Broadbandinfo: Broadband News and Technology

Time Warner to Sell Cable Division Time Warner, the second largest cable provider in the U.S., recently announced plans to spin off its cable services division in an effort to restructure the company as a whole. The restructuring move is seen by experts as a response to Wall Street demands to operate as a media content company to increase the value of its stock. In a company press release, Time Warner chief executive officer Jeff Bewkes said: ?Our results this quarter, particularly the underlying operating strength of our cable, networks, and filmed entertainment businesses, gave us the confidence to reaffirm our full-year business outlook. We?ve also made substantial progress on our key structural initiatives. We?ve decided that a complete structural separation of Time Warner Cable, under the right circumstances, is in the best interest of both companies? shareholders. We?re working hard on an agreement with Time Warner Cable, which we expect to finalize soon. At the same time, we?ll continue to pursue the rest of our aggressive agenda that we believe will deliver increasing value to our shareholders.? Time Warner First Quarter Profits Down from One Year Ago Time Warner?s first-quarter net profit fell 36 percent to $771 million, or 21 cents per share, from $1.2 billion, or 30 cents per share, a year earlier, when it booked a big gain from the sale of AOL's Internet access business in Germany and the unwinding of its cable partnership with Comcast Corp. Time Warner currently owns Time Warner Cable stock (the company rolled off part of its cable unit into Bright House Networks in 2003).

Charter Launches Faster High-Speed Internet in Wisconsin Charter Communications, the third largest publicly traded broadband communications company in the U.S., has announced its launch of a new high-speed Internet service capable of download speeds as fast as 16 Mbps in most of its service areas in Wisconsin. The new service, called Charter High-Speed Internet Max, will allow Charter customers to download a song in 2 ½ seconds, or download as many as 24 photographs in eight seconds. Charter is offering the same high speeds for Charter Business, the company?s Internet service exclusive to business customers. High-Speed Internet Offered on Premium Tier of Service According to a company press release, Charter?s High-Speed Internet Max is available to its Wisconsin customers on a premium tier of service. The cable operator also offers Charter High-Speed Internet with download speeds up to 5 Mbps, and Charter High-Speed Plus which features speeds as fast as 10 Mbps. Charter Investing in Enhanced Services Over the past year, Charter has invested more than $1 billion in capital to enhance its broadband offerings across the U.S. Says Ted Schremp, Charter?s senior vice president of product management and strategy, ?Speed and the reliability of that speed are top priorities of Internet users and for the second time, an independent research firm, comScore, Inc., ranked Charter?s high-speed Internet speeds fastest and most reliable in the communities we serve. Bundling Charter Services Offers Greater Value to Customers According to Schremp, Charter?s Wisconsin customers can take advantage of lower prices when they choose to bundle the company?s video and telephone services.

Blockbuster in Talks for Stake in Viacom Premium Cable Channel According to recent reports, Blockbuster has been in talks for several weeks to buy a stake in a new premium cable TV channel to be launched by Viacom in conjunction with Lions Gate Entertainment and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. A deal would be based on Blockbuster obtaining digital rights to the channel's programming in exchange for an investment in the partnership. Viacom Announced Premium Channel Launch on April 20 Viacom and its two current partners announced plans on April 20 to launch a new premium television channel in September 2009 after talks with CBS Corp's Showtime to renew movie licensing deals broke down. The new channel is as yet unnamed, but will feature such movies as Iron Man, Cloverfield, the upcoming Star Trek, and Valkyrie, as well as older movies from the studios' portfolios and original programming. It?s expected that cable operators will need to charge as much as $5 per subscriber per month to turn a profit from the new channel. Blockbuster Also Pursuing Circuit City Blockbuster also recently announced that it has offered to buy electronics retailer Circuit City for a price of $6 per share, subject to due diligence. Blockbuster stated in a recent news release that it made the bid public because Circuit City shareholders should have the opportunity to participate in determining the destiny of the company. Blockbuster noted the combination of the two companies would result in an $18 billion global retail enterprise positioned to capitalize on the growing convergence of media content and electronic devices. The transaction would allow both companies to benefit from the revenue growth generated by their complementary products, while the resulting synergies would substantially improve consolidated financial performance, thereby increasing shareholder value.

Charter Communications Renews Outdoor Channel Deal Charter Communications has renewed its distribution agreement with the Outdoor Channel. The deal will allow the cable channel?s 30.8 million cable and satellite subscribers to access its programming. Tom Hornish, chief operating officer at Outdoor Channel, spoke about the deal saying, ?Charter's markets perfectly align with Outdoor Channel's target audience of outdoor enthusiasts. This is an excellent opportunity for both organizations to deliver high quality outdoor programming to an audience that truly appreciates the great outdoors." Outdoor Channel Popular Programming Outdoor Channel provides entertainment for its audience by creating primetime categories such as hunting, fishing, off-road motorsports, or Western lifestyle. Programming within the different categories air on different weeknights. The cable network is known for such shows as Realtree Outdoors, Dock Dogs, Jim Shockey's Hunting Adventures, and Scent Lok's Gettin' Close with Lee &Tiffany. The channel?s programs can be viewed on multiple platforms via Charter including high definition and video-on-demand. With the launch of the Outdoor Channel?s newly designed website, www.outdoorchannel.com, viewers can also watch the channel?s program online. Outdoor Channel is a wholly owned subsidiary of Outdoor Channel Holdings, Inc. Outdoor Channel Founded for Outdoorsmen When the Outdoor Channel was founded, its intent was to offer programming designed to educate and entertain sportsmen at every skill level. Founded by outdoorsmen for outdoorsmen, the channel promotes such traditional outdoor activities as fishing, hunting, and shooting sports. The channel?s programs target traditional sportsmen of all ages with a focus on activities that the entire family can enjoy in the great outdoors.

AT&T Expands U-Verse in Atlanta AT&T is expanding availability of AT&T U-verse television and high speed Internet in parts of Atlanta. The company?s U-verse service combines television, broadband, and wireless services delivered over AT&T's advanced Internet Protocol (IP) network. AT&T is the only national service provider which offers a 100 percent IP-based television (IPTV) service. The IP technology allows AT&T customers to take advantage of U-verse?s feature-rich services such as extensive HD channel offerings, more control over their services, and greater value. AT&T?s Commitment to Southeast Customers Sylvia Anderson, AT&T?s Georgia president, stated in a recent company news release, ?AT&T has made a commitment to help customers in the Southeast benefit from faster and wider delivery of innovative new services like AT&T U-verse. Our customers will reap the rewards when they experience AT&T U-verse TV. We look forward to expanding U-verse services and video choice to more customers in the Southeast." AT&T Offers Extensive U-Verse Television Features U-verse customers can enjoy numerous television features including extensive channels, the ability to set a DVR from any location and record up to four standard definition programs at once, photo browsing and slideshows, customizable weather, stock, sports and traffic information, Yahoo games, and built-in picture-to-picture channel surfing. U-Verse High Speed Internet Available at up to 10 Mbps According to AT&T, U-verse high speed Internet offers a variety of download speeds depending on which level of service a customer selects. The company?s Max service offers download speeds up to 10 Mbps; its Elite service has speeds up to 6 Mbps; the Pro service features speeds as fast as 3 Mbps, and Express service speeds up to 1.5 Mbps.

Comcast Offers Faster High-Speed Internet for Business Customers Comcast recently announced that the cable company has doubled its high-speed Internet speeds for its Business Class Internet service tiers across the U.S. The service, available at no additional cost to Comcast?s business class Internet customers, features download speeds up to 16 Mbps and upload speeds up to 2 Mbps. New Service Offers Ultra-Fast Downloads Through the new service, business customers will be able to download a 220 MB file in less than two minutes compared to 10 minutes with a 3.0 Mbps DSL connection. Comcast business customers can access even faster download speeds through the company?s PowerBoost? Internet speed enhancer, which is designed to speed up downloads for Software Service Pack, Digital X-Rays, and PowerPoint presentations. With PowerBoost?, business customers can also upload files twice as quickly. Comcast Offers Bundled Services to Business Class Customers Comcast also recently launched its Business Class Bundle, where for the first time, business owners can bundle their high-speed Internet service with digital voice and video service. In addition, Comcast is the only major U.S. Internet service provider to offer Microsoft Communications Services at no additional cost with its broadband services, allowing its customers to benefit from a large enterprise communications infrastructure with fully synced e-mail, shared calendars, contacts and tasks. Comcast Plans to Continue High-Speed Internet Enhancements According to a company news release, Comcast plans to continue to increase Internet speeds as it evolves from broadband to wideband with the introduction of DOCSIS 3.0 (Data Over Cable Service Interface Specifications) technology, ?Comcast is dedicated to and focused on offering a better broadband Internet experience so business customers are equipped with technology solutions that save time, increase productivity, and offer more value,? said Bill Stemper, president of Comcast Business Services. ?We will continue to innovate to keep small and medium-sized businesses on the cutting edge of new technology.?

AT&T and Starbucks Launch Wi-Fi Rollout AT&T Inc. and Starbucks Corp. have launched an extensive Wi-Fi service rollout at more than 7,000 company-operated Starbucks coffee shop locations across the U.S. beginning in San Antonio. Starting May 1, the two powerhouse companies will offer a mix of paid and free Wi-Fi service to their combined customers. Free Wi-Fi for Starbucks Card Holders Starbucks Card holders will have access to up to two hours of free Wi-Fi each day and will be able to purchase two additional hours for $3.99. A monthly subscription will also be available for $19.99 which includes access to any of AT&T?s Wi-Fi hot spots in 89 countries throughout the world. Additionally, Starbucks 100,000 plus partners across the U.S. will be given free AT&T Wi-Fi accounts allowing Internet access in Starbucks company-owned shops where it is offered. AT&T Customers Offered Free Wi-Fi at Starbucks AT&T?s U-Verse Internet customers and remote access services business customers will receive unlimited free access to Starbucks Wi-Fi service, and AT&T plans to offer Starbucks Wi-Fi to its wireless customers soon. With the largest Wi-Fi network in the U.S., AT&T?s partnering with Starbucks expands its hot spots to 17,000 in the U.S. and 70,000 worldwide. 12 Million AT&T and Starbucks Customers Given Wi-Fi Access As the rollout continues market by market through the end of the year, nearly 12 million AT&T and Starbucks customers will have access to Wi-Fi service. "People want to stay connected to their world 24/7," said Rick Welday, AT&T chief marketing officer. "Laptops and smartphones give us the online mobility we crave, and now millions of AT&T and Starbucks customers will get Internet access free from the comfort of their neighborhood Starbucks."

Qwest Introduces 20 Megabit per Second DSL Qwest Communications International, Inc. launched two super high-speed fiber-optic Internet services including Qwest Connect Quantum which provides DSL connection speeds up to 20 Mbps. This premium service is being introduced to residential and small business customers in 23 of Qwest?s top markets. Qwest Provides Fastest DSL Speed In response to customers? requests for higher Internet speeds, Qwest?s Quantum plan is the fastest DSL time offered by any major U.S. phone company. The plan will allow subscribers to download a two-hour movie in as little as six minutes or 30 songs in as little as one minute, and surfing the Web should be as fast as changing channels on a television. The cost for this premium service is $104.99 per month, or $99.99 per month when bundled with Qwest?s local phone service. Qwest Fiber-Optic Cable In addition to its Quantum service, Qwest also introduced Qwest Connect Titanium with a connection speed of 12 Mbps for $51.99 per month or bundled for $46.99. These faster DSL speeds are possible in areas where fiber-optic cables have been installed near homes. By bringing optical fibers into neighborhoods and installing them as close to homes as possible, the copper phone lines carry signals over shorter distances, allowing higher connection speeds. Qwest?s High-Speed Internet Commitment In a company press release, Qwest stated that it plans to spend up to $300 million to accomplish its FTTN (fiber to the neighborhoods) upgrade making 20 Mbps speeds available to an estimated two million Qwest customers by the end of the year. To see when Qwest Connect Quantum and Qwest Connect Titanium will be available in your area, go to www.qwest.com.

Blockbuster Sued for Sharing Information with Facebook Blockbuster has been accused of violating the Video Privacy Act in a federal class-action lawsuit filed by Cathryn Elaine Harris, a resident of Dallas County, Texas. The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, alleges that by participating in Facebook's Beacon program, Blockbuster disclosed Harris's movie rental and sales records to Facebook without her written consent. Facebook introduced the Beacon program in November 2007 to track Facebook user activities on websites such as Blockbuster's, then share the tracked information with the user's Facebook friends. Facing the prospect of 50,000 of its members accusing the online company of invasion of privacy, Facebook modified its Beacon program four weeks after it had been initiated to require a member's consent before sharing this information. Facebook Changes Privacy Policy Originally, the Beacon program which shared information obtained by 44 advertisers, including Blockbuster, was implemented by default; so unless a Facebook user had specifically opted-out of the Beacon program, their private information would be automatically shared with their Facebook friends. Despite Facebook's changes to the Beacon program which now require a member's consent before the website shares their information, Harris alleges that unless a Facebook member also opts-out with Blockbuster, the information may still be shared without a Facebook member's consent. Blockbuster Publishing Customer Movie Rental Records The Video Privacy Act prohibits movie rental companies from disclosing their customers' identifiable rental records unless they have the customer's written consent. The Harris lawsuit seeks $2,500 damage for each time Blockbuster may have disclosed her information to Facebook. Blockbuster spokesman Randy Hargrove said, "Our alliance with Facebook included numerous levels of privacy protections built in for our online subscribers. While we cannot discuss the specifics of this lawsuit, we intend to vigorously defend the company in this litigation."

Comcast to Stop Blocking BitTorrent File Sharing Technology In a move sure to please its industry critics, Comcast Corp. has announced that it will no longer block peer-to-peer file-sharing technologies from BitTorrent Inc. and other companies after a long dispute over the issue. Rather, Comcast has pledged to work in collaboration with BitTorrent to more effectively address issues associated with rich media content and network capacity management. Blocking Practices will Stop by Year end Comcast?s practice of blocking peer-to-peer (P2P) technologies has come under federal scrutiny. The cable television and Internet provider says it will continue to manage Internet traffic during peak times but promised to end the practice of blocking file sharing by the end of 2008. Tony Werner, Comcast Cable?s chief technology officer, said in a recent statement: "This means that we will have to rapidly reconfigure our network management systems, but the outcome will be a traffic management technique that is more appropriate for today's emerging Internet trends. We have been discussing this migration and its effects with leaders in the Internet community for the last several months, and we will refine, adjust, and publish the technique based upon feedback and initial trial results." Comcast and BitTorrent to Develop New Technologies for P2P Both Comcast and BitTorrent Inc. will also work with other tech companies, Internet service providers, and the Internet Engineering Task Force to "explore and develop a new distribution architecture" to more efficiently deliver rich media content. According to BitTorrent Inc. co-founder and president, Ashwin Navin, "BitTorrent will take the first step in enhancing our client applications to optimize them for a new broadband network architecture. Furthermore, we will publish these optimizations in open forums and standard bodies for all application developers to benefit from."