Wave7 Optics, Inc. announced that Comporium Communications, the nation's 20th largest incumbent local exchange carrier and 50th largest cable TV provider, will deploy the Last Mile Link (LML) system from Wave7 Optics for an expansion of its fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP) network into the Pulte Homes 3,500-home "Sun City Carolina Lakes" residential development near Charlotte. Pulte Homes is the nation's largest new home builder by revenue.

Westell Technologies, Inc., a leading provider of broadband access products, gateways and conferencing services, announces that it has joined two leading associations dedicated to the advancement of video and digital entertainment throughout the home: the Multimedia over Coax Alliance (MoCA) and the Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions' (ATIS) IPTV Interoperability Forum (IIF). Westell's membership in these premier organizations reinforces and exemplifies the company's continued commitment to meeting broadband service providers' needs for reliable, standards-based technology required to deliver video services.

Conexant Systems, Inc. has teamed with Espial and Tematic to deliver a complete platform for telecommunications operators looking to quickly deploy low-cost, high-performance set-top boxes (STBs) for IPTV networks. "IPTV" refers to the delivery of services such as multimedia and digital video over a broadband IP network. The optimized hardware and software platform enables operators to offer a powerful and customizable client IP STB that supports revenue-generating services such as video-on-demand (VoD) straight out of the box. The platform is based on Conexant's advanced video coding MPEG-4/H.264 coprocessor and standard definition host decoder, Espial Evo IPTV middleware and applications, and Tematic's IPTV software.

Amino announced that it has enabled leading independent telecommunications holding company SureWest Communications as it prepares to become the first US broadband service provider to offer high-definition (HD) television services over IP. Through its current beta testing phase, SureWest has already rolled out Amino's AmiNET120 HD set-top box to a core group of subscribers in the Sacramento, California region. With the first high-definition IPTV roll-out of its kind in the USA, SureWest customers will be able to enjoy the same live sports, Hollywood films, and other high-definition content with the added benefits of IPTV.

A new report by MRG, Inc. analyzes how telecommunications providers will scale their infrastructures to deliver IPTV (IP TV) to their growing subscriber bases. AT&T/SBC, Verizon, France Telecom, Free, and others are expanding their IPTV services, and creating entirely new content delivery models. Network architecture and bandwidth accommodation are two primary considerations -- how will these and smaller IPTV service providers scale their networks to handle subscriber growth? How will these service providers leverage IPTV to compete against cable's sizable installed base for VOD services?

What do you get when you combine two computers, two TV sets, and a school bus?

The next best thing in music television: ManiaTV!

Denver's CBS4 featured a great story on ManiaTV! and Drew Massey, CEO and founder of ManiaTV!

"It started at a dive cheeseburger shack in Stanford, Calif.," Massey said. "I was meeting with the founders of Excite.com and I had the epiphany -- for you know I'm a media guy, a media entrepreneur (with) a media background -- I said the Internet is the biggest thing to happen in my lifetime, I'm a media guy, television is the biggest thing over here, how are the two going to marry?"

Verizon announced a programming-distribution agreement with Oxygen Media, the only cable network owned and operated by women, for carriage of Oxygen on Verizon FiOS TV. The agreement was signed prior to the Sept. 22 launch of FiOS TV in Keller, Texas. Oxygen is available in the Expanded Basic tier of service in Keller, and Verizon will carry the independent channel in future FiOS TV markets.

We've scoured through headlines on broadband, IPTV, VoIP, Triple Play, and all sorts of related topics for 11 months. If there is one thing we can attest from that span of time, it's that there is no longer a lack of journalism covering IPTV-related information. The amount of headlines we read week in and week out just keeps on growing. If that's a sign of the future, then we'll need to hire more help.

Please let us know if you like our weekly IPTV Headlines report or have any suggestions to improve it.

A few notable headlines this week that aren't listed here (because we covered them) are:

• SBC confirms that Project Lightspeed is full speed ahead.
• The FCC opens an investigation into allegations that local authorities may be making the process of getting franchises unreasonably difficult.
• Comedy Central and CBS both expand their Internet TV offerings.

Here are our other interesting reads...

Latens Systems, a pioneer and leading supplier of dynamic, software-based Conditional Access, announced that Com Net Inc., an Ohio-based company offering advanced telecommunication services to 21 Independent Local Exchange Companies (ILECs), has chosen Latens Conditional Access solutions to secure the delivery of video content through Com Net's affiliates. The Latens CA system will combine with Minerva iTVManager Middleware to provide Com Net with a secure end-to-end IPTV delivery platform.

AFTV Comedy or Comedy Central Overdrive? Music Plus TV or Mania TV? What are the top rated Internet TV stations for any given category?

We'll soon find out.

As we briefly mentioned in our last Internet TV update, we have been working on building a rating system for the stations listed in our directory. After much toil, tears, and sweat, we are very excited to announce the system is now live.

We used the simple 5-star approach for the basis of our rating system. The 5 stars to the right of the channel are the overall rating. Users click "Rate This!" to provide a channel rating.

WealthTV, the premier lifestyle and entertainment network in high definition, today announced that it has signed a long term affiliation agreement with Optical Entertainment Network for the roll out of WealthTV in digital and high definition on OEN's FISIONT fiber-to-the-home IPTV service. OEN's FISION service, scheduled to launch within the next 60 days, will be provided to 1.6 million households in Houston, Texas, the 10th largest Television market in the US. OEN will be WealthTV's fifth distribution partner servicing the State of Texas.

Veteran music producer, engineer and performer Dee Robb of Cherokee Recording Studios has some industry advice for indie artists all over the world. Because of the universal applications of his knowledge and expertise, Robb chose Internet television station Music Plus TV as a platform for reaching artists in the D.I.Y. community on a global level.

CENTRIS and Media Business Corp (MBC) announced the formation of C+MBC, a new joint business venture that provides a comprehensive solution for identifying and tracking household demand for broadband, media and entertainment services.

C+MBC's core capacities include accurate coverage of cable and DBS markets; projections of household demand; industry best assessment of broadband availability and emerging fiber-to-the-home; evaluations of VoIP, IPTV and other nascent technologies; household scoring and direct mail solutions.

Providing an update on Project Lightspeed, SBC Communications Inc. announced the SBC companies have recently concluded a technical field trial of IP-based services, which successfully demonstrated that the technology works in a real-world environment.

During the two-month trial, which concluded last month, SBC companies successfully delivered Internet Protocol (IP)-based TV programming, video-on-demand (VOD), high-speed Internet access and other features to employee households in San Antonio. This was the second of two employee field trials.

"We are hearing from some providers that local authorities may be making the process of getting franchises unreasonably difficult. New video entrants, regardless of the technology they employ, should be encouraged – not impeded from entry," explained FCC Chairman Kevin Martin.

BusinessWeek reported that, "In one community, for example, officials want Verizon Communications Inc. to connect all of the local traffic signals with fiber, according to a company filing with the FCC. Another town wants Verizon to provide funds so the community can purchase street lights from the local power company."