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Submission + - Google Fiber Meets Programming, Registration Milestones (broadbandconvergent.com)

Submitted by
broadbandconvergent
broadbandconvergent writes: "As stated in a recent blog post Google Fiber will be successful dependent on its ability to procure adequate programming to compete against incumbents Time Warner Cable and AT&T U-Verse. The newcomer took a step in that direction by adding both STARZ and Showtime to its programming mix for potential Kansas City customers. In addition, the company signaled sixty-two neighborhoods have registered the minimum number of potentials to begin building fiber to those areas."
Google

Submission + - Google Fiber Project: Programming Key to Success (broadbandconvergent.com)

Submitted by
broadbandconvergent
broadbandconvergent writes: "Goggle has officially rolled out is long-touted Google Fiber Project showcasing what broadband should look and feel like to all users. Yes, it sets the new standard for broadband connections with a 1Gig speedster, over 100 times faster than current broadband offerings in the U.S. Not-withstanding, just speed will not be the determining success factor; the availability of competitive programming will become the deciding judgment in Google’s move to tout reasonable costs to bundled broadband."

Submission + - ISP's Improve Broadband Speeds: However, Competition Troubling (broadbandconvergent.com)

Submitted by
broadbandconvergent
broadbandconvergent writes: "A new report issued by the FCC, Measuring Broadband America – 2012, based on broadband advertised speeds vs. delivered speeds improved substantially from 2011 to 2012. The survey of 6,500 household’s revealed speeds increased to 96% delivered from 87% in 2011. That is a marked increase year-over-year with fiber leading the way at 117%, cable coming in at 99% and DSL reaching an average of 84%. The last survey taken in August 2011 indicated broadband speeds were divergent in actual vs. delivered speeds across different companies. The most recent report indicted those divergent speeds were much closer to each other by company."

Submission + - The Future of Mobile: The Biggest Trends for 2013 (broadbandconvergent.com)

Submitted by
broadbandconvergent
broadbandconvergent writes: "The mobile industry is constantly evolving and growing at an astronomical pace. For example, just a little over five years ago (June 29, 2007 to be exact), Apple sold the first iPhone ever. Today, Apple has shipped about 250 million iPhones worldwide, according to Strategy Analytics. And this doesn’t account for the booming tablet industry or all the phones operating on Google’s Android platform. While this exceptional pace of growth is exciting, it also presents a whole new set of challenges. To keep up with demand, service providers will need to make investments to improve network speed, intelligence and reliability."

Submission + - Comcast Stock: Cloudy to Rain Forecast (broadbandconvergent.com)

Submitted by
broadbandconvergent
broadbandconvergent writes: "Comcast (CMCSA) is on a downward trend as analysts predict the stock to decline during the remainder of fiscal year 2012. The bearish market is a factor along with market maturity of the cable industry. As that traditional Cable TV sector continues to lose subscribers the company relentlessly pushes for more incremental revenue per customer. This can be seen in its price bundling strategy."
Cloud

Submission + - Cloud Redundancy: How Amazon Should Repair Credibility (broadbandconvergent.com)

Submitted by
broadbandconvergent
broadbandconvergent writes: "I’m curiously puzzled, but not entirely surprised, how a company such as Amazon (NASDAQ: GS) allowed its servers to be interrupted for any length of time due to severe storm damage in northern Virginia this past weekend. Companies using cloud servers are both expectant and dependent on being able to pull information from cloud sources to operate their businesses without interruption. After all, IT professionals have been preaching the security and reliability of the cloud for quite some time to manage large data off-site. Steps for Amazon to repair credibility should be transparent and swift."
Businesses

Submission + - Mobile Markets Set to Revolutionize TV Viewing (broadbandconvergent.com)

Submitted by
broadbandconvergent
broadbandconvergent writes: "Everyone anticipates the next revolution in device which will bring us what we want in TV viewing along with integration of mobile devices. The old model of dumb TV with a set-top-box controlled by Pay TV service providers reminisces back to the mobile phone providers before the invention of the iPhone. Domination of an out dated STB market is dying a quicker death than anyone imagined. Since Apple, Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) revolutionized a walled-in music industry with the iPod, allowing music to flow freely and seamlessly through iTunes, at fractional prices, and to a larger audience, the industry has never been the same. That scenario will inevitably happen to Pay TV operators via the same route."

Submission + - Why Comcast will Vehemently Fight a DOJ Investigation (broadbandconvergent.com)

Submitted by
broadbandconvergent
broadbandconvergent writes: "If your company becomes a huge dominate market player in both broadband and content delivery, scrutiny will come your way, like it or not. Comcast (NASDAQ: CMCSA) has been so successful in building both a content and delivery system to such a mass audience; it’s beginning to look like former monopolies which grew unwanted investigations and break-ups in the 1980’s. Remember AT&T and the DOJ anti-trust decision to split the monopoly into smaller regional companies?"
Programming

Submission + - MVPD – Reclassification by FCC Could Up-End Video Distribution (broadbandconvergent.com)

Submitted by
broadbandconvergent
broadbandconvergent writes: "MVPD reclassification could have historic market ramifications

Multi-channel Video Programming Distributor or (M.V.P.D.) designates video distributors like Comcast (NASDAQ: CMCSA, CMCSK), Time Warner Cable (NYSE: TWC) and Direct TV (NASDAQ: DTV) who are classified officially by the FCC as having the right to distribute multi-channel video programming. Without this designation, anyone wishing to rebroadcast cable or broadcast programming must negotiate separately with each programmer for the right. This could be prohibitively expensive for Over-The-Top or (OTT) Internet-based companies wanting a piece of the distribution pie."

Submission + - M.P.V.D. – Reclassification by FCC Could Up-End Video Distribution (broadbandconvergent.com)

Submitted by
broadbandconvergent
broadbandconvergent writes: "Decision could have historic market ramifications

Multi-channel Programming Video Distributor or (M.P.V.D.) designates video distributors like Comcast (NASDAQ: CMCSA, CMCSK), Time Warner Cable (NYSE: TWC) and Direct TV (NASDAQ: DTV) who are classified officially by the FCC as having the right to distribute multi-channel video programming. Without this designation, anyone wishing to rebroadcast cable or broadcast programming must negotiate separately with each programmer for the right. This could be prohibitively expensive for Over-The-Top or (OTT) Internet-based companies wanting a piece of the distribution pie."
Television

Submission + - Phil Shifley Goes Viral: Direct TV vs. Cable Industry (broadbandconvergent.com)

Submitted by
broadbandconvergent
broadbandconvergent writes: "A character created by Grey Group for Direct TV (NASDAQ: DTV), depicted in the latest ad to lampoon the cable industry, goes viral, now with his own Facebook page. Phil Shifley, a fictional consumer is depicted watching a blank TV screen while waiting for the “The Cable Guy”, (a term used in 1996 movie). He looks out his window and sees what he shouldn’t see, taking him down the path to attending his own funeral. This is the latest commercial in a series sanctioned by Direct TV to skewer the Cable Industry for their historical lack of good customer service."

Submission + - National Infrastructure Crisis: Improving Distribution Metrics (broadbandconvergent.com)

Submitted by
broadbandconvergent
broadbandconvergent writes: "Not understanding the need for a newer, more economically sound, eco-friendly, and secure utilities infrastructure can be a (socio-economic disaster in the making), if top leaders of U.S. industry and government do not seek a solution to our historically aged telecommunications, power, and water delivery systems. The legacy systems in place are expensive, un-reliable, publically unsafe, and vulnerable to sabotage on both a large and small scale."
Technology

Submission + - Overcoming Critics of 3D Technology: Consumers Rule (broadbandconvergent.com)

Submitted by
broadbandconvergent
broadbandconvergent writes: "I have always admired quality innovation and the Cameron | Pace Group has quietly, if not singularly, embraced 3D (Three Dimensional) technology making it an industry standard for movies, concerts, and sports events worldwide. Attending conferences in the early 90’s as often happened in those days; the early emergence of HD technology (High Definition) seemed foreign but so intriguing in the quality presented, viewer instincts immediately embraced the concept of pure depth perception.
Today that technology is standard in all venues where film or video is distributed to the masses. Analog gave way to a digital format and 2D (Two Dimensional) is now the accepted standard for production. 3D, on the other hand, has not been widely accepted seen as an expensive and time consuming process that does not add the perceived value for the buck.

3D: A Sorted History
The history of 3D technology goes way back to the early 1900’s, and I will not get into the specifics since it would take more than just saying what needs to be said in this article. In essence, 3D has had a long history of up and downs, coming into favor with audiences and film makers, and subsequently going out just as quickly. But a standard was never developed on which the industry could make a quality product at a reasonable cost, one that would give the financial rewards needed to continue innovation on a mass scale.
If you are a student in the history of 3D many methods have been tried, and some progress has been made, but not to the quality we expect in today’s market. IMAX 3D has marked the most recognized Industry improvement in 3D technology but is not seen as widely distributed or profitable medium for the masses.

Cameron | Pace Pushes the Envelope of 3D Technology
The results of research and development by Cameron | Pace Group has been remarkable in creating equipment and processes, including FUSION 3D and SLATE2 SCREEN processes to give a true 3D experience, one which has resulted in a first in financial results in the same year for two blockbuster films, reaching a $ Billion in box office sales including “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides” and “Transformers: Dark of the Moon”.

Techniques developed since the late 90’s have come to fruition, culminating in a product that incorporates 3D technology into film production from beginning to end in the production process, in essence shooting each scene in 3D and using post-production techniques to combine and mesh the final product into a tremendously innovative and quality product.

Training for Film Makers
CPG offers film makers a Sandbox, or simply a playground, to test their FUSION 3D technology. As a storyteller the process involves the compliments of shooting with new technology that gives an otherwise reluctance to incorporate 3D into the next film, a view into the reasons and sensibilities in doing so from beginning to end. Most filmmakers and studios believe 3D is an expensive process and slows production time, therefore adding more costs onto ever increasing film budgets and unpredictable bottom-line profits. CPG believes the process is inexpensive and does not add additional costs to production compared to the unique results of the final product.

3D Detractors
Film critic Mark Kermode argues that 3D does not add that much of value to film, claiming that the impressive aspects of the movie Avatar had nothing to do with 3D. Roger Ebert has continually criticized 3D film as: “too dim” (due to the polarized-light technology using only half the light for each eye), sometimes distracting or even nausea-inducing, and argues that it is an expensive technology that adds nothing of value to the movie-going experience (since 2-D movies already provide a sufficient illusion of 3D).” See (3D Film)
Another criticism is that many of the movies created in the 21st century were not filmed in 3D but converted afterwards which is the main point that CPG (Cameron | Pace Group) is trying to make. The new standard for 3D should be a beginning to end process as a part of film production. The quality this adds to 3D technology and the resulting satisfaction of film viewers should be the compelling reason to adopt their new standard.

Creating a compelling reason for viewers to purchase any new technology such as 3D is more of a long-term than short-term process. First, the storytelling in any 3D product must be superior; second, the quality and wow-factor for 3D productions must be achieved. It must achieve what HD and Digital seemed to have accomplished, that is, superior depth perception and ultimate screen resolution bringing the masses along with them. 3D has to satisfy a reason to want that technology."
Iphone

Submission + - Sprint Fights for Mobile Market Relevance: First Quarter Earnings Positive (broadbandconvergent.com)

Submitted by
broadbandconvergent
broadbandconvergent writes: "Sprint’s vision along with determined action says everything. They are fighting for mobile market relevance, thumbing their noses at detractors, moving beyond being relegated to a distant 3rd ranked carrier in a fast growing market. It’s acquisition of the iPhone and agreement to spend $15.5 Billion over four years for the privilege has investors squawking bankruptcy sooner rather than later. First quarter earnings reveal that Dan Hesse’s decision to purchase iPhones back in October 2011 is paying off in solid contracts. It beat both Verizon and AT&T in new mobile connections during the period."
Television

Submission + - Nimble TV: Using Disruptive Technology to Offer TV Everywhere (broadbandconvergent.com)

Submitted by
broadbandconvergent
broadbandconvergent writes: "Tired of waiting for TV Everywhere to materialize after a three year wait from cable operators, Nimble TV decided to offer online subscriptions to anyone who has a MVPD, (Multi-Video-Provider-Distributor) subscription? Offering a piggy backing solution for consumers, the company will take an existing customer subscription with a MVPD and add cloud based content viewing on any device. That represents some nimble legal research in convincing investors and partners to subsidize the venture."

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