Minerva Networks recently announced significant extensions to its open, standards based application development suite to complement its IPTV services management software platform. Included are a number of new APIs and tools to fully customize and enable next generation IPTV applications, such as personalized recommendations, advertising, and e-commerce. Interactive applications can be built using standard web tools and then seamlessly integrated via an XML interface with Minerva’s iTVmanager software. Minerva’s development tools are believed to give content providers the ability to interact with the viewer in realtime. Unlike traditional interactive TV architectures that require expensive pre-encoding of the video, the Minerva solution can use any VOD or Live TV content, including user submitted videos. While the program or movie is being viewed, the Minerva software on the set-top box connects with the interactive application server. Using standard XML, the application server specifies and controls the position of text, graphics and navigation buttons on the TV. Even video playback and trick play functions can be directly controlled (or disabled) by the application. According to Minverva, the highly flexible system can be used to enable telescopic advertising, distant learning, polling/voting, fantasy sports, basic games, shopping applications and can also tie into cross platform applications on the PC or mobile phones.

itaas, a provider of advanced TV application services, has ported their cross platform MPTV client application to the Minerva Networks’ IPTV framework. The MPTV application allows viewers watching video channels to purchase any associated content such as video clips, ringtones, and wallpaper and download them to their mobile devices

SOURCE: Minerva Networks

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Minerva Networks Expands IPTV Application Development Suite And Integrates With itaas? MPTV Platform

TDC has deployed VDSL2 broadband technology in Denmark to deliver Triple Play services, including Internet, IP Telephony and IPTV, over a High-Performance Broadband architecture. The VDSL2 system is now in field test.

VDSL2 is the next major DSL broadband technology and the first to allow Ethernet end-to-end architectures, which will simplify networks. The early availability of VDSL2 systems will be key for vendor interoperability testing processes in 2006.

Dan Sörensson, Chief Technology Officer, TDC, says: “Ericsson has met our requirements for the current EDA ADSL2+ rollout and likewise demonstrated IP/Ethernet-based DSL solutions that also let us move forward into the VDSL2 market, in line with our ambition of always being first with the fastest offerings for our customers.”

Martin Mellor, head of Broadband Access at Ericsson, says: “We are very pleased to extend our cooperation with TDC into a new technological area. TDC’s ambitious goals allow us to continually improve our EDA solutions and remain at the technological forefront, as we approach the VDSL2 market with great expectations.”

Ericsson addresses the VDSL2 market with a fully featured IP/Ethernet system that builds on the extensive experience gained from three years of EDA field deployments.

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Ericsson provides TDC with VDSL2 based high performance broadband

In May, Germany’s two public broadcasting corporations, representing a total of fourteen stations, announced that they would only make their programs available to IPTV operators whose solutions support important European television standards such as DVB (Digital Video Broadcasting).

Cable, satellite, terrestrial broadcasts or broadband networks – there are various ways of transmitting digital television. “The advantage of DVB is that it covers all these possibilities seamlessly with its standards, and the DVB project has also developed MHP (Multimedia Home Platform), a standard for interactive applications such as voting, home shopping and gaming”, said Juergen Heiles, who is responsible at Siemens Communications for standardization in topics related to Home Entertainment.

The latest initiative on IPTV standardization comes from the ITU (International Telecommunication Union). The objective of an IPTV working group established in early 2006 is to bundle the various international standardization activities. This goal accords with the commitment of Siemens Communications to drive global standards. “We are agreed there is no need to reinvent the wheel, but that the DVB standards platform, which has already proven its great value internationally, can be used,” noted Juergen Heiles.

DVB Project sets the standard for IPTV

Ericsson has announced an end-to-end IPTV solution. The offering will make possible a complete range of IPTV services, such as broadcast TV (both standard and high-definition quality), video on-demand, network personal video recording and electronic programming guides.

Claes Odman, Vice President, Multimedia Solutions, Ericsson, says: “IPTV is much more than traditional TV broadcast over the IP network – it is about integrating media with communications services to deliver personalized, interactive television no matter where the viewer is.”

Ericsson’s vision of personalized IPTV services delivered over broadband is based on open standards, including the combination of Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) technologies, for digital entertainment, with the IMS standard for delivering enriched communications services.

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Ericsson jumps into IPTV as well

Ikanos Communications, a leading developer and provider of Fiber Fast(TM) broadband solutions, today announced that Calix has selected Ikanos as the VDSL2 chipset provider to power their E-series IP Service Edge Node (SEN). Ikanos offers very high-density, low-power chipsets for multi-mode applications, which are designed to enable Calix to offer cost-effective, high-bandwidth VDSL2 and ADSL2+ services in Fiber-to-the-Node (FTTN) and Multi-Dwelling Unit (MDU) applications.

The multi-mode operation of Ikanos’ chipsets is designed to offer interoperability with deployed VDSL2, VDSL1, ADSL2+ and ADSL CPE on a per port basis, with auto-detect capability. Line cards based on such multi-mode chipsets can enable carriers to smoothly transition nodes, remote terminals and central offices to VDSL2 technology, while minimizing upgrade costs. Additionally, delivering advanced services from a single, multi-mode line card can enable carriers to reduce operating costs, streamline inventories and simplify field operations.

The Calix E5 IP Service Edge Node is the industry’s first purpose-built, IP-based, Fiber-to-the-Node (FTTN) platform. Leveraging a robust Ethernet switching core, the E5 SEN delivers ultra-broadband services over the last mile of copper, enabling high-demand, revenue-generating services such as IPTV, VOIP, and video over high-speed Internet access. The Calix E5 cost-effectively meets these demands while dramatically reducing installed CAPEX and ongoing operating costs.

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Ikanos Powers Calix E5 Service Edge Node