix has now opened shop to tap into the market with offerings in Denmark and Sweden.

In both countries the leading over the top (OTT)service will be available for 79kr per month with a free, one-month trial of available to everyone in by visiting Netflix.com. An extended trial is available for a limited time to Spotify paying subscribers as part of a launch partnership with the music streaming company.

In both Denmark and Sweden Netflix is offering films and TV programmes from many different providers, including Warner Bros., Twentieth Century Fox, Disney, Sony Pictures Entertainment, BBC Worldwide, CBS Corporation, ITV, Shine International, Nordisk Film Distribution, AB Svensk Filmindustri, Scanbox Entertainment and Norsk Filmdistribujon. The service will be available on a series of devices including smart TVs, game consoles, Blu-ray players, laptops, tablets and mobile phones.
"We’re proud to bring the future of television to [Denmark and Sweden]," said Reed Hastings, co-founder and chief executive officer of Netflix. "Now people…can instantly watch great movies and TV shows anywhere, anytime on many different devices, for one low monthly price.”

[Lujdzo]

Xstream delivers white label smart TV apps

Editor    | 16-10-2012   

End-to-end video management and related services provider Xstream has launched an app aimed at app reducing time to market and increasing time to rapidly monetise content for connected TVs and game consoles.


Provided on a white label basis, the app will supports platforms such as the PlayStation and is said to have been built to be customised to fit any company’s branding and design guidelines, as well as any need for special changes. Moreover it is said to be able to be implemented without customers needing heavy specs and time consuming workshops.
Xstream adds that it has already spent the required time optimising the user experience and implementing DRM, APIs and other essential requirements allowing customers to focus on creating a sustainable online video business across multiple smart TV devices.

Xstream’s smart TV app engine is directly connected to their online video platform, MediaMaker, while also being prepared to be connected to any other OVP via API's.
In terms of monetisation, Xstream supports integration with customers’ desired payment provider allowing clients to create their own business model. This encompasses SVOD, TVOD and AVOD.
“We’re proud to be amongst the first companies worldwide to offer white label solution for smart TV apps, reducing cost and time to market for customers wanting to reach their audience on smart TVs without having to pay a fortune, invest massive time and resources to get started or having to spend months defining technical requirements,” said Frank Thorup, Founder and CEO of Xstream. “We have invested a lot of time and resources to gain a comprehensive experience in building and deployed several smart TV apps, a unique experience and know how enabling us to offer our customers the opportunity to quickly deploy their own, customised smart TV app across multiple smart TV devices”.

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Havoc TV for Gen X taps Avail-TVN for multiplatform VOD in the Americas

Gabriel Miramar-Garcia | 16-10-2012

Havoc Television has tapped multiplatform video expert Avail-TVN to deliver the cable network's music and sports VOD programming to affiliates in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean.

Avail-TVN will handle Havoc's two ad-supported video-on-demand (VOD) channels â€" Havoc Music and Havoc Sports â€" along with the Havoc 247 social TV network, in the U.S. and abroad. Each channel offers 150-200 pieces of content each month, available in both SD and HD, and titles are refreshed every 30 days.

Through the partnership with Avail-TVN, the Havoc footprint has expanded to reach 45 million North American households. The deal includes licensing, delivery/provisioning, transcoding and advanced asset management for multiplatform and TV Everywhere services, and international expansion into regions such as South America and Europe.

"Havoc is the number one brand in high-impact entertainment, serving as the authentic voice for Gen X and Gen Y and their passion for indie music and action sports," said David de Kadt, president, Havoc Television. "Havoc TV's content and platforms are carefully designed and curated to support a vibrant, healthy, interactive, social community of passionate music and sports lovers. Today, our focus is on extending our reach â€" by launching innovative multiplatform services that help our fans to interact with content and each other on any device, and through a broader worldwide distribution network. Avail-TVN is the perfect partner for us as we move our service to the next level."

Havoc TV operates a linear social TV channel and two of the nation's most-watched VOD channels for millions of viewers â€" and generates billions of ad impressions per year.

"Cross platform VOD is generating significant opportunities for high quality content directed at discerning viewers," said Jim Riley, chief revenue officer, Avail-TVN. "Havoc's innovative programming model and pioneering VOD ad sales expertise are proof of the segment's growth. We're glad to be working with Havoc across our global platform."

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Entone readies Magi hybrid TV DVR for Cable

Michelle Clancy | 16-10-2012

Entone is announcing its Magi Hybrid CATV Media Gateway at the SCTE Cable-Tec Expo, targeted at cable operators looking to deliver an integrated hybrid TV service that combines live TV, DVR and over-the-top (OTT) services over analogue, digital or hybrid cable systems.

Powered by Entone's FusionTV, Magi is a full-featured hybrid DVR that can be integrated with existing cable head-e$$$ to support a hybrid of analogue and digital video delivery systems.

"Service providers struggle with defining whether over-the-top services are a friend or a foe. To a certain extent, their own customers already are making the decision; consumers want services like Netflix, Hulu, and any number of IP-intensive applications," said Jim O'Neill, a Parks Associates research analyst. "If an operator doesn't make those services available, they risk losing customers to a provider that does. However, a hybrid service delivery platform allows operators to keep connections in subscribers' homes, capitalizing on the convergence of traditional pay-TV and advanced IP services."

Magi features multiple tuners and flexible DVR options, and provides CableCARD support to enable compatibility with legacy conditional access systems. It also has an integrated DOCSIS 3.0 modem for supporting video-over-IP streaming and interactive applications. With MoCA and Wi-Fi support, Magi can easily integrate with existing home networks and broadband services for quick installation. To minimize truck rolls and reduce support costs, Magi provides automatic configuration and remote administration via TR-069.

"Cable operators can make cloud-based services accessible to subscribers without requiring a separate device for linear TV and OTT services," said Mark Evensen, founder and CTO at Entone. "Enabled by FusionTV, Magi allows consumers to receive a richer "Input 1" TV experience, while providing operators a future-proof Hybrid CATV / OTT hardware platform to introduce emerging applications and features to grow their business. Cable operators can now seize the opportunity and exploit OTT to strengthen their relationship with their subscribers."

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Viacom, AT&T ink TV Everywhere deal

Michelle Clancy | 16-10-2012

AT&T has added Viacom content to its roster TV Everywhere offerings for U-verse customers.

AT&T IPTV subscribers can access an expanded lineup of full-length episodes from BET, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, Spike and VH1 on demand online from any computer, by logging in to any of Viacom's network-based authenticated Websites, like

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www.mtv.tve, with a AT&T U-verse ID.

The deal eventually will let customers access Viacom programming via U-verse.com, and U-verse apps for smartphones, tablets and other devices.

"We're excited to give customers online access to Viacom's compelling content," said Jeff Weber, president of content and advertising sales at AT&T Home Solutions. "This is just one more way we're offering U-verse TV customers the best entertainment experience, wherever they are."

"AT&T U-verse continues to bring great entertainment to its customers in every corner of their lives, and Viacom networks are a powerful part of that experience that viewers can count on to enjoy on every screen," added Denise Denson, executive vice president of content distribution and marketing at Viacom Media Networks.

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Motorola Mobility set to unveil next-gen video ABR transcoder

Michelle Clancy | 16-10-2012

Motorola Mobility plans to introduce the Motorola GT-3 ABR Transcoder at the SCTE Cable-Tec Expo, a 3-gigapixel ABR transcoder. The Motorola GT-3 uses Motorola's custom video compression algorithms to enable multi-screen HD and SD broadcast from a slim, energy-efficient unit.

Motorola says that it can process up to 3 billion pixels of video content every second, the equivalent to nearly 50 full-resolution HD programs. It supports up to 24 inputs and up to 16 output streams per input program, for flexible support of more video display devices, and it also offers more than 10 times the density of legacy server-based ABR solutions.

"That means the same transcoding capability now fits into a much leaner and more efficient unit, requiring fewer transcoders to meet the dema$$$ of today's multi-screen HD and future higher-resolution content applications," said Motorola, in a statement.

"The bottom line is, higher processing performance and greater density equals energy efficiency and cost-savings for service providers," Motorola said. "Consumers expect to get their favorite contentâ€"including live HD broadcasts, DVR media and on-demand programmingâ€"even when they're not in front of their living-room TV. The Motorola GT-3 lets service providers address this growing demand quickly and in an energy-efficient way, which ultimately means dramatically lower operational costs and a significantly reduced carbon footprint."

First, it enables a broader selection of video data rates and resolutions to match the dynamic bandwidth of unmanaged networks.
And second, its efficiency in video compression can provide higher-quality video using the same amount of bandwidth, or the same video quality at much lower bitratesâ€"a windfall for bandwidth-constrained networks.
For subscribers, these advantages translate to better viewing experiences on TVs, PCs, tablets, and smartphones.

"The GT-3 is a leap-frog technology that addresses the future of TV: HD, DVR and on-demand media on multiple devices, wherever consumers want it," said Joe Cozzolino, Motorola Mobility senior vice president and GM of network infrastructure. "It can deliver all the content to all the devices that today's consumers expect, with the transcoding performance to scale to tomorrow's connected ecosystem. The GT-3 is the latest in our portfolio of solutions for the smart, simple connected home and just one more way we're driving the evolution of TV."