FierceIPTV

Research: 2012 is tipping point for multi-screen content consumption

Jim O'Neill — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 09:45:50 -0500

Multi-screen content consumption is hitting the mainstream and CE manufacturers are fully on board, according to new research that forecasts the number of IP-enabled consumer electronics devices shipped will approach 2.5 billion this year and rise to 3.5 billion in 2015.

IMS Research also said shipments of residential data modems and gateways will reach 135 million in 2012, as the "concept of convergence within the home is gaining momentum in terms of deployment of actual solutions and consumers' usage of these solutions."

"For example, the multi-room DVR deployments enabled by the DLNA Premium Video protocol suite, demonstrate one of the first converged home media architectures where a primary server device distributes content to thin clients around the home," said Anna Hunt, principal analyst at IMS Research.

IMS said the increasing adoption of fixed broadband connectivity into homes, along with the proliferation of wired and wireless home networking, also was driving the transition forward.

Other key factors include a growing installed base of IP-enabled CE devices, increased understanding of how to secure content distribution in iOS and Android applications, open-standard encryption protocols such as DLNA Premium Video (DTCP-IP) and new content distribution contracts that specifically allow for multi-screen distribution.

IMS also highlighted hardware innovations, such as adaptive transcoding and ultra-high-bandwidth modems.

Previous attempts to implement (multi-screen ecosystems) have provided a sub-par user experience," says Stephen Froehlich, senior analyst at IMS Research. "However, 2012 will be the year that this all changes. Numerous vendors at this year's CES, for instance, demonstrated products which showed real, highly complex, incredibly powerful and scalable solutions to the incredibly difficult problem of delivering a converged, multi-screen television experience."

Froehlich said smartphones and tablets will become increasingly important in the ecosystem as wireless technologies evolve to seamlessly share content.

"Service providers are focusing on evolving their strategies to encompass the multiple devices and screens used by consumers in the consumption of advanced broadband services," he said.

For more:
- see this release

SeaChange executive shuffle continues as Kanouff leaves presidency

Jim O'Neill — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 17:29:50 -0500

SeaChange International (Nasdaq: SEAC), which earlier this week announced job cuts as part of a $5 million cost-reduction plan, today announced its president, longtime SeaChange exec Yvette Kanouff, was leaving the company. SeaChange said it had no plans to replace her, part of an ongoing drive to cut costs.

"Over the past few months, Yvette has been discussing her desire to pursue other interests, and we support that and wish her well," said CEO Raghu Rau in a statement. "We sincerely thank Yvette for her years of dedication to SeaChange, her technical knowledge and her contributions toward building the Company's video-on-demand business."

Kanouff joined SeaChange in 1997. She was named president in March 2010, stepping up from her role as chief strategy officer.

Kanouff, in a statement, said she was "proud that I played a significant role in establishing SeaChange as a leader in video-on-demand worldwide and in transitioning from a hardware-centric to a software-centric company."

"I think SeaChange is well positioned for the future, however, it is the right time for me to move on, and I look forward to my next endeavor," she said.

Kanouff is the latest in a series of executive changes at the Acton, Massachusetts-based company.

In November, founder Bill Styslinger, who also was chairman of the board and chief executive, retired. Rau, a board member at the time, was named interim CEO, and Thomas Olson, former CEO of Katz Media Group and of National Cable Media--and a former SeaChange lead director--was named chairman of the board.

In January, meanwhile, CFO, Kevin M. Bisson resigned. He was replaced by Tollgrade Communications veteran Michael Bornak.

Last spring, the company reportedly was in talks to be acquired by Arris Group, but SeaChange decided to remain a standalone company.

"After an extensive review of strategic alternatives, the board has decided that it is in the best interest of shareholders to continue as a standalone publicly traded company," the company said in a statement then, adding that it was "focused on significantly improving and streamlining operations."

For more:
- see this release

AT&T shuffles execs, names first chief strategy officer

Jim O'Neill — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 07:44:00 -0500

AT&T (NYSE: T) Monday reshuffled its executive lineup, for the first time naming a chief strategy officer and appointing a new senior executive VP for its business and home solutions division.

John Stankey will be the company's first CSO, and also was anointed to the newly created position of group president. The telco said Stankey has led nearly every major AT&T business unit during his 27-year career. He'll develop the roadmap for corporate development, address long-term wireless-capacity needs, capital allocation strategies and identify the best strategic paths for low-growth and non-strategic assets.

Ralph de la Vega will continue to lead AT&T Mobility, now as president and CEO. He'll focus on expanding the company's smartphone position.

Andy Geisse, who has more than three decades of experience in AT&T's business and consumers segments, becomes the new SEVP for AT&T's Business and Home Solutions. He'll lead the Home Solutions team focused on U-verse, broadband and voice services for AT&T's 22-state local wireline operations, as well as being responsible for serving the business segment--from global enterprise customers to small businesses.

John Donovan was named SEVP for the telco's Technology and Network Operations.

All four will report to AT&T Chairman and CEO Randall Stephenson.

For more:
- see this release

An AT&T deal for Dish spectrum may require the telco to buy company, too

Jim O'Neill — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 06:13:13 -0500

There's new speculation that AT&T (NYSE: T) is eyeing Dish Network (Nasdaq: DISH) as a takeover target, this time fueled by the telco's about face on whether the FCC should waive restrictions on the sale or transfer of the satellite TV provider's spectrum--spectrum AT&T sorely needs.

Credit Suisse analyst Stefan Anninger, in a note to clients, said AT&T's new attitude-- the telco had submitted comments in November to the FCC backing a transfer of spectrum "through rulemaking, rather than an ad hoc waiver process"--showed again just how much it needed more spectrum. Dish acquired its extra spectrum when it bought DBSD North America and TerreStar Networks out of bankruptcy. The spectrum could be worth more than $8.6 billion.

Another Credit Suisse analyst, Jonathan Chaplin, said that while AT&T may be interested in just the satellite TV company's spectrum, Dish Chairman Charlie Ergon may only be willing to sell if the telco takes the satellite TV business as part of the deal, a business the telco likely would look to sell.

A Dish/AT&T merger has been taked about for years. The latest speculation began when AT&T's dropped its $39 billion bid for T-Mobile USA.

For more:
- see this Bloomberg article
- see this FierceWireless story

Synacor amends S-1 form; seeks up to $94M in IPO

Jim O'Neill — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 18:46:12 -0500

TV Everywhere vendor Synacor, which had been expected to register some 5.45 million shares priced between $10 and $12 in its initial public offering, is now planning to sell 7.84 million shares, possibly bringing the Buffalo, N.Y.-based company up to $94 million in cash.

The company, which counts CenturyLink (NYSE: CTL) and cable company Charter Communications (Nasdaq: CHTR )among its clients, filed an amended S-1 filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission with the new total on Monday. Synacor in November announced its plans for an IPO and, at the time, indicating it would look to raise $75 million. This filing is Synacor's second shot. In August 2007 it launched an ill-timed IPO effort that a languishing stock market caused it to kill after 15 months and $3.4 million in expenses.

The company has yet to set a date for its latest attempt, but the new filing is an indication that it's picking up pace.

Synacor's latest S-1 filing shows it expects net income in 2011 of up to $4.2 million, after a $3.3 million loss a year ago. Revenue this year could be as high as $91 million, an increase of 37 percent from the $66.2 million it recorded a year ago.

It listed 49 ISPs as customers in the filing, although CenturyLink and Charter accounted for about 60 percent of the company's revenue in 2010.

Synacor has plans to expand into Europe and Latin America, according to the Buffalo News.

Bank of America, Merrill Lynch, Citigroup, Stifel Nicolaus, BMO Capital Markets, Needham & Co. and Oppenheimer & Co. are underwriting the IPO.

For more:
- see this Light Reading report