TANDBERG TV Unveils its Next Gen Switched Digital Video Solution

TANDBERG Television unveiled its next generation solution for enabling cable operators to offer switched multi-rate (2-20Mbs) digital television video services through an open platform.The TANDBERG OpenStream Switched Digital Video (SDV) Solution promises massively scalability to more than 15 million digital VOD subscribers through a fully redundant system with seamless failover to ensure the delivery of critical video channels. It supports multi-format (SD/HD; MPEG-2/MPEG-4) environments, allowing cable operators to mix MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 AVC...

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Clearwire and AOL Expand Wireless Distribution Agreement

Beginning this month, AOL will to offer Clearwire's high-speed wireless broadband service to AOL users throughout Clearwire markets in the U.S. Previously, AOL and Clearwire had a joint distribution agreement that covered four Clearwire markets -- Jacksonville and Daytona Beach, Fla.; and Stockton and Modesto, Calif. The new joint distribution agreement covers all existing and future Clearwire markets in the U.S. Clearwire is currently available in 38 markets across the country covering more than 400 municipalities including Seattle, Honolulu...

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Nokia Siemens Networks to Cut 9,000 Jobs

One month after completing its merger, Nokia Siemens Networks announced a round of job cuts affecting up to 9,000 people and aimed at strengthen its competitive position in the communications industry. The company's stated goal is to reduce headcount by 10-15% over a four year period from an initial base of approximately 60,000 with the goal of saving EUR 1.5 billion annually by the end 2010. Some of the job cuts may be in the form of the transfer of personnel to research and development (R&D), manufacturing, and other partners of Nokia Siemens...

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Alcatel-Lucent to Build Fiber Overlay on Electrical Grid for France's RTE

RTE, the French public power transmission network operator, awarded a contract to Alcatel-Lucent to deploy an additional several-thousand-kilometer fiber-optic network on its high-voltage transmission grid. ROSE 7 (Réseau Optique de SEcurité, or Optical Security Network) is the continuation of a project that began in 2004 with a 500 Km pilot project in Brittany which has grown to over 5,000 km. The agreement includes project management, engineering, supply, network installation and commissioning, as well as maintenance for the majority of the network....

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SES Astra Satellite Successfully Launched

SES Astra' Astra 1L satellite was successfully launched by Arianespace. SES Astra is the leading direct-to-home (DTH) broadcast system in Europe, serving more than 109 million households via DTH and cable networks. Satellites in the SES Astra fleet transmit 1,864 TV and radio stations.Astra 1L, built by Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems (LMCSS) using an A2100 AX platform, will weigh about 4,500 kg at launch. Equipped with 29 Ku-band active transponders and 2 Ka-band active transponders, Astra 1L will be positioned at 19.2 degrees East, and...

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Intelsat's Galaxy 17 Satellite Successfully Launched

Intelsat's Galaxy 17 Satellite was successfully launched aboard Arianespace's Ariane 5 ECA rocket. The satellite, built by Thales Alenia Space, will initially operate from 74ºW and offer high-power capacity to video programmers, government and corporate broadband customers in North America and in the Caribbean. Galaxy 17, built by Thales Alenia Space using a Spacebus 3000 B3 platform, is designed to provide television and telephony services for North America. Weighing about 4,100 kg at launch, it is fitted with 24 Ku-band and 24 C-band transponders....

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EC Advances its Case Against Germany's "Regulatory Holiday" for DT

The European Commission published a ruling advancing its case against a German law that could grant Deutsche Telekom a "regulatory holiday" in spite of its dominant position in the broadband market. Specifically, the European Commission is objecting to a German telecom law that just entered into force that effectively exempts Deutsche Telekom's new VDSL network from competition, as had been requested by the German incumbent operator. DT is still partly owned by the German State. With this ruling, the EC has given Germany one month to reply. The...

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FCC Adopts Rules for the Broadcasting-Satellite Services

The FCC adopted rules for the 17/24 GHz Broadcasting-Satellite Service (BSS), which is expected to deliver a mix of local and domestic video, audio, data, video-on-demand, and multi-media services to U.S. consumers, including Alaska and Hawaii. In some cases, these services will complement existing Direct Broadcast Satellite (DBS) services. The FCC is implementing a first-come, first-served licensing procedure for the 17/24 GHz BSS, as well as various safeguards, reporting requirements, and licensee obligations. It is also establishing rules...

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FCC Grants Set-top Box Waivers

The FCC's Media Bureau granted several waivers to cable operators regarding compliance requirements for various set-top boxes.Charter Communications was granted a request for a waiver of the ban on integrated set-top boxes for seven set-top box models until July 1, 2008. The FCC also granted conditional waivers of the integration ban to Millennium Telcom (OneSource Communications) and GCI Cable, Inc.. The bureau found that these operators' commitments to migrate their systems to all-digital on or before February 17, 2009 justified grant of the...

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US Army Selects General Dynamics' Ku-Band Satellite Antenna

General Dynamics SATCOM Technologies has been awarded an order under the World Wide Satellite Services contract to provide Ku-band on-the-move satellite communications terminals to the U.S. Army. Under this order, General Dynamics will provide a single Warrior Model 20-20 Satcom-on-the-Move (SOTM) antenna system for verification and testing, with additional purchases to follow successful tests. The total potential value of the award if all options are exercised is $28 million over three years.General Dynamics said its equipment transmits and receives...

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