North Americans soon will be able to purchase and view Asian-originated TV programs and movies—previously only available in VHS tapes or DVD—within days, not months, of broadcast or release. GlobeVISION, a content aggregator and service provider specializing in offering content to North American Asian subscribers, and thePlatform, a leading provider of digital audio and video publishing solutions, announced that GlobeVISION chose thePlatform Media Publishing System (MPS) to deliver personalized television and movie programming to GlobeVISION's subscribers.

Alcatel has been chosen by the State Ministry of Communications (MOC) in Kuwait to supply a gigabit passive optical network (GPON) solution that will serve about 60 % of the access areas involved in the present rollout. Alcatel's solution will enable the MOC to offer triple-play services (voice, video and data) to subscribers via a fiber to the user (FTTU) architecture. As MOC's strategic partner for this project, Alcatel will support the full end-to-end system integration for both the network and the service roll out.

Interactive Brand Development, Inc., announced that Interactive Television Networks, Inc., formerly XTV, Inc., has merged with Radium Ventures, a public company. Interactive Television Networks (ITVN) is an emerging provider of Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) hardware, programming software and interactive networks. As disclosed by Radium with the US Securities and Exchange Commission, pursuant to the merger agreement, IBD is receiving 5,529,222 restricted common shares of Radium.

The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday that Australian telephone company, Telstra Corporation, had pulled out of a deal with Microsoft to use its Internet TV service. Sources around the media have been spinning the news since.

Forbes wrote today that, "Telstra Corp has decided not to use Microsoft TV as its Internet Protocol TV (IPTV) platform, according to Telstra spokesman Warwick Ponder." Additionally, Ponder said the Australian carrier is searching for a new platform to launch a planned IPTV offering.

Leading technology service provider Ascertane announced it has been chosen to direct technology integration efforts for GlobeVISION's subscription video on demand (SVOD) and IPTV service offerings.

ECI Telecom, a global provider of advanced telecommunication solutions to leading carriers and service providers announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Laurel Networks, an innovative provider of Next-Generation IP/MPLS Multi-Service Edge Routers. Laurel's products and technology will add edge routing and IP service capabilities to ECI' s broadband, optical, and core routing portfolio, enabling ECI to enhance its systems functionally and to create complete multi-service IP solutions for service providers.

Once a dream, now a reality...

Not even 2 months ago we wrote the article, "Hello way down below! IPTV from 35,000 feet in the air?", and dreamed about streaming TV to our laptops in the sky. In that article we wrote, "But one day, we will take our laptops, Playstation Portables, or other wireless devices onto planes and easily connect to the Internet to watch TV streamed from anywhere in the world. Now that’s our idea of home entertainment in the sky."

Starting this summer, Boeing will be doing just that. Yesterday, Boeing celebrated its one-year in-service anniversary by announcing it will begin to offer Internet TV over its Connexion service. The Connexion service currently offers passengers wireless Internet service. Japan Airlines, ANA, Lufthansa German Airlines, Scandinavian Airlines System and Singapore Airlines are already providing the wireless Internet service aboard their planes.

Alcatel and Sistema, the largest private sector consumer services company in Russia and the CIS, and an active player in the Russian telecommunications market, today announced completion of a project to deploy a platform for the delivery of advanced multimedia services to Sistema's residential customers.

Under the terms of the contract signed in September 2004, Alcatel delivered to Sistema Multi Media (Sistema's media arm) a fully integrated end-to-end video solution for the delivery of rich media in a triple play service mix (voice, data, and video). Additionally, Alcatel provided integration, customization and installation services.

The Red Herring writes, "While the communications industry has been waiting on a WiMAX standard for over a year, and companies have been worrying over the technology's place in the wireless world, AT&T is one of the biggest carriers around willing to envision a WiMAX future." The article explains that AT&T will be using the new "Rosedale" chipset from Intel to launch a small business-based WiMAX trial in Middletown, New Jersey, during May.

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Arkwest TV Plan Details Visit Arkwest Communications's website

Arkwest has taken a leadership role in their community by launching personalized television services and IPTV Arkwest's IPTV service will offer more than 200 TV channels and 1,500 hours of movies on demand and will be available to Arkwest's 6,000-plus residential customers, including residents of Danville, Ola, Plainview, Belleville and Havana.

Visit the provider's website for up-to-date prices, possible promotions and/or discounts, and specific service areas.

Want to learn more?

Visit the Arkwest TV website.

AT&T U-verse TV Plan Details Visit AT&T's website

AT&T U-verse offers customers a combination of next-generation digital television — including more than 25 High Definition (HD) channels — and high speed Internet access. The award-winning AT&T U-verse TV includes cutting-edge features that are unmatched in the market, while the new U-verse enabled AT&T Yahoo! High Speed Internet builds on AT&T's position as the nation's leading provider of broadband DSL.

Visit the provider's website for up-to-date prices, possible promotions and/or discounts, and specific service areas.

Want to learn more?

Visit the AT&T U-verse TV website.

Hargray Broadband TV Plan Details Visit Hargray Communications's website

Visit the provider's website for up-to-date prices, possible promotions and/or discounts, and specific service areas.

Want to learn more?

Visit the Hargray Broadband TV website.