FierceIPTV

Verizon accuses Cablevision of patent infringement

Dan O'Shea — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 09:26:03 -0400

Verizon Communications previously has attacked the programming practices of New York City rival Cablevision Systems, and now the telco TV upstart is accusing the cable TV incumbent of infringing on patents related to new set-top box features.

Verizon has called on the International Trade Commission to address the allegations five patents related to TV features such as feeds for over-the-top video downloads and other Internet-related and interactivity features. The telco apparently is looking to stop Cablevision from offering Cisco Systems STBs that enable these features. The move also could be a preliminary step toward protecting other TV features, such as the social media widgets Verizon has launched over the last year or so. Cablevision hasn't gone that far yet with Internet-related offerings--it only recently launched its own PC to TV Media Relay service, one of its forst forays into the marriage of Internet and TV.

For more:
Light reading has this report
InformationWeek has this story

iSuppli: STB shipments increasing

Dan O'Shea — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 13:22:26 -0400

Perhaps the reports of the set-top box's death have been greatly exaggerrated. Hybrid STB developments have surged, Google reportedly is entering the game in some way, and now, market research firm iSuppli is predicting that STB shipments will jump by about 11.5 percent in 2010 to 147.8 million shipments worldwide. Though several reports last year assessed the STB market as headed for a slow fade in the next few years, iSuppli sees growth continuing through 2014, when STB shipments are forecast to reach 193.9 million.

The STB sector is expected to ride a wave of new residential gateway technology development and growth in IPTV subscriptions that will see IPTV hit 123 million customer units by 2014.

For more:
Here's the iSuppli press release

SNL Kagan: 59.7 million IPTV subs by 2013

Dan O'Shea — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 13:34:00 -0400

Market research firm SNL Kagan has an upcoming whitepaper, "The State of Global IPTV," in which it forecasts worldwide IPTV subscribers to climb to 59.7 million by 2013. That figure could give IPTV an 8.3 percent share of all pay TV households worldwide. SNL Kagan also says that IPTV accounted for about 4.9 percent of pay TV subscribers in 2009, having grown from virtually zero since 2003.

Other numbers to consider:

Video service revenues could be $22.6 billion by 2013, according to the company's research.
Western Europe still led all other world regions with 13.2 million IPTV subscribers at the end of 2009.
Asia Pacific had 9.6 million IPTV customers, and could overtake Western Europe within two years.
North America had 6 million IPTV subscribers.

SNL Kagan Senior Analyst Ben Reneker will be hosting a panel on over-the-top video revenue opportunities for pay TV operators at next week's IPTV World Forum 2010 in London.

For more:
- Here's the SNL Kagan press release

Google TV plot thickens

Dan O'Shea — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 09:59:52 -0400

The New York Times reported that Google, Intel and Sony are working on a Google TV platform that apparently will focus on improving set-top box navigation of Internet-based TV and video content, as well as social media and other applications. Reportedly, the aim is to have an Android-based open platform and an accompanying toolkit to encourage application developers to work with Google TV. The platform also may incorporate the Google Chrome browser for search functions. The story also says that Logitech has been engaged for device design, though the companies involved did not confirm the reports.

Another Android-based STB development would not be a huge surprise at this point, as Android STB activity has been heating up for months. However, the prospect of Google working with partners on its own STB, rather than integrating its system with existing STBs, is an additional, intriguing possibility raised by the report. This development also appears to tie in with recent news that Google and satellite TV provider Dish network are testing a TV search service that could have future implications for Google's targeted advertising ambitions.

For more:
- The New York Times has this story

Comcast plans 3D Masters coverage

Dan O'Shea — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 10:09:42 -0400

If you haven't heard, some very big news is due to happen at The Masters golf tournament this year: What we are talking about, of course, is that cable TV provider Comcast is planning to offer a free 3D simulcast for two hours on each of the five days of televised footage (Day 1 being a Par 3 event). This announcement came just days after CBS announced it will present late-round portions of the NCAA basketball tournament in 3D at about 100 movie theaters.

Both moves demonstrate rapidly growing interest in 3D TV by service providers and programmers since the technology made a big splash at CES 2010 back in January. There may not be many 3D TVs in use yet, but high-profile experiments have begun. CBS also stated that it wants to bring NCAA 3D telecasts into consumer homes, though service providers have yet to publicly buy into that idea.

The Masters, meanwhile, once again proves to be an early showcase for new TV technology. Over the years, it provided one of the first big audiences tests for high-definition TV and more recently has been a proving ground for service provider multi-screen plays.

In addition to all this, something else big is set to happen at the Masters this year--the return of the world's greatest golfer to major tournament play, or something...

For more:
- Multichannel News has this story