Verizon to Offer Revver User-Generated Content on FiOS TV and Consumer Broadband Services

WASHINGTON - Beginning Friday (March 30), Verizon FiOS TV subscribers in the Washington metro area will be able to tune to a new local television channel, FiOS1, a one-stop shop for local weather, traffic, news, sports and community features. FiOS1 is Verizon's first owned-and-operated television channel in the United States, and the company expects to launch similar channels in other markets this year.

"Viewers will find the local information and feature stories that matter most to them on FiOS1," said Michelle Webb, executive producer and general manager of FiOS1. "Verizon will offer its subscribers a unique and exciting local TV experience and is committed to delivering dynamic local stories that will touch everyone."

Verizon is providing FiOS services on the nation's most advanced fiber-optic network straight to customers' homes. Only Verizon's FiOS network has earned the certification of the independent Fiber to the Home Council for providing fiber all the way to customers' homes.

FiOS1 highlights include:

•State-of-the-art local traffic and weather presentations available in several formats throughout the day. FiOS1 will deliver "Traffic on the 1s" and "Weather on the 5s."

•Info-Bars, located at the top and bottom of the panoramic video screen display, 

•Professional, original news content from W*USA9, the Gannett-owned local CBS affiliate, and news headlines from The Associated Press in the Info-Bars.
"Push-Pause," a Verizon original production in collaboration with Michael Rosenblum's HyperLocal News Productions. "Push-Pause" features high-impact hyper-local news and community stories shot by trained citizen video journalists.

•"Limbo Local" - a cross-platform auction and sweepstakes game offering FiOS1 viewers the chance to win cool prizes every week. Viewers can use their mobile phones to text-message their bids, or they can bid by computer.
FiOS1 sports from favorite hometown teams, including Georgetown and George Mason University, and Northern Virginia high-school football and basketball games. Working with the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network, FiOS1 will also present professional baseball games. The first MASN game on FiOS1 is March 31 when Baltimore plays Washington.

FiOS1 is on Channel 1 in the FiOS TV channel lineup and is available at no extra cost to FiOS TV digital subscribers in Northern Virginia and parts of Maryland.

Webb, a former ABC news producer, said that FiOS1 will evolve as Verizon gains more time in the market. "We've worked with recognized technology and graphic-design experts like Harlan Neugeboren and J.C. Burns to create a next-generation viewing experience, and we'll continue to enhance the content in response to viewer feedback," she said. "We know that our viewers' time is valuable, and we want to make it enjoyable for them to turn to FiOS1 again and again for the nonstop information they tell us they want. 

Verizon's first original programming is "Push-Pause," a high-impact community features and profiles program produced by citizen video journalists (VJs) who live in the area. Trained by HyperLocal News Productions, the Citizen VJs use the latest digital camcorders to produce high-quality videos that bring viewers up close with the communities that Verizon covers. FiOS1 also plans to invite viewers to submit their own local community stories for possible showing on "Push Pause."

FiOS1 will also present a new program called "Limbo Local" that lets viewers use their mobile phones to text-message bids for items throughout the day. In a twist on the conventional notion of an auction, the person who submits the lowest unique bid at the close of the auction wins the prize. FiOS1 subscribers will also be able to play online, making "Limbo Local" available to subscribers at home and on the go. In a cross-platform promotion, Verizon Wireless is offering its own version of the game to its V CAST subscribers, and FiOS1 will air V CAST's national, weekly and daily auctions and announce V CAST winners. During the first four weeks of "Limbo Local," FiOS1 and V CAST subscribers will be able to play Limbo for a 40-inch LCD high-definition TV; a Blu-ray progressive DVD player; a complete surround-sound system; and a portable DVD player for the car.

FiOS1 will feature 20 hours of sports programming a week, including some high-school and college games in season. Verizon is an official partner of Georgetown University Athletics and has secured the rights to air certain George Mason University sporting events. 
"Georgetown Athletics is extremely excited about the partnership with Verizon," said Kyle Ragsdale, associate director of athletics 

FiOS1 will also develop a high school sports highlights show, currently airing only on the Internet, for the TV screen. The show, "Game Day TV," created for Verizon, will be a 30-minute Northern Virginia high school sports preview of the upcoming games for the weekend and a wrap-up of the week's past match-ups. The show will also feature interviews with coaches and players from high schools throughout Northern Virginia.

Verizon FiOS TV offers a broad collection of all-digital programming, two dozen high-definition channels, 8,600 video-on-demand titles and more. FiOS TV is now available in more than 200 communities in parts of 10 states: California, Delaware, Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas and Virginia. 

Entriq and MoPhap Team Up to Optimize Mobile Advertising Deliverey

ORLANDO, Fla. (March 27, 2007) - Entriq, a company that enables content providers to leverage the power of new media distribution, today announced it has structured a breakthrough agreement with Mobile Phone Applications, Inc., (MoPhap) to optimize distribution of eye-catching advertising to a wide variety of mobile devices. 

Under agreement, MoPhap will leverage Entriq's Mobile service to enhance the delivery of mobile advertising for both image-based and pre-roll video ads to virtually any mobile device. This is accomplished by combining Entriq's real time transcoding and dynamic device detection with MoPhap's sophisticated mobile ad decision logic, targeting engines and campaign management system. 

The combined MoPhap-Entriq solution reduces the barriers to entry for advertisers and ad agencies wishing to tap into the unique reach and interactivity of mobile advertising. In the past, advertisers were forced to either accept poorly rendered ad creative, or create multiple versions of each piece of advertising creative to compensate for the thousands of different mobile devices in the marketplace. With the combined MoPhap-Entriq solution, the advertiser's image is dynamically encoded and customized in real-time to the user's end device from a single piece of source ad creative.

"At MoPhap our strategy has been to deliver a best of breed solution to the world of mobile advertising," said MoPhap CEO Bob Walczak. "Entriq is a major contributor to this approach, and we are extremely pleased to be partnering with them."

"Together, MoPhap and Entriq can assure that mobile advertising is delivered in an optimal format for each of the thousands of mobile device models already in use, with all the targeting, tracking and reporting advertisers and agencies expect in the online world." Walczak added.

Entriq's technology will be embedded into MoPhap's Dynamic Ad Server platform and will provide optimized content rendering and dynamic transcoding services for image 

"Our relationship with MoPhap is Entriq's first foray into video and banner mobile advertising," said Jan Hofmeyr, Entriq's executive vice president for Sales, Marketing and Business Development. "This partnership expands our mobile-commerce footprint from pure pay media to ad supported with the potential for hybrid business models such as combinations of advertising-supported, pay per view and subscription."

For content publishers, the MoPhap-Entriq solution will allow them to derive more revenue from their Wireless Applications Protocol sites by adding or expanding advertising. Entriq's powerful service enables publishers to deliver and distribute video and rich media content efficiently to mobile users around the world. Moreover, little to no coding is required for publishers to add advertising.

ATIS Releases Default Scrambling Algorithm for IPTV

March 26, 2007, Washington, D.C. - ATIS announced today the publication of its IIF Default Scrambling Algorithm - IPTV Interoperability Specification (IDSA), ATIS Standard 0800006. This newly released document specifies a default scrambling/de-scrambling algorithm for the MPEG-2 Transport 

Use of the IDSA provides network operators with a maximum choice of IPTV Receiving Device platforms, which typically contain scrambling algorithms that provide for encryption and decryption in support of security and performance. IDSA is a self-contained, fully-specified algorithm that accepts as its input only a fixed Initialization Vector (IV), the content stream, and the key. 

IDSA utilizes Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) as its basic building block which is a well-reviewed, widely-accepted, cryptographic algorithm that has had a thorough and expert design review to ensure cryptographic robustness. AES is a publicly available cryptographic algorithm that has been standardized by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) as FIPS-197[1].

The IDSA was developed by the ATIS IPTV Interoperability Forum (IIF), which is recognized as the global standards leader in the creation of IPTV standards and specifications. Within the last nine months, the ATIS IIF has released the following documents: 

IPTV Architecture Requirements Document ( ATIS-0800002) - Developed in June 2006, the ATIS IIF produced the industry's first set of IPTV architecture requirements that define, in broad terms, the scope of IPTV services and high-level requirements that will guide the development of architecture specifications over time. 

IPTV DRM Interoperability Requirements ( ATIS-0800001) - This ATIS standard defines the requirements for the interoperability of systems and components in the IPTV DRM/security environment. The IDSA is supported by the requirements found in this document.

IPTV Architecture Roadmap (ATIS-0800003) - The roadmap defines the phases in which IPTV architecture standards and specifications will be developed by ATIS. 

Framework for QoS Metrics and Measurements Supporting IPTV Services ( ATIS-08000004) - The framework provides a basis for definitions of Quality of Service 

(QoS)/Quality of Experience (QoE) related to different segments of the network, different service instances or invocations, network architectures/technologies utilized, and modes of service. 

Packet Loss Issue Report ( ATIS-0800005) - This document reviews many of the factors that may cause packet loss in IPTV transmissions, and addresses solutions to mitigate packet drop. 

New IPTV and Video on Demand prospects for Caribbean and South America 

March 28, 2007 - 3Vision and Manycast have formed a strategic partnership and will work together on IPTV and Video on Demand projects for Telecom and Media companies in the Caribbean and South America. 

Established in 2005, Manycast has focused on the development of an IPTV platform, in addition to negotiating regional content deals in the Caribbean. 

'This partnership further extends our reach into new territories and will deliver a wealth of exciting new projects in the IPTV space' commented Toby Russell, Chief Executive of 3Vision. 

'3Vision will bring unrivalled expertise through its experience negotiating Channel Carriage and Hollywood Studio deals' said Jorris Uding, MD of Manycast Inc, 'It will further strengthen our IPTV offering to current and potential clients in what is a rapidly evolving marketplace'.

Ericsson Reaches More Than 90 Percent of Tandberg Television Shares

March 23, 2007, In the voluntary public cash offer to acquire all outstanding shares in Tandberg Television (OSE:TAT), Ericsson (NASDAQ:ERIC) has received acceptances and purchased shares representing more than 90 percent of Tandberg Television. 

With the received acceptances and the 15,108,197 shares already purchased, Ericsson has reached the 90 percent acceptance and ownership threshold. 
Ericsson intends to complete the voluntary public cash offer in accordance with the conditions in the offer document as soon as possible, provided no material adverse change occurs prior to completion and that the antitrust clearance condition has been satisfied or waived. 

Assuming completion of the voluntary cash offer, Ericsson will, as soon as practically possible, proceed with a mandatory offer for the remaining outstanding shares in Tandberg Television as required under Chapter 4 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act.

In parallel, Ericsson plans to resolve a forced transfer of the remaining shares in Tandberg Television in accordance with paragraph 4:25 of the Norwegian Public Limited Companies Act. Such forced transfer of shares is expected to take effect soon after the announcement of the mandatory offer. In 

addition, Ericsson intends to arrange for a delisting of the Tandberg Television share from the Oslo Stock Exchange. Such delisting will likely take effect soon after settlement of the mandatory offer.

Ericsson is shaping the future of Mobile and Broadband Internet communications through its continuous technology leadership. Providing innovative solutions in more than 140 countries, Ericsson is helping to create the most powerful communication companies in the world. 

Industry Leaders Form Consortium to Develop End-to-End Specification for IPTV

19 March 2007 AT&T Inc., Ericsson, France Telecom, Panasonic, Philips, Samsung, Siemens Networks, Sony, and Telecom Italia today announced the founding of the Open IPTV Forum, an industry consortium that will work to define an interoperable end-to-end specification for delivery of IPTV services.

The forum, which is fully open to participation across the communications and entertainment industries, will focus on development of open standards that could help to streamline and accelerate deployments of IPTV technologies, and help to maximize the benefits of IPTV for consumers, network operators, content providers, service providers, consumer electronics manufacturers 

While standardization bodies are already addressing specific elements of IPTV, the pan-industry Open IPTV Forum will work to aggregate today's diverse standards into a complete delivery solution, with the goal of accelerating the full standardization of IPTV-related technologies. The Open IPTV Forum plans to establish requirements and architecture specifications as well as protocol specifications later in 2007.

The evolving IPTV service has many advantages, including personalization, interactivity and on-demand access for all forms of digital content. Unique possibilities exist for integration of content and communication services offered across mobile handsets and home devices. By ensuring the interoperability between consumer equipment and services compliant to the Open IPTV Forum's specification, the end users can easily access their choice of contents and services among multiple service providers. 

With this scope in mind, the Open IPTV Forum will work on the basis of suitable open-standards technologies, and will also address key technology elements such as content protection, necessary interfaces that allow IPTV services to be delivered over both managed network environment and the public Internet, and adequate measures to ensure interoperability between such services and retail consumer devices. Candidates include, but are not limited to: IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) and Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA). 

Initially the Forum will consist of the founding member companies, but will be open for other companies at a later date.

First Fibre To The Home IPTV service launched in Switzerland

Cambridge, UK, 27th February 2007: - Amino, the world leading IPTV platform supplier, today announced that it has enabled Switzerland's first Fibre To The Home (FTTH) IPTV service as the operator, Sierre Energie, launched its IPTV service on the 15th February. Amino will supply its award winning AmiNET100 series of set-top boxes to enable the viewing of 90 channels. 

The triple-play deal will initially offer a broadband connection, fixed telephone and digital TV services. It will also offer video on demand (VOD) and its Catch-Up TV service which gives the viewer the ability to pause live TV. The complete triple-play services package will cost SFr. 57, or customers can purchase individual services for SFr. 25 each per month. 

"Arthur Clivaz, CFO of Sierre Energie stated, "New to IPTV, we selected Amino based on its history of delivering strong technology and track record of both global and local firsts. We're constantly growing to deliver new services and need technology partners who can work with our existing suppliers and innovate to meet our needs. Amino excels in both these areas."

"We're proud to be involved in the first ever FTTH IPTV deployment in Switzerland," commented Roy Kirsopp, VP and General Manager of Amino. "With an FTTH infrastructure Sierre Energie is 

Looking to the future, Sierre Energie is planning its HDTV service for Summer 2007 and is currently evaluating the advanced AmiNET130 set-top box.

Nortel, NDS Unite to Create New IPTV Capabilities

MARCH 05, 2007 LONDON, UK - Nortel [NYSE/TSX: NT] and NDS [NASDAQ:NNDS], a leading provider of 

Nortel has signed a global reseller and joint marketing agreement with NDS, and the companies are working together to facilitate the integration of Nortel's voice and multimedia features into the TV environment. 

Plans include integrating Nortel's voice and multimedia products into NDS' MediaHighway middleware, to produce a new set of communications services for television. The expected result will be one of the most advanced and feature-rich middleware products in the television distribution industry, giving IPTV service providers a powerful platform to attract and retain customers. The solution will deliver an enriched user experience through the ability to control various communication services from the TV. Planned features include caller ID, call handling, address book, click-to-dial, call-logs, IM messaging and other IP-based communication services. 

"We chose NDS because it is a leader in the digital broadcast industry and has a proven middleware product that is well suited for IPTV communications integration," said George Riedel, chief strategy officer, Nortel. "Working together we can deliver a new set of exciting services which blend TV entertainment with voice and multimedia services." 

"NDS is delighted to be working with Nortel on new IPTV products that will set us apart from the rest of the industry," said Nigel Smith, vice president, NDS Broadband Internet Group. "Nortel's strength in voice and multimedia, coupled with its IPTV systems integration capability, is a perfect complement to our middleware portfolio and to our experience in digital broadcasting" 

Both companies fundamentally support the use of open standards and open architecture. Nortel is an active leader and contributor in the IPTV standards bodies while NDS' MediaHighway is based on an open architecture, relying on Java and HTML for maximum flexibility, which allows new features to be easily integrated into the IPTV platform for faster time-to-market and enhanced competitive advantage for service providers. Its