Cablevision

Cablevision adds video subs, strikes Newsday deal

Tue, 13 May 2008 06:59:40 -0400

While some cable TV companies are taking an obvious hit from telco IPTV competition (see Comcast), others may not be seeing much of an impact. Cablevision Systems last week said it added 41,000 digital-video subscribers and 2,000 basic-video customers to its current 3.1 million video subscribers during the first quarter of this year, adding that it has seen little impact from Verizon Communications' FiOS service. The company also has moved aggressively into Verizon's traditional segments with its Optimum Lightpath data and voice services. In addition, the company said it will spend more than $300 million on rolling out Wi-Fi technology in the New York metro area and on Long Island over the next two years.

This week, Cablevision made another intriguing, though somewhat puzzling move, saying it will pay $650 million to acquire most of suburban newspaper Newsday. Arguably, Newsday could help Cablevision competitively by giving it more promotional heft for its offerings against whatever marketing blitz competitor Verizon may muster. It could also create cross-selling opportunities for advertisers that might be thinking of moving more money over to IPTV platforms. Still, newspapers as medium are weakening by the hour, so the benefits could be short-term at best.

For more:
- See this story about earnings and another about the Newsday deal at The Wall Street Journal
- and Cablevision's quarterly results

Related articles:
- Cablevision's Newsday deal seems unlikely to start a trend. Cablevision report
- Cablevision to rollout WiFi network. Cablevision WiFi report

SPOTLIGHT: SDV on rise, BigBand still hurting

Tue, 06 May 2008 06:59:00 -0400

Switched digital video is one of several technologies that cable TV companies are looking toward to improve the efficiency and revenue potential of their services and their ability to compete with telcos offering IPTV services. Time Warner Cable and Cablevision both recently announced progress in their SDV deployments.

Meanwhile, BigBand Networks, one of the key vendors support SDV, continues to be in a tough spot financially. The company said last week it is laying off about 5% of its workforce, or about 20 people, after cutting 15% of its workforce just last year. still, the vendor posted first quarter 2008 revenue growth to $39.9 million, from $30.7 million in the first quarter of 2007.

For more:
- see this story at Light Reading's Cable Digital News

Related article:
- BigBand held a major SDV demonstration last summer. BigBand report

U-verse given the green light in Connecticut

Tue, 06 Nov 2007 06:59:50 -0500

AT&T has been granted a franchise for its IPTV U-verse service in Connecticut after a state court overturned a decision by the local utility regulator which required U-verse to have to get a franchise in each area in which it wanted to operate. The decision is an important precedent and clears the way for similar state-level clearance to facilitate the rapid roll out of the broadband infrastructure necessary to support IPTV and other high access services. AT&T becomes the first competitor to offer television services under a new state law designed to increase competition with the cable industry.

The decision was a blow for Comcast and Cablevision who now face an aggressive roll out of a high profile competitive service. AT&T was of course chuffed: "We are pleased that the DPUC has taken this step on behalf of Connecticut consumers who have long desired more choice in the video marketplace. Credit also goes to our state's legislators and Governor Rell, who passed a forward-thinking new law that encourages competition," AT&T Connecticut President Ramona Carolow said.

Also happy were the unions, with 1,300 workers idol since the mid-October decision that stopped the roll out. Union chief Bill Henderson, said the court made the right decision and union members, who have been working since Dec. 16, 2006 installing the service, can get back to creating a new fiber-optic system to serve customers.

For More:
- AT&T wins statewide Connecticut franchise Report
- DPUC Issues Certificate For U-Verse Report

Related Articles:
Connecticut franchise battle continues Report
U-verse avoids Connecticut regulators Report

FiOS doesn't scare cable

Tue, 25 Sep 2007 06:59:50 -0400

Cable executives aren't coming undone over Verizon FiOSTV, according to reports that emerged from last week's Goldman Sachs Communacopia conference in New York. Comcast chief operating officer, Steve Burke speculated about the viability of FiOSTV, which he said had reached only about 5 percent of Comcast markets.

Sanford Bernstein Senior Analyst Craig Moffett also pooh-poohed FiOS, predicting it would reach just 15 percent of TV households in five years; and AT&T's U-verse, 23 percent. Cablevision is predicted to have the most overlap with the FiOSTV footprint, at 79 percent. (See FiOS Penetration by 2012)

Overbuilders like RCN are considered most vulnerable, providing a buffer of sorts for incumbent cable operators, aka the ones who've been laughing at the idea of telcoTV for 20 years. That it's even a subject of an investor conference means the cable industry is taking it seriously. Very seriously.

For More:
- DSL Reports has more on the Goldman Sachs conference here
- The same publication highlights the FiOSTV effect on cable here

Related Articles:
SPOTLIGHT: Verizon FiOS turns two Report
Broadcom bolsters FiOS foothold Report

Verizon FiOS cranks up to 50 Mpbs

Wed, 10 Jan 2007 19:01:00 -0500

Cablevision and other local cable providers have taken Verizon to task, and now the telco is ramping up its connection speeds for its FiOS service to 50 Mbps downstream and 5 Mbps upstream. Previously, the high end of FiOS saw speeds of 30 Mbps down and 5 Mbps upstream. The medium tier has been increased to 15 Mbps downstream and 2 Mbps up. While the 30 Mbps service cost $179 a month, rumor has it that the increased service will cost less at $90 a month. Despite the dramatic decrease in price, competitors like Cablevision would still have it beat, since their comparable service runs for a third of the price.

For more on Verizon's FiOS service:
- see this article from GigaOM

Cablevision crosses 1M VoIP sub mark

Wed, 19 Jul 2006 20:01:20 -0400

While recent reports peg the current U.S. IPTV subscriber base at about 500,000, Cablevision now joins Time Warner in the 1 million VoIP customer club. Cablevision claims it has saved $500 million for its subscribers to the service, but analysts feel the claim is dubious. While the news is an obvious threat to VoIP pureplays like Vonage, it's also a time for reflection from the telcos that are slowly rolling out IPTV services. IPTV is just getting off the ground, and the cable companies have the lead on the telcos with their voice services, which they are selling--in the million, apparently.

For more on Cablevision 1 million VoIP subs:
- check out this press release

ALSO NOTED: CCTV wins China's 2nd IPTV license; SPL Innotech patents ad insertion; and much more...

Wed, 10 May 2006 20:01:33 -0400

> SPL Innotech has a key patent for ad insertion into VoD services. Article

> Broadbus and Axiom partner to help operators simplify IPTV deployments, including solutions for networked DVRs and time shifted TV. Release

> CCTV wins China's second IPTV license. Shanghai Media Group won the first. Article

> TiVo and Brightcove partner to bring the latter's broadband video to Tivo's STBs. Note this is not IPTV as the PC Magazine article calls it. Article

> KyLinTV is launching a new line up of hit movies from all over Asia. KyLinTV is a Chinese language IPTV service funded in part by Charles Dolan of Cablevision. Release

And Finally... Cisco's net fell in its last quarter, but IPTV is still seen as a big growth factor for the company moving forward. Article (Wall Street Journal sub. req.)

Cable's plans to compete with telcos

Wed, 29 Mar 2006 19:01:38 -0500

Cable companies are reacting to phone companies' TV plans and are devising ways to fend off the competition:

Cablevision plans to begin testing the RS-DVR system on Long Island in the second quarter of 2006. Using existing set-top cable boxes rather than dedicated DVR units, subscribers will be able to record up to 80 GB of programming (about 45 hours of television) and record up to two programs simultaneously while watching a previously recorded show.
Time Warner has started early talks with broadcast networks regarding a new "instant re-run" service. Time Warner can record popular television programming and offer subscribers the ability to call up that programming on demand soon after the broadcast.

Although the storage costs of a broadly available RS-DVR service are formidable, cable operators find the service compelling as it offers some economy of scale and allows use of existing digital set-top boxes. However, RS-DVR capabilities may cut into the market for downloads of programming and/or VoD services of television programmers and networks and create some issues for operators.

In an attempt to keep pace with Verizon's FiOS, Comcast has doubled download speeds of its fastest broadband service in four areas: Reston, VA; Sarasota, FL; Fort Wayne, IN; and Howard County, MD. Comcast is automatically upgrading customers of its premiere broadband service to 16 Mbps from 8 Mbps for downloads and 1 Mbps for uploads from 768 Kbps at $52.95 per month.

The selected cities also happen to be where Verizon is offering its FiOS service. Comcast says it is increasing download speeds to test new applications it plans to offer its broadband customers and not to compete with Verizon's FiOS.

To learn more on the cablecos plans:
- check out this article from Design Technica
- read this News.com article