TANDBERG announces that DeKalb Telephone Cooperative Communications has selected TANDBERG Television video processing systems to launch advanced IPTV services. DTC Communications has chosen the TANDBERG Mediaplex and iPlex video processing platforms to build a new MPEG-4 AVC video head-end to deliver high quality video in standard definition and high definition to subscriber homes. The market-leading TANDBERG iPlex and Mediaplex video systems will be demonstrated at NXTcomm 2007 (Chicago – June 18-21 – booth #4815).

Optibase has added its name to a list of other vendors, including Bitbad and Verimatrix in supplying technology to Greece's new IPTV provider, On Telecoms. On Telecoms will be using Optibase’s IPTV headend equipment to deliver local and satellite television channels to its subscribers. Optibase provided its streaming platforms, MGW 5100, which are controlled and monitored using Optibase Cluster Manager.

UK's Inuk Networks is aiming to launch its Freewire TV as a residential service later this year, targeting the 6 million UK homes who cannot receive digital television by other means with IPTV, VoIP and high speed broadband services. Inuk will be using Tandberg Television's MPEG-4 AVC encoders and receivers for its Freewire TV service. Freewire TV currently offers free-to-air digital television channels to students in university halls who are able to access the high speed JANET broadband network, which connects all higher and further education establishments in the UK.

On top of all the press lately on Tandberg TV and their suitors, Tandberg also introduced the latest in their IPTV video processing capabilities with the new Tandberg iPlex UltraCompression high definition and standard definition IPTV headend. Based on Tandberg Television's second-generation AVC platform - Intelligent Compression Engine (ICE3) – the iPlex UltraCompression video processing system brings a step change in digital video distribution.

The new system delivers bandwidth improvements of up to 50% over previously deployed MPEG-4 AVC units. With MPEG-4 AVC HD UltraCompression, the iPlex can deliver two full-resolution HDTV channels over ADSL2+ @ 2km – with data rates at below 6 Mbits/s @ 1080i and 4Mbits/s @ 720p, a new industry benchmark.

PCCW is deploying Harmonic's new DiviCom Electra 5400 standard definition (SD) MPEG-4 AVC (H.264) encoders for its entire now TV channel lineup. The expansion enables PCCW, the world's largest IPTV operator with more than 700,000 subscribers, to add services and extend its reach in Hong Kong.

TANDBERG Television announced with business partner Balum Ltd. that its IPTV video headend and MPEG-4 AVC encoders have been selected by EPM Telecommunications UNE to deploy the first IPTV service in Colombia, South America. As a leading provider of Internet, VoIP and television services to this market, EPM's new IPTV service will be part of its competitive triple play package. The company will leverage the TANDBERG iPlex Video Headend Platform to provide Colombian viewers with more than 100 real-time channels and video-on-demand movies.

Optibase, Ltd. announced that it is providing its advanced IPTV solution to NASA. Optibase MGW 1100 carrier-grade IPTV streaming platforms have been successfully deployed at the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center, NASA's premier flight research and test organization for the validation of high-risk, pioneering aerospace technology, space exploration concepts, and the conduct of science mission observations. The MGW 1100 provides H.264 video and audio, in combination with an Optibase PC soft player application and display manager for streaming of content over the internal IP NASA base network. The content includes TV channels such as news and weather channels as well as NASA-generated channels such as live flight test footage and other events.

Optibase Ltd. has been awarded an additional contract by FPT Telecom, a leading multimedia and Internet service provider in Vietnam.

Extending the original IPTV solution that Optibase provided FPT last year, Optibase is now expanding its initial IPTV offering with a series of Optibase streaming platforms.

Optibase, Ltd. announced that it is providing its IPTV solution to Hungarian Internet service provider, TVnet. Upgrading its current internet and telephony services, TvNet has added IPTV to its basket of services, to commence in Budapest in December.

Tut Systems has integrated its Astria content processor (CP) and Astria video services processor (VSP) headend solutions with Minerva's iTVManager middleware and Latens FCAS content and revenue protection solutions at a deployment with Smart City Television, an affiliate of Smart City Telecom of Lake Buena Vista, FL.

It appears MTNL isn't wasting any time in expanding their channel listing. (See MTNL Launches First India IPTV Service)

Optibase, Ltd. and Time Broadband Services Pvt. Ltd., announced that they are expanding their IPTV solution to India's state-owned major telecom service provider, Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd. (MTNL).

Indiana's Rochester Telephone has selected TANDBERG Television as its video head-end provider for a new IPTV service over Fiber-to-the-Premise (FTTP) that will serve its Indiana ILEC footprint.

The Rochester Telephone agreement marks the 9th TANDBERG Television IPTV deployment in the state of Indiana.

TANDBERG scores yet another video head-end deal as Horizon Chillicothe Telephone, an Ohio communications company, has selected the TANDBERG iPlex for a major expansion of the channel line-up for its pioneering TV over VDSL ATM network. Leveraging the high-density encoding, turnaround and transrating (bit rate reduction) capabilities of the TANDBERG iPlex video head-end, Horizon will expand its integrated voice, Internet and digital television service by adding more than 45 new video channels, in both high definition (HD) and standard definition (SD), for delivery to its video subscribers in Ohio.

In yet another announcement tied to Deutsche Telekom, TANDBERG Television's IPTV video head-end and MPEG-4 AVC encoders have been selected by Deutsche Telekom for the Croatian T-Com network. TANDBERG is Working closely with Siemens Networks to provide the technology for the MAXtv IPTV service being launched by Croatian T-Com. The service is using TANDBERG EN5930 SD (standard definition) encoders, TT1222 professional receivers and TT7140 IP streamers to provide Croatian viewers with over 80 real-time channels and a large number of video on-demand movies.

TANDBERG Television is set to build on its business and technology lead in the Asian IPTV video head-end market with a demonstration of its full suite of live, on-demand and interactive solutions at IPTV World Forum Asia 2006 (stand 83), which runs 27th - 29th September in Shanghai. The event will give delegates the chance to see why the annual IPTV leadership report, published earlier this month by the Multimedia Research Group (MRG), ranked TANDBERG Television as the leading IP video head-end supplier in Asia, as well as in EMEA and rest of world. Worldwide TANDBERG Television has been involved in more than 160 xDSL and FTTH deployments and there are over 2 million subscribers currently viewing IPTV thanks to the company's technology.