05/25, 12:05pm
FCC may require Verizon to divest some AWS spectrum, marketing conditions may see deal fall
Verizon's $3.6 billion buy of AWS spectrum may be approved by the FCC after all, analysts believe, though it will require a number of conditions. For one, it may have to give up some of its spectrum, and has already offered to give some up in the past. What may stand in the way is the conditions of the sale, with all involved trying to get the most of it, CNET reported.
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05/23, 1:05am
Boston's 'The Cable Show' host for Comcast's announcements
In a trio of recent announcements from cable giant Comcast, the company announced Voice 2Go, adding a new assortment of features for the Xfinity Voice suite pulled from the smartphone feature set. Also at Boston's The Cable Show Comcast's new next-generation customizable user interface codenamed "Project Dayview" was demonstrated. Rounding out the trio of announcements, the X1 cloud-based IPTV service was also shown. All three services will be rolled out to select markets by the end of this year.
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05/22, 11:58am
Viewdini platform will aggregate video content from free, paid services
At The Cable Show in Boston, Verizon Wireless on Tuesday announced it will soon release a new platform called Viewdini that will allow streaming of video content to subscribers of Comcast Xfinity, Hulu Plus, mSpot, Netflix, and TV sites to their mobile devices. Also, 4G mobile plans are required, and the service will only be available to Android-powered devices first, though support for other platforms is promised, as is content from Verizon FiOS.
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05/18, 12:00am
New max 300GB, additional charge if exceeded
The official Comcast blog revealed its new data-usage monitoring and management plan. An internet data usage policy enacted in 2008 allowing residential users 250GB of traffic a month has been revoked. The old policy is being replaced by a system that kicks in after 300GB, and additional data above that will be offered in paid blocks or increments. No date for the launch or firm fees for additional data have been announced.
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05/16, 6:45pm
Nationwide rollout of Skype on Xfinity commences
Comcast has made its Skype on Xfinity system available in Boston and Seattle in the first stage of a nationwide rollout. The previously leaked Skype camera allows users to perform video calls through the service, with instant messaging available while watching TV at the same time.
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05/01, 3:00pm
Company said to be watching Comcast/Netflix debacle
Sony is reportedly stalling its plans to develop a streaming television service, amid fears over potential net-neutrality conflicts. The company's vice president and general manager of global video, Michael Aragon, has finally confirmed rumors surrounding the service, however he told attendees at Variety's Entertainment & Technology Summit that the plans have been put on hold due to the conflict between Netflix and Comcast.
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04/30, 5:15pm
Verizon and Comcast offer double data plans
Verizon and Comcast are expanding their cross-promotional activities into six new markets. The cross-selling gives customers of both companies various incentives including prepaid Visa cards and an offer to double their data package sizes.
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04/30, 3:10pm
Hulu may shift wholesale to requiring TV service
Hulu may remove itself from contention as a pure Internet video service based on rumors overnight. The historically connected New York Post cited insiders who claimed the service would take the Fox authentication strategy, where customers must prove they have conventional TV access, and make it a broader policy. Fox's deal would see it soon talk to Comcast for a deal using the TV Everywhere imitative.
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04/27, 8:40pm
Carrier accuses rival of hypocrisy
Earlier this month, T-Mobile went to Washington to protest Verizon's planned purchase of Advanced Wireless Services airwaves from cable companies, writing a letter (PDF) to the FCC urging the regulatory body to block the spectrum sale. Now, Verizon is turning the tables on its competitor, accusing T-Mobile of hypocrisy in a letter of its own.
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04/23, 4:30pm
Netflix Q1 beats estimates but takes on Comcast
Netflix was aggressive both in performance and in political stance with its quarterly results on Monday. Despite anticipating significant losses, it lost just $5 million as part of its push to the UK and other countries where the consensus had been closer to a $16.9 million hit. Its revenue at $870 million, while down from the fall, was up 21 percent over a year earlier, reflecting the much larger number of subscribers.
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04/18, 1:55pm
Verizon uses 700MHz as bargaining chip
Verizon has said it would put up some of its 700MHz wireless spectrum up for sale if it's cleared to go ahead with its cable company spectrum deal. The move would give up sections of the A and B blocks of 700MHz space it runs in Austin, Los Angeles, Miami, New York City, Philadelphia, and San Francisco. Its plan wouldn't directly affect the existing LTE network, which runs on the C block.
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04/16, 11:00pm
Netflix may spur FCC action on Comcast neutrality
A commentary by Netflix CEO Reed Hastings may have brought official FCC scrutiny on Comcast for its cap exemption of Xfinity TV on the Xbox 360. He argued that Comcast was violating net neutrality principles by giving its own service a 'free' pass while applying the cap to competing services, including not just his own Netflix but HBO Go and Hulu Plus as well. After being asked by the Wall Street Journal, the FCC said it "takes seriously" allegations of violations like these and was following what was going on.
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04/09, 10:55pm
Xbox 360 can now get HBO shows on Comcast
As promised, Comcast on Monday switched on its HBO Go support for the Xbox 360 on Monday. Viewers who have a Comcast cable subscription and the console can sign in and watch nearly all of HBO's catalog on-demand. Unlike the Xfinity TV app, though, viewing counts towards the 250GB data transfer cap.
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04/06, 5:00pm
HBO Go gets clearance for Comcast owners at last
Comcast sent word Friday of plans that confirmed rumors of imminent HBO Go on Xbox 360 support. Gamers would get access to the premium cable channel's on-demand shows in streaming form "early next week." The sign-in for HBO Go will be the same as for the already-active Xfinity TV.
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04/04, 2:55pm
Comcast, TWC near deal on HBO Go at last
HBO Go is close to overcoming its absence on Comcast and Time Warner Cable, sources hinted Wednesday. Multiple people linked to the talks explained to the New York Times that the cable providers were "close" to a deal. Comcast could be active as soon as this week, while Time Warner Cable's timing wasn't as certain.
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04/02, 4:10pm
Center for Copyright Information due soon
Major movie labels along with their music equivalents will soon reveal plans to open up a Center for Copyright Information (CCI) in their fight against piracy, CNET reported on Monday. The organization will be charged with supervising the graduated response method suggested by the RIAA for Internet providers. Outlined in a Memorandum of Understanding (PDF), the center would also involve the major Internet service providers themselves, such as AT&T, Comcast, and Verizon.
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03/30, 4:30pm
Al Franken speaks out about privacy breaches
Senator Al Franken on Thursday spoke (PDF) at the American Bar Association's Antitrust Section, pleading for more government supervision of large media and technology firms. This would ensure greater privacy to Americans, and the chair of the Senate subcommittee on Privacy, Technology, and the Law specifically named Google and Facebook as the major threats. Franken said consumers don't have any legal protection when it comes to their personal information.
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03/27, 10:55pm
By Justin King
Comcast and Time Warner cable subscribers are reportedly blocked from accessing HBO Go content via Xbox 360. Many cable subscribers who were already paying for HBO service through Comcast and Time Warner were surprised to find that their cable providers have yet to participate in the HBO Go program.
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03/27, 10:00am
MLB joins cable on Xbox 360
Microsoft took its promised Comcast Xfinity TV and HBO Go support live on the Xbox 360 Tuesday with the extra addition of MLB.tv. Akin to the ESPN app, it gives users the option of watching live and on-demand events, albeit live only for out-of-market games. Kinect owners have the extra advantage of motion and voice commands that can sometimes speed up the action.
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03/26, 7:55pm
Comcast and HBO get long awaited Xbox 360 apps
The long-expected Xbox 360 apps for Comcast's Xfinity TV and HBO Go should go live on Tuesday. Tips sent to GigaOm were short on details, but it's believed the HBO app was going live to make sure it was ready for the Game of Thrones second season premiere on April 1, as hinted by studio co-president Eric Kessler. Comcast's timing wasn't explained, but might be following the same reasoning.
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03/23, 7:55pm
Xfinity TV on Xbox 360 near ready
Comcast has slipped out through a support page that it's currently beta testing its Xfinity TV app for the Xbox 360. The service as it stands will give Comcast subscribers who sign in access to a large but incomplete pick of Comcast's usual access. It should include the four core broadcasters and build in major premium providers like HBO, The Movie Channel, and Comcast's own Streampix, but it won't have many mid-tier TV networks.
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03/23, 4:05pm
Publishes voluntary code of ISP conduct
The FCC, in conjunction with several major network service providers, has published a code of conduct that will help mitigate and eliminate the spread of botnet attacks (PDF). It's asking ISPs to voluntarily abide by that code. Already, seven network providers, representing over one-half of all US-based Internet subscribers have agreed to comply.
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03/21, 3:35pm
Verizon argues no other place to buy spectrum
A currently ongoing trial US Congress' Senate Judiciary Committee will hear testimony from Verizon about its buy of AWS spectrum from cable companies that include Comcast, Time Warner Cable, and Bright House. During the meeting, Verizon said it would continue to develop its FiOS fiber optic service into which it's already invested some $23 billion and that customers will see no decrease in choices or increased prices from the move due to marketing agreements between cable companies and Verizon, John Eggerton tweeted. The provider's representatives also said it's a good steward of spectrum and is more efficient than some others at using it.
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03/20, 4:10pm
Aereo expands countering lawsuits
Aereo on Tuesday grew its countersuits against TV networks to include several more networks. Fox, PBS, Univision, WPIX, and WNET were all targeted under a complaint that wanted the judge to rule that Aereo wasn't violating the networks' copyrights. It had already sued ABC, CBS, and NBCUniversal a week ago.
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03/20, 7:50am
Intel Atom CE5300 brings faster video to TV
Intel's smart TV efforts got a lift early in the week with a newly updated Atom chip for digital media hubs. The CE5300, nicknamed Berryville, is its first 32-nanometer chip of its kind. Details are short, although it should carry two cores, "advanced" graphics with H.264 B-frame hardware encoding, and support both Hyperthreading (for up to four code threads at once) as well as virtual machines.
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03/15, 1:25pm
RIAA: some ISPs ready to enforce rules by July 12
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) has revealed when some ISPs will begin policing illegal file sharers, CNET reported. Last July, Comcast, Cablevision, Verizon, Time Warner Cable, and more providers agreed to the policies, which were meant to keep their subscribers from illegally downloading and sharing files. The deadline is July 12, and at least Comcast, Time Warner, and Verizon are on track to start implementing the program.
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03/09, 2:25pm
Comcast won't bring Netflix to its portfolio
Despite recent reports that Netflix is in talks with cable providers on some form of partnership, Comcast has gone on record to say it has no interest in such a deal. It won't add the service to its Xfinity subscribers as an on-demand offering or part of its billing service on any device, claims a New York Times report. Netflix believes it could be offered by major cable providers as a premium offering.
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03/08, 7:55pm
Commission scrutinizes $3.9 billion deal
The Federal Communications Commission has reportedly demanded additional information from Verizon and several cable companies, as part of an ongoing investigation into an AWS spectrum licensing deal. The Commission just days ago was asked to scrutinize the proposal, in a letter authored by Verizon competitors T-Mobile and DirecTV, among others.
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03/07, 5:25pm
Service to arrive a year after announcement
Comcast is reportedly set to launch its Xfinity On Demand service for TiVo set-top boxes, nearly a year after plans of the offering first surfaced. Although the cable provider has yet to confirm a specific launch date, unnamed sources have told Zatz Not Funny the service will arrive sometime in April.
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03/06, 7:35pm
Netflix may make deals to weave into cable TV
Fresh leaks have hinted that Netflix is talking directly to cable TV providers to make itself an add-on service. Multiple Reuters informants had Netflix negotiating to become an on-demand, paid extra for TV service. One provider would be ready to provide Netflix before the end of 2012 if cleared quickly.
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03/06, 2:45pm
Letter urges FCC to reveal all data in AWS buy
The deal for AWS spectrum between Verizon and a number of cable companies is facing more troubles as several rivals not keen on the deal have written a letter to the FCC (PDF) asking for full disclosure. Authored by T-Mobile USA, DirecTV, and eight others, the petition asks for redacted evidence that will give them the ability to argue that the deal is anti-competitive. They argue against the parties involved in the deal with Verizon who say access to all the documents isn't in the public's interest.
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02/22, 5:55pm
Suit centers around four patents
Comcast has reportedly filed a lawsuit against Sprint in a Pennsylvania court, accusing the latter of violating several patents related to wireless network technology. The suit centers around four patents that were issued between 1999 and 2010, covering technology ranging from backhaul to USB modems and MMS/SMS messaging systems.
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02/22, 11:10am
T-Mobile urges FCC to block Verizon spectrum buy
T-Mobile USA has urged the FCC to block the $3.9 billion sale of wireless spectrum by cable companies to Verizon Wireless on Tuesday. Possibly frustrated after its own deal with AT&T was denied, the provider argued the deal between Verizon, Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Bright House Networks, and Cox Communications would give Verizon an "excessive concentration" of wireless spectrum. Verizon is already the biggest cellphone company in the US, while T-Mobile is fourth largest.
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02/21, 1:50pm
Comcast tries Internet VOD to fend off rivals
Comcast on Tuesday tried its hand at mitigating the impact of Internet video on traditional TV by launching Streampix. The service will include a mix of movies and TV shows across its own NBCUniversal as well as Disney, Sony, and Warner Bros. Access won't be confined to Comcast's own network and should include mobile and computer access to some content that would normally go through Comcast's traditional video on demand.
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02/01, 4:25pm
Senate to hold hearing on Verizon spectrum buy
Verizon's $3.6 billion purchase of AWS spectrum is now also attracting the attention of the Senate Judiciary Committee's antitrust subcommittee. A hearing will likely occur sometime in March, a staffer revealed, though who will be called to testify hasn't yet been shared. Rivals, such as Sprint, are calling for other elements of the contract to be scrutinized due to fears that the deal will result in an unfair advantage for Verizon.
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01/17, 4:35pm
World IPv6 Day to launch standard is June 6
The IPv6 Internet addressing standard will get a more formal launch by its backers on June 6, which is being devoted World IPv6 Day. Seven global ISPs will back the new standard then, including AT&T, Comcast and Time Warner. Also onboard are heavily trafficked websites, including Facebook, Google, Yahoo, and Microsoft's Bing, as well as hardware makers Cisco and D-Link.
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01/15, 6:05pm
Hulu starts up own online-only TV series
Hulu followed in Netflix's footsteps Sunday by launching its first fictional, original TV series. Battleground covers a fictional political campaign in Wisconsin and is produced by JD Walsh, 500 Days of Summer's Marc Webb, and Hagai Shaham. It should be followed up by more documentaries, including a second season of Morgan Spurlock's A Day in the Life and Richard Linklater's new Up to Speed.
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01/10, 2:45pm
Initial access limited to Denver, Nashville
Comcast has begun an initial rollout of its AnyPlay TV service for the iPad. The technology allows Comcast subscribers to watch live TV over their home Wi-Fi network, regardless of what someone may be watching on a TV in another room. On top of the Wi-Fi restriction, though, the option is currently available only to Xfinity HD Triple Play subscribers, and just those in Denver and Nashville.
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01/07, 6:40pm
Comcast preps Skype cam for cable hardware
Comcast is preparing its own webcam for Skype video calls that could bypass the usual computing link. Both an FCC filing noted by Wireless Goodness as well as a leak to Engadget have pointed to the camera, called Astro, attaching to a cable set-top box with an HDMI passthrough for other sources. It could work audio-only or with text and would support picture-in-picture to avoid completely interrupting an ongoing show.
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01/04, 4:10pm
Comcast and Disney sign new 10-year TV, web deal
Cable provider Comcast has renewed its distribution deal with Disney, signing on for another 10 years. Programming from ABC, ESPN and 68 other channels or services is included in the deal, as is streaming to portable devices such as notebooks, iPhones and iPads through dedicated apps. Under the deal, Comcast will pay more money to Disney with each successive year as license fee schedules are introduced over time, which will more than likely translate to increased bills for Xfinity users.
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12/20, 5:50pm
Claims infringement on 12 VoIP patents
Sprint has filed lawsuits Monday against Time Warner, Comcast, Cox, and Cable One. The complaints against the four were filed separately in a Kansas City federal court. The US' third largest wireless carrier alleges that each cable provider infringed on 12 patents that it holds for digital voice calls sent over landlines.
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12/20, 5:05pm
DOJ worried about collusion on Verizon spectrum
The Department of Justice on Tuesday said it was investigating Verizon's plans to buy cable companies' wireless spectrum. The agency was investigating whether or not taking the usually 1,700MHz space from Bright House, Comcast, Cox, and Time Warner Cable raised competitive problems. Officials are reportedly concerned that the deal amounted to collusion rather than fostering competition.
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12/16, 1:15pm
Cox joins other cable firms in boosting Verizon 4G
Cox on Friday joined other cable companies in selling spectrum to Verizon. The deal, worth $315 million, will give it licenses for 20MHz of Advanced Wireless Services (AWS) space in areas that cover about 28 million Americans. The two will echo earlier deals in letting each sell the other's home and business services, and Cox would have the option of selling cellphone service at wholesale prices.
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12/07, 4:40pm
Old me.com, .mac accounts not getting messages
Some emails sent to me.com or .mac addresses are going missing, according to complaints on Apple's support forums. In particular messages sent from Comcast but predominantly RoadRunner domains are either arriving as much as a day late, or disappearing entirely. The affected domains are also scattered across the country rather than located in a particular region. Unexpectedly, forwarding a message from one account to another may work without issues.
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12/06, 1:50pm
Comcast not planning to intro usage-based billing
At a UBS conference on Monday, Comcast executives made it public that the company isn't exploring moving to a metered Internet access billing system. The company is seeing decreases in video subscribers, but more customers are subscribing to its broadband services. The company believes changing its pricing model would have a negative effect on its high-speed data subscriber growth.
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12/05, 4:50pm
Comcast, TWC will sell Verizon mobile hardware
As part of the recent AWS spectrum sale from cable providers to Verizon, Comcast will begin selling Verizon's mobile devices early next year. At the same time, Comcast will compete with Verizon in markets where it sells its FiOS TV and Internet service, said Comcast Cable president Neil Smit. Time Warner Cable will also sell Verizon products in bundled packages, though it will do so nearly immediately.
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12/05, 12:30am
Microsoft outlines launch plans for X360 live TV
In sync with the fall Xbox 360 Dashboard update, Microsoft has provided a listing of TV providers that will be ready to go this week. Along with existing access to ESPN, Hulu, and Netflix, the December 6 update will also bring EPIX authenticated video in the US, Lovefilm in the UK, MediaSet's Premium Play in Italy, Sky Go in Austria and Germany, Telefonica España's Movistar Imagenio, and MSNBC's Today in the US.
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12/02, 4:40pm
Comcast, TWC to replace Clearwire with Verizon
As part of the very recent $3.6 billion spectrum sale to Verizon, the communications provider will wholesale its spectrum to Time Warner Cable and Comcast, CNET found. It will replace Clearwire in this respect, as it's one of the conditions of the multi-billion dollar sale. Verizon will be the exclusive partner of the two providers, Time Warner Cable spokesperson Alexander Dudley said. The transition will be done over the course of the next six months, and TWC and Comcast will need to move their existing customers elsewhere.
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11/09, 5:50pm
Pilot begins to address IP address shortage
Comcast has begun piloting technical trials for its implementation of the IPv6 Internet addressing standard. The new standard has been defined and created to overcome a looming shortage of IP addresses that form the foundation of the Internet. The initial pilot will take place in selected California markets.
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10/31, 10:00pm
FCC picks Pai and Rosenworcel for FCC spots
The Obama administration late Monday nominated replacements for outgoing FCC commissioners Meredith Atwell Baker and Michael Copps that will keep the 3-2 split in favor of Democrats. Baker will be replaced by Ajit Varadaraj Pai, a Republican partner at law firm Jenner & Block as well as a veteran of the FCC general counsel. Copps will be replaced by Democrat Jessica Rosenworcel, is currently Senator Rockefeller's telecom counsel and one of Copps' former aides.
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