Entone Technologies, the world’s most deployed IPTV VOD solution provider and the only deployed IP Video Gateway provider, launched its next generation of high-definition (HD) Consumer Premise Equipment (CPE) products that enable service operators to reliably and economically deploy IPTV services. Entone’s new product family builds on the company’s award-winning and patent-pending Hydra™ IP video gateway design. Family members include:

Research and Markets has announced the addition of the Multimedia Research Group report: Winning IPTV Content Strategies to their offering.

The new Winning IPTV Content Strategies Report 2006 analyzes the step-by-step process of creating differentiated local IPTV (IPTV) services in widely varied global markets. "The markets in Europe and Asia differ considerably from those in the US," states Bob Larribeau, IPTV Program Director, "because US cable has already built up on-demand and interactive services and 2-way capabilities in most of their networks. This is not true in China, Europe and much of the Rest of the World."

The long wait will soon be over for Tewksbury residents eager for cable-TV competition, thanks to a unanimous Board of Selectmen vote Tuesday night (May 30) authorizing Verizon to offer its fiber-optic-powered FiOS TV in the town.

With its more than 27,000 potential viewers, Tewksbury joins a growing number of Massachusetts communities granting Verizon cable franchises. The company offers FiOS TV in Woburn, Reading and Lynnfield, Mass., as well as other locations in New York, California, Texas, Florida, Maryland and Virginia. Last week, Verizon also was granted franchises in Wakefield, Hamilton and Wenham, Mass.

New England Cable News, the country's largest regional news network, joins the Verizon FiOS TV lineup today. Verizon and NECN have agreed that NECN will be carried on Verizon FiOS TV in New England markets.

NECN will be available to subscribers of FiOS TV Premier, Verizon's most popular package, on Channel 82. NECN initially will be available in Woburn, Reading and Lynnfield, Mass., where Verizon offers FiOS TV service. Verizon will also carry the channel in future New England markets as it obtains cable franchises and launches service. Last night (May 30), Verizon was awarded a video franchise in Tewksbury, Mass., and it received franchises in Wakefield, Hamilton and Wenham, Mass., last week.

Concurrent, a worldwide leader of on-demand technology that is shaping the future of television, today announced that Chinese cable operator Shekou CATV has chosen to launch the first commercially available Video-On-Demand (VOD) service in China using Concurrent's MediaHawk VOD platform. As part of this deal, Concurrent is partnering with Chinese technology manufacturer SZCOM to equip existing set-top boxes for advanced, two-way cable services.

Two of South America's most popular telenovelas are now available over the Internet for the first time in the United States – and anywhere in the world – through the new Tvext Internet TV service. Tvext plans to add more telenovelas to its future programming lineup – with an emphasis on shows not televised in the U.S. market.

EXFO Electro-Optical Engineering Inc. announced today the introduction of the new CoLT-450P, a handheld, battery-powered test set for installation and maintenance applications on copper-based broadband access networks.

The next-generation CoLT-450P contains a number of major hardware and software upgrades compared to its popular predecessor, the CoLT-450, which is used by network operators to install and troubleshoot digital subscriber line (DSL) circuits that deliver triple-play services (voice, data and video) over high-speed access networks.

Pulse, a Technitrol Company and owner of the popular Excelsus DSL filter brand, and Comtrend Corporation, a leading supplier of DSL equipment, today announced the results of Internet protocol television (IPTV) over VDSL2 testing. The successful tests demonstrated error-free transmission of video, data, and voice over VDSL2 in difficult "ring trip" conditions. This technical breakthrough overcomes a major problem for telephone companies delivering IPTV over traditional phone lines.

Tut Systems, Inc., an industry leader enabling the delivery of next-generation data and video services over broadband networks, announced that it has contracted with CP-Tel Network Service Inc., an IPTV and telecommunications provider in north central Louisiana, to migrate its high action broadcast channels to Tut Systems' Astria content processor (CP) line of products.

NewSat Networks announced that it has successfully implemented the latest MPEG-4 streaming technology allowing it to carry Australia’s first customisable, multicast Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) program that will commence broadcasting into Australia’s pubs and clubs next month.

The four-way battles now raging in the United States around the question of municipal, state, or national franchise agreements for "Telco TV" video services will see the telcos ultimately prevail over cable operators and local governments, according to new analysis from ABI Research. That will mean an accelerated deployment of IPTV video services to customers, and increased sales of set-top boxes.

"We are at the cusp of a strong run-up in IPTV subscriber bases over the next year or two," says principal analyst Michael Arden. "The telcos have sympathy at the higher levels of government, and in general the principles of encouraging competition and preventing monopoly mean that the telcos will be victorious in this battle. It's just a question of when."

AT&T reported Friday that it will spend approximately $247 million to upgrade its fiber-optic network in Kansas, which will allow it to offer IPTV to homes.

AT&T plans on spending $4.6 billion through 2008 to upgrade and ready its national network to support IPTV and other services. CEO Edward Whitacre plans for the network to reach 19 million homes within three years.

SecureMedia announced that Cavalier Telephone and TV, an innovative provider of telecommunications services headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, has launched their advanced H.264 (MPEG-4 technology) based IPTV/VOD service, the first in the United States, to the Richmond, VA market. Cavalier's pioneering H.264 Broadband content offering of over 150 crystal clear digital channels, Video-on-Demand and Pay-per-View is protected by the Encryptonite ONE System CA/DRM (conditional access/digital rights management) software solution.

Sling Media, Inc. announced that its award-winning Slingbox is now available for purchase across the United Kingdom. The Slingbox is offered both in store and online from DSG International Plc, initially sold exclusively through its computer superstore chain PC World and at www.pcworld.co.uk. The Slingbox will also be available in Currys and the new Currys.digital stores in the next four to six weeks. The Slingbox is available in the UK for GBP 179.99 including VAT.

Sling Media, Inc. announced a public beta program for its new version of SlingPlayer Mobile for devices based on the Windows Mobile Smartphone Edition operating system. Now Slingbox owners can watch and control their home TV from any network-enabled mobile phone or handheld computer (PDA) powered by Windows Mobile. The beta version of SlingPlayer Mobile for Windows Smartphone software is available as a free download from Sling Media's web site, www.slingmedia.com, as part of the public beta program. This new software is compatible with devices that run Microsoft's Windows Mobile Smartphone Edition version 5.0.