Hotwire
Communications has selected Motorola’s fiber-to-the-home,
MPEG-4 HD encoder and IP set-top solutions for the delivery of both residential and
commercial broadband services. Specializing in multi-family communities, Hotwire Communications
is the latest in a series of ultra-broadband network and FTTH wins for Motorola that
range from tier-one deployments to smaller telecom and cable operator rollouts.

The new FTTH deployments using gigabit passive optical networking technology will
enable Hotwire to significantly expand its service tiers with more HD and VOD content
as well as Internet speeds ranging up to 100+ Mbps. Hotwire will deploy the field-proven
Motorola AXS2200 optical line terminal and Motorola ONT1400GT optical network terminal
throughout its customer footprint.

Hotwire will also deploy Motorola’s SE5100 series MPEG-4 HD encoders as well as Motorola’s
VIP1200 and VIP1216 set-top boxes. Motorola’s MPEG-4 encoders offer highly optimized
compression technology to maximize use of network fiber and in-home wiring assets.
IP set-tops provide advanced decoding technology and integrated DVR for a rich, in-home
media experience as well as HPNA technology to minimize expense in re-wiring each
dwelling for high-speed data networking capability.

Optimized for the delivery of video, the Motorola AXS2200 OLT features unparalleled
density, scalability and flexibility and provides superior capacity for growth in
services such as IPTV, HD VOD and time-shifted television. Proven to be reliable in
tier-one operator networks across the globe, the AXS2200 helps service providers stay
ahead of consumer demand for high-quality, personalized communications and entertainment
experiences.

The Motorola ONT1400GT addresses the demand for ultra-broadband services using open
standards and leveraging a highly flexible design. It can be configured to seamlessly
deliver TDM voice, quality VoIP, multi-port, high-speed Internet access and IPTV via
a single fiber optic connection to the home. The ONT1400GT also supports interactive
services by integrating upstream signals from Motorola’s widely deployed family of
RF headends, RF set-tops and combination RF/IP set-top solutions.

Motorola’s VIP set-top platform, including the VIP1200 and VIP1216, encompasses a
robust line of all-IP or hybrid HD and SD set-tops with built-in DVRs for diversified
programming options, interactivity and VOD for TV viewers. The VIP set-tops also support
a variety of home-networking interfaces and the KreaTV application development environment,
which enable features such as Motorola’s NBBS device management system, advanced interactive
applications and third-party middleware solutions.

Motorola’s SE5100 series MPEG-4 HD encoders are part of an HD/SD platform combining
receiver functions with advanced encoding technology to deliver video services at
lower bit rates. This IP-centric platform delivers flexibility, value and exceptional
video quality from its advanced multi-pass encoding system. Built for IPTV environments,
the rich feature set includes an HD upgrade option and support for statistical multiplexing
over an IP infrastructure.

More:
Hotwire Communications Selects Motorola’s End-to-End FTTH

AccessKey
IP announces that the first two phases of its project with CSI Digital is complete
and was delivered on time. The project is in phases, wherein AccessKey will develop
a series of Set Top Boxes, to address multiple segments of the industry in conjunction
with the marketing and sales efforts of CSI. CSI Digital looks to leverage AccessKey’s
advanced proprietary technology for the IPTV field including its customer-specific
adaptability that AccessKey offers.

According to George Stevens, CEO of AKYI, the development and design phase of the
project is now completed. The benefits this completed project brings both companies
are enormous. The metrix behind each of the phases will prove the viability of both
the product and market place. Stevens further stated that, “The technologies and methodologies
used in this series of products is not simply evolutionary, but revolutionary in execution
and function. It will usher in a whole new spectrum of delivery to the industry.”

The product, a joint development between AccessKey IP and CSI Digital, is scheduled
for delivery before the end of the year.

Excerpt from:
AccessKey Updates on IPTV Set Top Box Development Project

The Ekioh
UI Engine utilises the Scalable Vector Graphics open standard from the W3C, to
provide a fast, flexible and customisable user experience. The nationwide Freewire
service available to students across the UK has so far largely concentrated on offering
its IPTV service via a PC or Mac client. The service is also now available on STBs
using Industria’s Zignal 2.0 middleware and the Ekioh UI Engine. It is now in operation
at four university campuses across the UK. As Inuk expands its Freewire student IPTV
service off-campus over the Cable & Wireless national LLU network, this Ekioh solution
will be provided as an integral element of the STB solution for every customer on
the platform.

“We have been looking to deliver a true next generation TV experience on a set-top
box for over two years and SVG seems to be the missing link when it comes to rendering
really fast graphics and a responsive interface,” said Marcus Liassides, Chief Executive
Officer at Inuk Networks Ltd. “Using Ekioh’s SVG browser together with Zignal 2.0
has enabled us to take a huge leap forward with a user interface which not only looks
fantastic but is also the fastest I have ever seen on a set-top box.”

Piers Wombwell, CEO of Ekioh commented: “The Ekioh UI Engine has been specifically
designed for set-top boxes and combines flexibility and performance giving a superior
user experience. This is the first live deployment of the Ekioh UI Engine and as the
Freewire service expands, we are delighted that our software will be used by every
set-top box customer on the Freewire platform.”

Originally posted here:
Inuk Networks Freewire IPTV Service is Running on STBs with Ekioh UI Engine

With
competition heating up for video services in Europe, operators will employ VOD as
a key differentiator in acquiring new subscribers, with evidence suggesting that the
move from near-VOD to true VOD dramatically increases buy rates. VOD is fast becoming
a must-have feature; and for those operators with the technology already in place,
the next step is to differentiate even further via HD VOD, along with increasing the
size of the content library. In a recent report, ABI Research categorizes the growth
of VOD subscriber levels in the contexts of programming and functionality.

“The number of concurrent VOD streams will increase markedly over the next five years,”
says Paul Lee, ABI Research analyst. “The Asia-Pacific region is poised to experience
high levels of growth: from 1.66 million VOD streams in 2007 to almost 21 million
in 2013. And in total, the global trend toward increased usage of VOD streams will
multiply tenfold throughout the years 2007 to 2013, with a compound annual growth
rate of nearly 45%.”

Several companies set up their VOD offerings over the past few years with the intention
of boosting future subscriber numbers. For instance, Cisco acquired Arroyo for its
VOD solutions in August 2006, obtaining customers such as Comcast, Time Warner, and
Charter. Moreover, Concurrent has offered one of the most successful VOD platforms
for the cable industry – illustrated in 1Q 2008 when the company shipped 50,000 VOD
streams, with customers including BrightHouse and Time Warner.

Lee continues: “Western Europe will see the strongest surge in VOD users with the
largest subscriber base and a slightly higher ARPU than North America, thereby making
it the eventual leader in the market.”

Video on demand has existed since the early 2000s; but since its inception, the service
has remained relatively dormant. However, ABI Research believes this dormancy will
break as the evolution of video consumption has prepped consumer interest for VOD
services; and the arrival of IPTV operators that offered true VOD from the start has
raised the bar of VOD services.

Video
on Demand and Ad Insertion Markets provides an overview of the growth in VOD subscribers,
VOD program downloads, VOD servers, and VOD-enabled CPE for CATV, DBS, DTT, and telco
TV services.

It forms part of two ABI Research Services: Consumer
Video Technologies and Multi-Channel
Video.

Original post:
European Operators Consider Video On Demand As a Competitive Differentiator

See original here:
IPTV Deployments Double For The Second Year Running As Broadband Continues To Achieve Strong Growth