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LOUISVILLE, Colo –BUSINESS WIRE– Dec 19, `07 — In a major milestone for the cable industry, CableLabs has awarded qualification status for Data over Cable Service Interface Specification (DOCSIS) 3.0.

DOCSIS 3.0 specifications enable downstream data rates of 160 Mbps or higher and upstream data rates of 120 Mbps or higher.

Casa Systems received “silver” qualification while Arris and Cisco received “bronze” qualification for their cable modem termination systems (CMTS) headend gear. The announcement comes at the conclusion of the recent test wave in which the first products built based on the DOCSIS 3.0 specifications were formally evaluated.

The headends were tested under a tiered program that was created as a way to encourage CMTS makers to submit gear for testing earlier than they otherwise might. CableLabs also offered suppliers numerous informal interoperability events where vendors work together in CableLabs’ facilities to test and evaluate their implementations of the specifications.

“This technological achievement is a great step for our industry,” said Brian L. Roberts, Chairman and CEO of Comcast Corp., and Chairman of the CableLabs Board of Directors. “CableLabs rapid certification effort will enable companies to begin to develop products that will support the rapid deployment of DOCSIS 3.0 services in 2008.”

To achieve these higher data rates DOCSIS 3.0 describes a methodology for channel bonding in both the upstream and downstream directions. A minimum of four channels, each with throughput of 40 Mbps, is specified. DOCSIS 3.0 also incorporates support for the Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6).

IPv6 is the next generation of the Internet Protocol and greatly expands the number of Internet addresses that cable operators may use, allowing them to provide consumers with more IP-based services. In addition, DOCSIS 3.0 is backward compatible with all existing DOCSIS products.

IPv6 also will allow cable operators to effectively manage the proliferation of devices that are capturing consumer interest, including portable media players, cellular phones, gaming consoles, PDAs and others. More at CableLabs.

Lawsuit Claims Verizon Illegally Distributes Open Source Software to FiOS Customers.

Dec 07, ‘07 –The Software Freedom Law Center (SFLC) today announced that it has filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against Verizon Communications, Inc. on behalf of its clients, two principal developers of BusyBox, alleging violation of the GNU General Public License (GPL). BusyBox is a lightweight set of standard Unix utilities commonly used in embedded systems and is open source software licensed under GPL version 2.

Verizon is the provider of a fiber-optic Internet and television service called FiOS. Verizon distributes Actiontec MI424WR wireless routers to FiOS customers. This router contains BusyBox, and under the terms of the GPL, Verizon is obligated to provide the source code of BusyBox to recipients of the device. According to the lawsuit, Verizon continues to distribute BusyBox illegally without source code, despite having been contacted by SFLC.

The complaint requests that an injunction be issued against Verizon and that damages and litigation costs be awarded to the plaintiffs. A copy of the complaint, as filed yesterday in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, is available at http://www.softwarefreedom.org/news/2007/dec/07/busybox/verizon.pdf

“Our clients licensed BusyBox under the GPL to ensure that all users of the program can access and modify its source code,” said Dan Ravicher, Legal Director of SFLC. “Because Verizon chose not to respond to our concerns, we had no choice but to file a lawsuit to ensure that they comply with the GPL.”

This is the fourth GPL enforcement lawsuit filed by SFLC on behalf of BusyBox developers Erik Andersen and Rob Landley. Defendants in previous cases have included Monsoon Multimedia, High Gain Antennas, and Xterasys Corporation. The case against Monsoon Multimedia was settled out of court in October, with Monsoon agreeing to remedy its prior violation, ensure future compliance, and financially compensate the plaintiffs. SFLC.

NEW YORK, Dec 05, ‘07 /PRNewswire/ — Just in time for the holiday season, Verizon is unwrapping high-definition video-on-demand in many of its FiOS TV markets.

HD VOD is now available over the FiOS TV systems in Richmond and Virginia Beach, Va.; Tampa, Fla.; Fort Wayne, Ind.; and Pittsburgh. It is coming soon to the FiOS systems in the Washington, D.C., metro area, Massachusetts and Rhode Island; and to Verizon’s remaining FiOS TV markets next year.

Verizon last month said it expects to have more than 150 HD channels by the end of 2008 as it continues to add to its HD lineup, and programmerslaunch new channels. It also said that it would increase its HD VOD titles to more than 1,000 in 2008.

Verizon’s initial HD VOD offering contains around 75 HD titles including a mix of free programs and recently released blockbuster movies such as “Transformers;” “The Hoax,” starring Richard Gere; “Mr. Brooks,” with Kevin Costner and Demi Moore; and the animated “Surf’s Up.” In the coming months, the company will continue to add HD titles to its VOD library, which now totals more than 10,000 titles.

Customers access video-on-demand simply by pressing the “VOD” or “On Demand” button on their remote control, through a menu on FiOS TV’s
interactive media guide, or by tuning into channel 900. Customers need an HDTV and an HD set-top box to view the on-demand titles in high definition. More at PRNewsWire.

Nov 23, ‘07 — CableLabs has begun testing the first set of DOCSIS 3.0 gear, as five companies have submitted cable modems to the organization for official approval. We’ve seen precertification equipment tested, and some cable ISPs in Asia have rolled out pre-DOCSIS 3.0 equipment, but this is the first set of gear to be tested for compliance with the final DOCSIS 3.0 standard, says ARSTechnica.

ARSTechnica further writes, “Cable ISPs currently use DOCSIS 1.1, which has been “good enough” in the past. Unfortunately, when compared to fiber, DOCSIS 1.1 lacks in the speed department. DOCSIS 3.0 has the potential to drastically change that, with download speeds of up to 160Mbps and uploads of up to 120Mbps possible. In addition, DOCSIS 3.0 also offers full support for IPv6, along with enhanced network management and security features. DOCSIS 3.0 also offers enough bandwidth for IPTV and other high-def video services.

The first round of DOCSIS 3.0 certification comes at an important time for the cable industry. Cable companies used to be the unquestioned kings of download speeds, but they’re finding it impossible to compete with fiber-optic deployments such as Verizon’s FiOS service. Last month, Verizon announced its new 20/20 symmetrical FiOS service, and earlier this week made the service available across its entire territory. The company also rolled out a new service tier with speeds of 50Mbps down and 30Mbps up.” More at ARSTechnica.

NEW YORK – Nov 20, ‘07 /PRNewswire/ — Millions of consumers now can take advantage of ultra-fast Verizon FiOS Internet upload speeds that blow cable away.

Starting today, Verizon is offering its high-speed symmetrical FiOS Internet services to consumers in 16 states served by its advanced, all-fiber- optic network. The symmetrical services make possible equally fast downstream and upstream connections of up to 15 megabits per second (Mbps) or up to 20 Mbps depending on the state where the service is sold.

At the same time, Verizon also has dramatically increased the upload speed of its fastest FiOS Internet services across its FiOS Internet service areas. These new services offer consumers downstream/upstream connections of either up to 50 Mbps/20 Mbps or up to 30 Mbps/15 Mbps depending on the state where the service is sold.

Groundbreaking Consumer Symmetrical Services Expand to 16 FiOS States:
On Oct. 23, Verizon introduced a unique, new, symmetrical Verizon FiOS Internet service for consumers, featuring an upload and download speed of up to 20 Mbps. The service was first available to customers in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. Today Verizon is launching similar symmetrical FiOS services in the 13 other states served by its fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP) network.
In Florida, Massachusetts and Rhode Island, Verizon now offers the option of a FiOS Internet service with downstream and upstream connections of up to 20 Mbps. In California, Delaware, Indiana, Maryland, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Oregon, Texas, Virginia and Washington, the company has added a new FiOS Internet service with downstream and upstream connections of up to 15 Mbps.

The new symmetrical services are available for as low as $64.99 a month with an annual service plan. Customers who subscribe to the new Internet service can upgrade their backup to as much as 50 GB at competitive rates.

Fastest FiOS Internet Services Get Faster Uploads:
In Connecticut, Florida, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and Rhode Island, Verizon is quadrupling the upstream connection speed of its highest- speed FiOS Internet service from five Mbps to up to 20 Mbps (megabits per second). The downstream connection speed of this service is up to 50 Mbps.

In California, Delaware, Indiana, Maryland, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Oregon, Texas, Virginia and Washington, Verizon is tripling the upstream connection speed of its highest-speed FiOS Internet offering from five Mbps to up to 15 Mbps. The downstream connection speed of this service is up to 30 Mbps.

Pricing for these new services varies by market and ranges from $89.95 to $139.95 a month with an annual contract. Existing customers can call Verizon to subscribe to the new offering.

Consumer demand for bandwidth could see the internet running out of capacity as early as 2010, a new study warns. US analyst firm Nemertes Research predicted a drastic slowdown as the network struggles to cope with the amount of data being carried on it.

Such gridlock would drastically affect how people use the web and could mean the next Google or YouTube simply doesn’t get off the ground, it said. The report said billions needed to be spent upgrading broadband networks.

It put the figure at around $137bn (£66bn) globally. For users, the slowdown could see a return to the bad old days of dial-up, the report predicts. “It may take more than one attempt to confirm an online purchase or it may take longer to download the latest video from YouTube,” the report cited. But it is the knock-on effect for new services that could be the real problem, report authors think. “The next Amazon, Google or YouTube might not arise, not from a lack of user demand but because of insufficient infrastructure preventing applications and companies emerging,” the report warned.

The demand for bandwidth-intensive applications shows no sign of abating. Nearly 75% of US internet users watched an average of 158 minutes of online video and viewed more than 8.3bn video streams during May, according to research by measurement firm comScore.

The financial invested required to “bridge the gap” between demand and capacity would range from $42bn to $55bn in the US, Nemertes estimates. The report is part-funded by the Internet Innovation Alliance (IIA) which campaigns for universal broadband in the US.

- High-Bandwidth Optical Transmission Utilizes Alcatel-Lucent Equipment for Single-Wavelength, Live Traffic Test Between Tampa and Miami.

NEW YORK, Nov 19, ‘07 /PRNewswire/ — Verizon has successfully concluded the industry’s first field test of 100 gigabits per second (Gbps) optical transmission, on a live, in-service 312-mile (504 kilometer) network route between Tampa, Fla., and Miami.

The test, which utilized a live video feed from Verizon’s national FiOS TV network as the “payload,” was successfully completed Friday (Nov. 16). The 100 Gbps transmission was conducted on a Verizon Business ultra long-haul optical system carrying other live traffic at 10 Gbps. The test demonstrated that by deploying advanced electronics, an existing network system can easily and quickly be upgraded to 100 Gbps.

“This trial proves what we’ve been saying: The move from 40 Gbps — available from Verizon Business today — to 100 Gbps will be exponentially quicker than the move from 10 Gbps to 40 Gbps. As the industry moves toward 100 Gbps, we’re leading the way,” Briggs said.

Verizon selected Alcatel-Lucent’s 1625 LambdaXtreme Transport system for the field trial. Using that equipment, the 100 Gbps transmission was successfully accomplished on existing fibers that were initially conditioned for 10 Gbps service. Unlike other trials that used 10 separate 10 Gbps wavelengths to carry 100 Gbps, the Verizon test utilized a 100 Gbps signal on a single wavelength, demonstrating Verizon’s drive to promote “true” 100 Gbps in a serial fashion on just one transmission wavelength.

Briggs added, “Transmission at 100 Gbps will enable low latency and significant improvement in real-time transaction. Trading institutions and other Verizon customers using real-time communications will find the associated performance very attractive.”

Like the equipment in the company’s 40 Gbps trial in June 2004, the 100 Gbps equipment used in the field trial was implemented with a “plug and play” approach. This is a key objective for future commercial implementation, and means the technology was used without any changes to the fiber, amplifiers and other embedded equipment. More at Verizon.

New York, NY–November 1, ‘07–Verizon FiOS TV customers will get even more of the high-definition content they love as Verizon today announced plans for a fivefold increase in the number of HD channels, to 150 channels, as well as plans for offering additional HD content through FiOS TV’s video-on-demand service.  Verizon is also planning a major expansion of sports and multicultural programming on FiOS TV in 2008.

In the spring of 2008, Verizon will begin expanding its HD lineup as well as the sports and multicultural program offerings on FiOS TV.  Verizon initially will double the current number of HD channels, on a market-by-market basis, to more than 60, including additional sports channels.  Verizon expects to have more than 150 HD channels by year-end 2008 as it continues to add to its HD lineup and programmers launch new channels. The company also will add standard-definition sports, multicultural and other programming during the year.

In addition to the expanded HD channel lineup, Verizon will offer HD programming through its industry-leading video-on-demand library, which already totals more than 10,000 titles.  Before the end of 2007, Verizon expects to introduce a limited number of HD on-demand titles, which will increase to more than 1,000 HD titles in 2008.

During 2008, Verizon also will expand the reach of HD programming throughout the home.  Through enhancements to the Verizon-exclusive Home Media DVR service, customers will be able to record HD shows and watch them from any room in the house with an HDTV and an HD set-top box. Moer at Verizon.

Washington–October 31, ‘07–FCC on Wednesday approved a rule that would ban exclusive agreements that cable television operators have with apartment buildings, opening up competition for other video providers that could eventually lead to lower prices.

The Federal Communications Commission unanimously approved the change, which Chairman Kevin Martin said would help lower cable rates for millions of subscribers who live in apartment buildings and other multi-unit dwellings, or about 25 million households. He said the move would particularly help minorities who disproportionately live in multi-unit dwellings.

The rule would prohibit cable companies, such as Comcast and Time Warner Cable from enforcing existing exclusive cable TV contracts with apartment managers and allow telecommunications companies, such as Verizon and AT&T to offer video services along with high-speed Internet access and phone service.

The cable industry, which had previously said it is unlawful for the government to invalidate existing contracts, said the deals provide apartment residents with better pricing and service.

A researcher who developed technology to make broadband up to 100 times faster without multi-billion dollar investments in cabling infrastructure has won one of the University of Melbourne’s top academic prizes. 

The University of Melbourne Media Release, Tuesday 23 October 2007 –Dr John Papandriopoulos, who has patented his new technology in Australia and the US, will today (23 October) be presented with a Chancellor’s Prize for Excellence in the PhD. 

Dr Papandriopoulos developed two methods – patented as SCALE and SCAPE – as part of his PhD in the University’s Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering. He says the new techniques can dramatically reduce the interference which slows down data transmission in typical DSL networks and use less power in the process. 

Dr Papandriopoulos used complex mathematical modeling and optimisation techniques to develop the system, which he says can be used with existing telecommunications networks without laying kilometers of expensive fibre optic cabling. He says to facilitate the faster data transmission speeds, telecommunications providers would need to change their operational systems and consumers purchase new modems. 

Based on his research, he says the new technology could deliver between 100 and 250 megabits per second, compared to typical Australian speeds ranging from between one megabit (ADSL) and 20 megabits (ADSL2+). 

Dr Papandriopoulos completed his PhD, supervised by Associate Professor Jamie Evans and Professor Subhra Dey, in 2006. He has since worked as a researcher in the University’s Centre for Ultra Broadband Information Networks (CUBIN). Next month, he will take up a new position in the United States working for a start-up company founded by Stanford University Professor John Cioffi, the so-called “father of DSL”. More at Melbourne Uni

WASHINGTON — The FCC, hoping to reduce the rising costs of cable television, is preparing to strike down thousands of contracts this week that gave individual cable companies exclusive rights to provide service to an apartment building, the agency’s chairman says. 

The new rule could open markets across the United States to competition. It would be a huge victory for Verizon Communications and AT&T, which have challenged the cable industry by offering their own video services. The two phone companies have lobbied aggressively for the provision. They have been supported in their fight by consumer groups, satellite television companies and small rivals to the big cable providers. 

Commission officials and consumer groups said the new rule could significantly lower cable prices for millions of subscribers who live in apartment buildings and have had no choice in selecting a company for paid television. Government and private studies show that when a second cable company enters a market, prices can drop as much as 30 percent.

The change, which is set to be approved Wednesday, is expected to have a particular effect on prices for low-income and minority families. They have seen cable prices rise about three times the rate of inflation over the last decade. A quarter of American households live in apartment buildings housing 50 or more residents, but 40 percent of households headed by Hispanics and African-Americans live in such buildings. 

“Exclusive contracts have been one of the most significant barriers to competition,” said Kevin Martin, chairman of the commission, in a recent interview. Cable prices have risen “about 93 percent in the last 10 years,” he said. “This is a way to introduce additional competition, which will result in lower prices and greater innovation.”

Verizon said on Monday its third quarter profit fell but revenue rose on growth in its wireless venture and higher high-speed Internet subscriptions. The second-biggest U.S. phone company posted net income of $1.27 billion, or 44 cents per share, compared with $1.92 billion, or 66 cents a share, a year earlier. 

New York, NY–October 29, ‘07–Verizon today reported another strong quarter of financial and operational results.  Verizon Wireless continued its record of industry-leading profitability, Verizon Telecom reported accelerating sales of FiOS TV, and Verizon Business increased overall sales and sales of strategic services. 

Verizon reported third-quarter 2007 earnings of 44 cents in fully diluted earnings per share (EPS).  This compares with third-quarter 2006 earnings of 53 cents per share before income from discontinued operations that have since been sold or divested. 

Verizon’s total operating revenues grew 5.8 percent to $23.8 billion, compared with the third quarter 2006.  Operating revenues grew 6.0 percent on an adjusted basis (non-GAAP).  Verizon’s total operating expenses increased 3.4 percent to $19.6 billion, compared with the third quarter 2006.  Operating expenses increased 3.5 percent on an adjusted basis (non-GAAP). 

Verizon Wireless:  

-Added 1.8 million retail net customer
-Total customers (retail and wholesale) increased to 63.7 million 

Verizon FiOS: 

-Added a net of 202,000 new FiOS TV customers
-The company has 717,000 FiOS TV customers in total
-Verizon has more than 1.5 million video customers
-Added a net of 285,000 new broadband connections (DSL and FiOS Internet connections combined)
-Broadband connections totaled 8.0 million
-Added a net of 229,000 FiOS Internet connections in 3Q, total: 1.3 million 

More at Verizon

Verizon Redefines ‘Fast’ With Groundbreaking FiOS Internet Service Featuring 20 Mbps Download and Upload Speeds.

New York, October 23, ‘07 — Verizon has changed the definition of “fast” with the introduction of a new, symmetrical Verizon FiOS Internet service for consumers, featuring an upload and download speed of up to 20 megabits per second (Mbps).

New service - delivered straight to customers’ homes on the nation’s most-advanced all-digital, all-fiber network - is the first of its kind commercially available to U.S. consumers on a mass scale.  It is available, starting today, in parts of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut.  Verizon plans to offer similar symmetrical services soon in the 13 other states where the company offers FiOS Internet service, and to introduce a similar small-business offer.

“Verizon’s new 20/20 FiOS service blows cable away.  Their upload speeds don’t even come close,” said Susan Retta, vice president, Broadband Solutions for Verizon.

“For more than a decade, the Internet has been defined by how quickly you can download content,” Retta said.  “Our 20/20 FiOS service changes everything by creating an entirely new category of U.S. broadband where ‘fast’ means fast in both directions.

Using a 20 Mbps upstream broadband connection, a consumer could upload a 250 megabyte (MB) file of 200 photos in about 90 seconds, compared with about 47 minutes over a 768 kilobits per second (kbps) upstream connection.

The equally fast upload and download speed of the new symmetrical FiOS service also enhances interactive services like video conferencing, online multi-player gaming, telemedicine, electronic home monitoring, online work collaboration, data backups and more.

The new FiOS service is available in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut for $64.99 a month. More at Verizon, FiOS