02/24, 12:55pm
Sources familiar with the matter claim all five ISPs commence this week
According to reports, the much-delayed "six strikes" copyright enforcement monitoring system will go live over the next week, with Internet provider Comcast launching on Monday. The Copyright Alert System (CAS), run by the Center for Copyright Information (CCI) has no official launch date, and has been held up by implementation issues, and the damaging effects of Superstorm Sandy. ISPs AT&T, Cablevision, Comcast, Time Warner, and Verizon are all signed up for the system.
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04/19, 2:25pm
Cablevision launches Optimum app for Macs, PCs
Cablevision, which makes the Optimum iPad app that lets users watch live TV when on their home network, has now launched the Optimum App for Laptop. As the name suggests, the app lets Cablevision TV subscribers watch live TV on any Windows PC or Mac connected to their wireless network, though it does not support VOD as the iOS version does.
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03/20, 4:10pm
Aereo expands countering lawsuits
Aereo on Tuesday grew its countersuits against TV networks to include several more networks. Fox, PBS, Univision, WPIX, and WNET were all targeted under a complaint that wanted the judge to rule that Aereo wasn't violating the networks' copyrights. It had already sued ABC, CBS, and NBCUniversal a week ago.
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12/19, 11:55pm
Cablevision joins TWC with HBO Go access
Cablevision on Monday joined Time Warner Cable's move in adding support for HBO Go and MAX Go streaming. Those on iPads, iPhones, and some Android devices can watch every current and past episode from the "best" shows on either network, including some big-name movies. Viewers need to authenticate to an Optimum account with HBO access to watch the streams, which also include the web.
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12/19, 4:35pm
Cablevision, Verizon settle ad lawsuit
Cablevision on Monday said it would drop a lawsuit it filed earlier this month against Verizon over allegedly releasing misleading ads about the speed of Cablevision's Internet services. A Monday report maintains the two companies have reached an agreement in the matter outside of the courts, though the details weren't made public. Verizon ran ads that stated Cablevision delivers only 59 percent of its advertised Internet speeds during peak hours, which were based on an FCC study.
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12/05, 11:05am
Cox TV Connect relies on local link for live TV
Cox on Monday tried its formal hand at a live TV streaming app with the formal rollout of Cox TV Connect for the iPad (free, App Store). As with those from most other cable providers, it lets those with the Apple tablet watch live TV as long as they're on Wi-Fi paired up with a Cox Internet connection and the right level of TV service. The app has a full programming guide and lets viewers watch through an inset while they check the full guide, or else launches a pop-over to show other currently running shows while minimizing the effect on the full-screen view.
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10/14, 7:30pm
E-mails tie copyright officials to RIAA deal
E-mails made available thanks to the Freedom of Information Act (pdf) and unearthed by Wired reveal high-ranking Obama administration officials were actively involved in secret negotiations between Hollywood, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and ISPs. The three sides were found collaborating on plans to disrupt web access for users who are suspected of violating copyright law. The e-mails included executives and lobbyists from the likes of companies like AT&T and Universal Music, among many others.
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08/14, 10:35pm
TWC to reduce competition with Insight deal
Time Warner is about to try and consolidate the cable industry further by buying Insight, a last-minute leak brought out Sunday night. The deal would buy Insight out from the Carlyle Groupe for $3 billion and absorb the cable provider's debts. Final bidding had wrapped up at the start of the July, WSJ said, and the new deal was just Insight reaching a promised target of picking a winning buyer within a month's time.
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08/10, 6:50pm
Cablevision iOS app cleared through settlement
Cablevision and Viacom late Wednesday settled their dispute over the Optimum iOS TV app. The deal lets Cablevision keep Viacom's shows on the TV streaming gateway without either side conceding its legal points. Terms of the settlement weren't mentioned but likely involved Cablevision paying Viacom for continued rights.
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08/09, 2:40pm
Cablevision launches iPhone, iPod touch app
Cablevision has now extended the availability of its Optimum iPad app to the iPod touch and iPhone. The app (free, App Store) lets Cablevision cable subscribers watch live TV and video-on-demand titles on their portable iOS devices as well as act as a remote control for compatible Cablevision set-top boxes. Just like with the iPad app, however, users can't access content from outside of their home.
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08/02, 12:05pm
Agency sees big improvement since 2009 survey
A report issued today by the Federal Communications Commission shows broadband speeds in the U.S. are now significantly closer to what Internet service providers advertise than they were in 2009. The report found that actual download speeds provided by the majority of U.S. broadband providers were within 80 percent or better of companies' advertised speeds. In 2009, download speeds were more often around 50 percent of the advertised rate.
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07/07, 6:45pm
Some US ISPs confirm copyright alert plans
Internet providers on Thursday formally revealed their pacts with the MPAA and RIAA to curb piracy. The new strategy (below) used by AT&T, Cablevision, Comcast, Verizon, and others will first send "educational messages" to an Internet account if a music or video producer sends a notice of an alleged copyright infringement. If a content producer detects another incident, the notice will require a click through receipt that will prove they had received a warning and which could theoretically be used to sue the account holder for knowingly ignoring any warnings.
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06/23, 2:20pm
Viacom takes Cablevision to court over iPad app
Viacom sued Cablevision in a Manhattan court on Thursday over claims that the Cablevision iPad app was violating its broadcast rights. The Comedy Central owner claimed the tablet app was breaking terms that restricted showing Viacom content only on cable TV. The studio wanted both a ban on the iPad streaming as well as $2 million for every purported breach and other possible damages.
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04/29, 3:45pm
"Boost Plus" offers 50Mbps down & 8Mbps up
Broadband Reports claimed that it has learned from Cablevision insiders that the service provider is planning on offering a new tier of Internet access, Boost Plus. This new service will provide 50Mbps download speeds and 8Mbps upload speeds. Pricing is not known.
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04/11, 3:30pm
Viacom claims Cablevision also off limits on iPad
Viacom this weekend lumped Cablevision into its disputes over iPad TV streaming rights. Similar to its fight with Time Warner Cable, Viacom argued that Cablevision hadn't been given permission to stream over Apple's tablet. It negotiates deals for "specific technologies and devices" and insisted it wanted a deal that provided "appropriate value" for both sides.
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04/07, 5:25pm
Time Warner Cable demands iPad app court judgment
Time Warner Cable on Thursday launched a preemptive strike against Viacom in hopes of getting a legal right to broadcast the network's shows through its iPad app. The motion for a declaratory judgment asked a Southern District of New York court to say that the TWCable TV app was within TWC's broadcast rights. Viacom had threatened legal action but would be barred from any measure if a judgment came in TWC's favor.
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04/07, 11:45am
Sprint said near LightSquared, Clearwire deals
Credit Suisse analyst Jonathan Chaplin claimed on Thursday that Sprint would have its deal with LightSquared and a new deal with Clearwire could be ready in weeks. He expected the deal, which would let LightSquared lease access to all of Sprint's cell sites for an LTE-based 4G network, would be done within a month. Clearwire's deal would focus on getting new wholesale pricing and would probably follow afterwards.
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04/05, 4:15pm
YES Network claims Cablevision iPad app not clear
New York Yankees and New Jersey Nets broadcaster YES Network in a remark disputed the presence of its shows on the Cablevision iPad app. Despite Cablevision tapping directly into its existing cable network, YES told the TV provider it "does not have the right" to stream the live games. It didn't say in comments to Multichannel whether it had threatened a lawsuit.
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04/02, 4:25pm
Cablevision Optimum for iPad brings live TV
Cablevision lived up to its promises of a near-term launch of live iPad TV streaming by launching Optimum for iPad (free, App Store). Its approach is much more aggressive than Time Warner Cable's and gives access to as many as 300 live stations depending on the owner's cable package. Viewers also have access to 2,000 free and subscription on-demand videos.
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03/31, 5:15pm
Time Warner pulls Fox from iPad TV app
Time Warner Cable partly bowed to pressure on Thursday and said it would pull channels like Fox from its TWCable TV iPad app. It spun the withdrawal by saying it would concentrate on "enlightened programmers" who saw the value of tablet streaming. The decision also gave it incentive to attack Fox, Scripps, and other holdouts, ironically accusing them of greed by limiting how they could access TV.
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03/31, 11:20am
Amazon aggressively seeking Cloud Player partners
Amazon is trying to secure agreements with the major music labels to secure licensing deals after launching its Cloud Player service on Tuesday. According to the Wall Street Journal, unnamed sources said the aggressive negotiations have the intention of making good with the four main record label groups after Amazon surprised them with the launch of the service. The music companies didn't immediately take kindly to the service, as it allows users to stream their existing music libraries to their portable devices from a remote server.
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03/30, 8:55pm
Fox tells Time Warner to remove channels from iPad
Fox on Wednesday said it had given a cease-and-desist letter to Time Warner Cable asking it to pull Fox channels from the TWCable TV iPad app. The studio believed Time Warner didn't have rights to stream its shows on Apple's tablet, even over the app's home Wi-Fi limitation. Time Warner hadn't said to Bloomberg if it would contest the letter but in a post on its company blog reiterated its view that its home TV rights included the iPad.
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03/29, 5:45am
Cricket and Sprint also interested in LightSquared
Cablevision has reportedly joined a number of providers of mobile phone and other service providers mulling the use of the LightSquared 4G backend service. Cablevision is looking to augment the delivery of its Internet, television and telephone services with wireless delivery. According to Bloomberg, the discussions are said to be private and spokespersons for both companies have declined to comment on the matter.
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01/27, 3:20pm
Netflix ISP chart puts Charter top, Clearwire last
Netflix as it promised Wednesday posted a chart detailing which Internet providers were the best and worst at providing Internet movie streaming. In spite of its complaints about Comcast possibly double charging for access and objecting to Time Warner, it gave cable providers most of the top spots for performance between October and January. The top seven were dominated by leader Charter as well as Cox, Suddenlink, Cablevision and Cable One.
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01/24, 1:10pm
Cablevision begins offering DVR-Plus in the Bronx
Cablevision has now launched its DVR-Plus service in the Bronx in New York, first introduced early last year. It's also available only to subscribers who opt for Cablevision's Family Cable tier. The service will let users access recorded programs on the provider's remote servers, with each having access to 160GB worth of storage.
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12/10, 5:50pm
Comcast offers Extreme package for $105 per month
Cable and phone provider Comcast is rolling out a promotional bundle for its Extreme 105 high-speed Internet service. For a 12-month period in available areas, the 105Mbps package will be priced at $105 per month and be bundled with cable TV. Other packages and combinations will be offered in various markets, but Comcast wouldn't let out any details.
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11/22, 8:25am
Verizon FiOS reaches 150Mbps by end of year
Verizon today added an ultimate 150Mbps tier to its FiOS fiber optic Internet access. The speed is three times the previous 50Mbps peak and also boosts the upload speed from 20Mbps to 35Mbps. At maximum speed, a typical 720p movie could download in about four and a half minutes, and 100MB of photos could upload in under 23 seconds.
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10/28, 11:00am
Cablevision to refund subscriptions to MLB.com
In the newest development in the recent dispute between Cablevision and Fox, where the latter is demanding Cablevision pays it $150 million per year for its channels, Cablevision says it will refund subscribers who watch MLB games on MLB.com. The move is an attempt to appease angry subscribers, as Fox channels have been blacked out to Cablevision subscribers on Long Island. Fox has also recently blocked its shows on Hulu from Cablevision subscriber IP addresses, though access has since been restored.
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10/16, 6:00pm
Fox blocks Cablevision from seeing Hulu in dispute
Hulu became the victim of a TV programming dispute between Fox and Cablevision today as it was forced to pull Fox shows from its website. The TV streaming site was told that it had to prevent watching Fox shows for anyone visiting from a Cablevision IP address to "remain neutral" until the two could agree on carriage fees. Videos were restored this afternoon, but a check by AllThingsD showed that Fox.com remained blocked.
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08/16, 6:20pm
Verizon tests FiOS network at 1Gbps speeds
Verizon said on Monday that it has successfully tested its current gigabit passive optical network (GPON) to send data at near 1 gigabit-per-second speeds. At the bandwidth, which runs 200 times the 50Mbps it normally offers today, the bandwidth exists to support 3D TV, near-perfect desktop virtualization and remote storage, the carrier said. Verizon's platform can theoretically support even faster 2.4Gbps downstream and 1.2Gbps upstream speeds.
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08/06, 11:45am
Cablevision will stream live TV to iPads, more
Cablevision will let its subscribers stream cable programming to wireless network connected devices such as the iPad, the provider said. With their handheld devices, users will also have the ability to browse and access digital video content from their TVs. In contrast to other providers such as Comcast, however, this functionality will be limited to a subscriber's home only and not available remotely; it will likely check for a Cablevision IP address.
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06/28, 9:45am
mSpot puts music in the cloud for PCs, phones
After a private beta, mSpot today launched its cloud-based music service. The subscription service lets users sync music from iTunes and folders with an online locker that they can then stream from other computers and phones. Changes to one are automatically pushed to the other.
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06/15, 10:35am
Ad-supported service would be free to riders
A private telecommunications company has proposed adding Wi-Fi service to two New York City area train lines. Mobilitie, which operates the free Wi-Fi service NYFI, submitted the proposal to build a wireless network for the Metro North and Long Island Rail Road lines. The service would be free to riders. The network and service would be built and supported by revenue from ads.
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05/25, 5:25pm
Comcast to more than double speeds soon
Comcast's plans to offer over 100Mbps on its cable Internet access were given away today after one customer posted mention of a new tier on his bill. The appropriately named Extreme 105 would provide 105Mbps downstream and 10Mbps for uploads. It would require a special Arris WBM760 cable modem to get the faster DOCSIS 3.0 speeds.
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03/25, 10:10am
TWC adds free wireless to NYC cable Internet
Time Warner on Thursday gave Road Runner customers in the New York City area free Wi-Fi as part of their service. Both Cablevision and Time Warner Cable customers attached to the ISP will have access to the service in key public areas. Eight commuter rail platforms, including on Broadway, Flushing and Murray Hill, will give travelers free access across a wide area of the city. Several parks will also receive the same treatment, such as Bryant Park and Madison Square Park in Manhattan and four parks in Queens.
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03/18, 4:50pm
Comcast to bring 100Mbps to the USA in 2011
The largest cable provider in the US, Comcast, will double the speed of its fastest available residential Internet service as it plans on beginning to introduce a 100Mbps download service. Currently, it offers is 50Mbps service to more than three quarters of its customers across the USA. Comcast hopes to be able to offer the 100Mbps service to most if not all of its subscribers in about 12 to 18 months.
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03/17, 6:15pm
Verizon files ITC complaint against Cablevision
Cable provider Verizon has filed a patent infringement complaint with the International Trade Commission (ITC) in hopes of stopping the sale of certain Cablevision digital set-top boxes, a report said on Wednesday [sub. required]. Verizon claimed violation of five of its patents related to its FiOS TV service, adding that it limited its complaint to a single claim per each disputed patent so that the issue is resolved within one year.
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02/24, 9:35am
Media Relay would turn TV into Mac, PC screen
Cablevision today promised a unique extra for those that subscribe to its TV service. PC to TV Media Relay will pipe the video from a computer to the TV through a dedicated TV channel. The service would use a "live" feed and would let users show any content that they could normally see, including both offline content as well as streaming sites like Hulu.
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08/06, 5:50pm
Comcast DOC 3 Ahead Sched
Comcast today revealed that the rollout of its much faster DOCSIS 3.0 cable Internet service is significantly ahead of its original timetable. The provider told BBR that while it had originally predicted covering 65 percent of its subscribers with the added speed by the end of this year, it now expects to reach 80 percent in the same timeframe. The next area to get a DOCSIS 3.0 upgrade should be made public in weeks, the company said.
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06/29, 4:15pm
Court reject RS-DVR appeal
The US Supreme Court today rejected an appeal by film studios and television networks of a New York court ruling that would allow a new type of digital video recorder service from Cablevision. A report says the justices refused to review a ruling made by a US Court of Appeals in New York that said Cablevision's proposed service would not directly infringe the copyrights of the media companies that produce the recorded movie and TV programs. No reason for the rejection was given.
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05/06, 8:55am
Virgin 200Mbps in UK
Virgin Media on Wednesday began an Ashford, UK trial of what it says is the fastest cable-based Internet service on Earth. Using a high-end implementation of the DOCSIS 3 cable modem standard, the carrier says it's offering 200Mbps downloads to 100 testers; the speed is faster than 160Mbps Japanese service and twice as fast as the 101Mbps Optimum Online service in the US. The bandwidth is said sustainably high enough that Virgin is testing streaming 3D and HD video online.
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05/02, 10:40am
Verizon Free Wi-Fi Leak
Verizon in a new leak believed close to offering free Wi-Fi access of its own. While talks are described as "fluid," the Wall Street Journal says the cellular carrier will echo AT&T's efforts and team up with hotspot provider Boingo to give Wi-Fi service at airports, coffee shops and other locations for those who use Verizon's DSL or FiOS landline connections. It's not yet certain whether this would extend to everywhere Boingo provides service in the US or just locations that are served by Verizon as well.
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04/28, 9:45am
101Mbps Optimum Online Ult
Cablevision on Tuesday claimed the title of the fastest cable Internet provider in the US by launching Optimum Online Ultra. By using the newer multi-channel DOCSIS 3.0 standard, the carrier promises a peak of 101Mbps downstream and a still-fast 15Mbps upstream. The service is theoretically twice as fast as Comcast's 50Mbps service and won't have a bandwidth cap, permitting as much use of the service as customers like. An HD video can download in roughly 10 minutes on the network, while a batch of 750 photos can upload in the space of a minute.
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03/12, 3:50pm
Cablevision analog TV stop
Cablevision, a New York-based cable TV service provider, announced on Thursday it will no longer offer analog television cable service in 2010 and only offer digital services. Only about 155,000 of Cablevision's 3.1 million customers, a mere 5 percent, subscribe to the company's basic analog service and they will continue to receive the service, though no new clients will be added. The company already offers exclusively digital packages to its customers in the Bronx and Brooklyn.
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01/30, 5:15pm
Comcast hotspot tests
Internet provider Comcast is performing Wi-Fi hot spot trials near NJ Transit rail stations in the state to grant subscribers access to the Internet on their mobile devices, according to a Friday DSLReports post. The service in these Wi-Fi Hot Zones requires subscribers to sign in using their existing Comcast.net usernames and passwords. The company has confirmed the trials, saying it is gauging user interest and may offer it as an added-value service to its high-speed Internet customers.
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10/24, 4:50pm
Verizon settles VM lawsuit
A lawsuit filed by Klausner Technologies regarding visual voicemail technology was filed against a number of wireless providers earlier this summer, and one of those companies, Verizon Wireless, has decided to settle it out of court, according to a Friday report. Klausner reportedly granted Verizon Wireless and its subsidiary, Vodafone Group, a patent license, allowing it to use the voice message alerts. The exact terms of the agreement were not disclosed, though the deal was closed on Thursday.
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08/26, 3:20pm
Klausner Sues VZW and Goog
Klausner Technologies today grew the scope of its licensing claims by suing multiple other companies it believes are treading on its patents for a visual voicemail system. The company claims that software developed by Google, LG, Verizon and six other firms are violating patents from 1992 onwards for a system that permits listening to voicemail out of order through a graphical interface.
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08/04, 2:20pm
Cablevision DVR Ruling
A Second Circuit of New York appeals court today ruled that Cablevision could go ahead with launching a remote digital video recorder system that potentially changes the approach to offering movie and TV content online. The decision finds that the cable provider isn't infringing on video producers' copyrights by offering a service known as Remote Storage Digital Video Recorder, or RS-DVR, that would let users record shows but store them off-site on servers hosted by Cablevision.
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03/20, 3:20pm
Verizon 700MHz Wins
Verizon was the winner of the nationwide license for the crucial 700MHz wireless auction as well as most regional licenses, the FCC has revealed. An initial list of winners shows the telecoms giant to have successfully won both the national license as well as 11 out of 12 of the local licenses available for the "C" block that is likely to be used for wireless data. The licenses supply the company with coverage across all of the US and would allow it to launch any future service with few gaps in its network. Only AT&T Mobility has managed to win a major regional "C" block bid for coverage in the Mississippi Valley, according to government documents.
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