Some broadband is better than others, like fiber and …. satellite!
When it comes to broadband most Americas get at least 90 percent of what they pay for and those with fiber to the home or satellite may get even more. Read more »
At Verizon, DSL slows but FiOS Internet booms
When you think of Verizon these days it is all about LTE, spectrum heists and the iPhone. There is rest of the phone company that is doing what it does – sell voice, video and data center services. And of the lot, FiOS broadband is booming. Read more »
The dirty secret inside Verizon’s cable spectrum buy
Several companies and nonprofit organizations filed their opposition to Verizon’s planned $4 billion buy of spectrum owned by the cable companies on Wednesday. But this isn’t an industry fight. This is a fight that should involve everyone from consumers to Internet companies. Read more »
Apple’s iTV and the carrier question
Apple is reportedly looking to partner with TV operators for the launch of its upcoming iTV product. Why would it? Because doing so would give it more content, enable it to offer a better user interface, and give it wider distribution. Read more »
Verizon teams up with Redbox to cash in on video
Verizon and Redbox are creating a joint venture to provide content online and through Redbox’s physical DVD rental kiosks around the country. The deal is a chance for Verizon to make money from streaming content and show off how awesome its network is. Read more »
Verizon’s cable spectrum mashup: evil genius or simply genius?
Congress is eyeing the competitive implications of Verizon’s $4 billion deals to buy spectrum from the cable companies. Much like those of us at GigaOM, they are wondering if this is a cease-fire in terms of broadband competition in the air and on the ground. Read more »
Verizon, Comcast double team AT&T in Bay Area battle
The country’s largest mobile operator and largest cable provider bringing their “quadruple play” service to San Francisco and the Bay Area, jointly marketing Comcast residential TV and broadband and Verizon mobile service. In the process, they’re poking a needle in the eye of mutual enemy AT&T. Read more »
The continued decline of DSL
From 1990s through 2011, DSL, a broadband technology, had a strong run at large phone companies in America. Now it is falling behind cable broadband and fiber. The latest data from Verizon, AT&T and Time Warner Cable points to its declining fortunes. Read more »
Want to swap your Verizon copper for FiOS? Just call to complain.
If Verizon has to visit a copper customer more than twice to repair the line, the communications company plans to just switch the customer over to fiber, said an executive on the company’s annual financial results call Tuesday. Read more »
AT&T price hikes and the economics of dumping your landline
AT&T has raised prices on wireline phone users. Behind the rate hikes isn’t just greed on the part of Ma Bell, but the rapid disintegration of the wireline business as customers abandon ship and providers are stuck maintaining a network for fewer people paying less. Read more »
Comcast is the fastest broadband provider in the U.S.
Comcast, the Philadelphia-based cable company, was the fastest broadband service provider in the U.S., according to Ookla, a broadband speed test company. In fact, Comcast and its cable industry peers trounced the phone companies when it came to download speeds. Read more »
We need better infrastructure to bridge urban digital divide
After distributing much of the $500 million broadband stimulus program to narrow the digital divide in 2011, these investments should start bearing fruit. But the success faces two challenges: insufficient broadband infrastructure in some low-income areas and broadband adoption efforts that miss the mark. Read more »
Subscriber Content
Want to watch TV? There’s an app for that
With the rollout of its massive Xbox Live update, Microsoft has made a strong bid for the pole position in the digital living room. And with dozens of new programming partners also included with the update, the company now offers perhaps the most comprehensive, versatile and ... Read more at GigaOM Pro »
Why Verizon wants to go over-the-top
Verizon is working on a streaming subscription service that could compete directly against online players like Netflix and Hulu Plus. The service would allow Verizon to deliver video to customers that don’t live within its current FiOS footprint, and could be another competitive blow to Netflix. Read more »
Now Android Users Can Watch ESPN on Their Phones, Too
With the WatchESPN app, Android users can now watch live streams of ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and ESPN3 on their mobile devices. There’s just one catch: to do so, they’ll have to be Time Warner Cable, Bright House Networks or Verizon FiOS subscribers. Read more »
Epix Coming Soon to a Connected Device Near You
Epix, the premium cable network that launched with an online, on-demand video component, is making that service available through a number of new mobile and otherwise connected devices, including Android tablets, Samsung connected TVs and Blu-ray players, the Blackberry PlayBook and Roku broadband set-top boxes. Read more »
ESPN Goes Live With TV Everywhere iPhone App
ESPN is extending its live video streams onto mobile devices, releasing a new iPhone app Thursday. There’s just one catch: to watch those live streams, you have to be a subscriber to one of just three participating pay TV providers for the apps to work. Read more »
Vid-Biz: AllVid, FiOS-ESPN, BBC iPlayer
Today on the Net: Google, TiVO and Best Buy have joined forces to lobby the FCC on its AllVid proposal, Verizon FiOS customers are now able to watch authenticated ESPN videos online and the BBC iPlayer now has content from commercial TV counterparts. Read more »
Video Streaming Services for the iPad
The iPad is getting some love with prominent mentions by leading media companies in their plans to expand delivery of video content. Both HBO and Verizon FIOS discussed plans to bring streaming video apps to the iPad. Read more »
Vid-Biz: BBC iPlayer, RealNetworks, Verizon VOD
Today on the Net: the BBC iPlayer gets an upgrade to hook it into more social networks, RealNetworks founder Rob Glaser gets a new gig as a part-time venture partner with Accel, and Verizon doubles the number of VOD titles that are available to FiOS customers Read more »
Verizon’s Mobile Remote Puts Your Phone in Control
I like my Verizon FiOS TV service. What I don’t like is the company’s remote control; it just never seems to work the way I want it to. Sometimes, the remote will let me change the volume on my TV, but sometimes it won’t. Sometimes, I […] Read more »
Vid-Biz: NBC Olympics, SeeSaw, NBA
A Trickle of Live Streams on NBC Web Site for Olympics; NBC’s Web site is live-streaming fewer sports than it did in Beijing, marking a step backward in online access to marquee events. (NY Times) UK Online Video Service SeeSaw Goes Live; the service goes live […] Read more »
HBO Rolls Out Its TV Everywhere Service
Cable programmer HBO has launched its own TV Everywhere portal, enabling paying subscribers to its cable channels to watch on-demand movies and TV episodes online. The HBO Go service, which was first introduced nearly a year ago as a complement to its linear cable programming, is […] Read more »
Vid-Biz: NBC Olympics, YouTube, Verizon FiOS
NBC Preps First All-HD Winter Olympics; the 2008 Vancouver Winter Olympics will mark the first time a Winter Games is produced entirely in HD, with 835 hours of high-def content set for NBC Universal’s broadcast and cable channels. (Multichannel News) YouTube’s Final Take From Movie Rentals: […] Read more »
Vid-Biz: Swarmcast, YuMe, Nielsen
Swarmcast Lays Off Half Of Company, Changes Focus To Target CE Devices; at the end of December, more than 50 percent of all employees were let go, leaving about ten people at the company. (Streaming Media Blog) YuMe Names McLernon To CRO Post; Video ad network […] Read more »
