IMS Research says in a report that over-the-top video offerings provided by TV service providers are becoming more common, with operator-deployed hybrid set-top boxes accounting for almost 13 percent of global IP STB shipments in 2008. OTT-to-the-TV may not be ubiquitous for another five years or so, the firm says, but Western European carriers in particular are moving quickly. About 87 percent of the 1.6 million of the hybrid STBs deployed in 2008 were used in households in Western European markets.

In related news, Amino Technologies actually claimed--though did not name--a large operator customer for hybrid STBs this week.

For more:
Here's the IMS Research press release

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TV audience measurement company Rentrak has extended the reach of its set-top box data analysis service to about 15 million TV subscribers in 210 TV markets via a new partnership with satellite TV provider Dish Network. The deal is a major boost to the upstart ratings service. Rentrak's most significant service provider partnership up to this point had been with AT&T, which gave Rentral visibility into about 2 million TV households in about three dozen markets.

For more:
- MediaWeek has this story

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Public Wifi networks offer a larger security threat than ever to computer users because hackers have the ability to "poison" users' browser caches to present fake Web pages and even steal data later, according to security researcher Mike Kershaw.

Kershaw, developer of the Kismet wireless network detector and intrusion-detection system, spoke at the Black Hat conference last week and indicated that an attacker using an 802.11n network can take control of a Web browser cache by stealing a common JavaScript file.

"Once you've left Starbucks, you're owned. I own your cache-control header," he said. "You're still loading the cache JavaScript when you go back to work." And research shows that the browser cache poisoning can be kept in a persistent state unless the end users understands how to effectively empty the cache.

Kershaw said the problem stems from open network that have no client protection. "Nothing stops us from spoofing the [wireless access point] and talking directly to the client," he said.

Kershaw suggested that users continuously clear out the cache on a manual basis or use private-browser mode.

For more:
- check out this PC World article

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At this year's Mobile World Congress, Ericsson said it will give the world's first demo of HSPA (High Speed Packet Access) technology capable of transmitting data at peak rates of 84 Mbps.

The vendor, which last year demonstrated 42 Mbps HSPA at the MWC, said the rapid growth of data traffic across mobile networks thanks to smartphones and other data-hungry devices prompted the vendor designed the new technology to address that problem.

Last month, Ericsson inked a deal with 3 in Scandinavia for the 84 Mbps version of HSPA. The deal covers all of Denmark and four major cities in Sweden. The first phase will begin this quarter with commercial deployments expected early next year.

Higher data speeds for HSPA are becoming critical for operators in regions, especially Europe, where spectrum has not been allocated for LTE or where operators need to compete with LTE networks.

For more:
- see this release

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The latest executive to exit Alcatel-Lucent is 28-year veteran Paul Mankiewich, CTO for wireless products at the vendor. A replacement has not been named. Article

It was almost a year ago when AT&T Mobility was defending its policy of not allowing applications that eat up too much bandwidth, but last week, with net neutrality requirements looming, the operator said it will begin to allow Sling Media's SlingPlayer to work over its 3G network on the Apple iPhone.

Previously, the application was only allowed in WiFi mode. In order to gain approval last year, Sling Media was required to disable the 3G capability. SlingPlayer for iPhone enables users to stream live and recorded television content from their home entertainment system to their mobile device.

Back in May of last year, AT&T found itself defending its network policies, saying "Slingbox, which would use large amounts of wireless network capacity, could create congestion and potentially prevent other customers from using the network... Applications like this, which redirect a TV signal to a personal computer (it classifies the iPhone as a computer), are specifically prohibited under our terms of service."

Consumer groups have cried foul ever since over the Sling Media application and other apps that were only allowed to run over WiFi.

But in October, AT&T reversed its decisions with pressure from the FCC to allow VoIP applications to run over the 3G connection rather than WiFi only.

In a release last week, AT&T Mobility CEO Ralph de la Vega said Sling Media was willing to work with the operator to revise the application and make it more bandwidth sensitive. "They made important changes to more efficiently use 3G network bandwidth and conserve wireless spectrum so that we were able to support the app on our 3G mobile broadband network."

However, Sling Media executives said AT&T never discussed any specific requirements with the company. Sling Media's John Santoro told Ars Technica that no fundamental changes were required but that the company has been continually improving its software to help manage bandwidth consumption

At any rate, AT&T plans to give it developers wireless network optimization requirements for video and other applications by the end of this quarter.

For more:
- read this Ars Technica article
- see this Cnet article

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Alcatel-Lucent announced a new software-defined radio (SDR) module designed to enable mobile operators to run 2G, 3G and Long Term Evolution (LTE) technologies at the same time using the same base-station equipment, a move the vendor said will allow operators to deploy HSPA and LTE on frequencies designed for GSM.

The module, named the MC-TRX, is aimed at operators, many in Europe, keen on deploying 3G services in the refarmed 900MHz band. While the 900MHz band is reserved for GSM, a number of regulators globally are allowing 3G to run in those bands.

In addition, the product can also be used to increase the capacity of GSM in the 900MHz or 1800Mhz band. By creating a software module, Alcatel-Lucent is hoping operators will find it relatively easy to increase mobile broadband capacity because they can change their base stations by changing the software configuration.

For more:
- see this IDG News Service article
- read this Light Reading article

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Two FCC officials voiced their concern over the potential impact Apple's new iPad will have on AT&T's 3G network, although they didn't mention AT&T specifically.

Phil Bellaria, director of scenario planning, and John Leibovitz, deputy chief of the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau noted on the FCC's blog, Blogband, a new round of fears of network problems surrounding the release of the iPad. They said the capacity crunch problems are reminiscent of congestion problems AOL experienced in the 1990s when it decided to allow unlimited Internet use.

"The congestion problem circa 1996-97 revealed an intense latent demand for Internet access," the two wrote. "Similarly, wireless network congestion today reveals intense demand for wireless broadband. Widespread use of smartphones, 3G-enabled netbooks, and now, perhaps, the iPad and its competitors demonstrate that wireless broadband will be a hugely important part of the broadband ecosystem as we move ahead."

They wrote that eventually AOL solved the problems by upgrading its modem and server capacities and said that wireless operators too will be able to solve congestion but only if they have enough spectrum.

Eventually, AOL was able to resolve its problems by upgrading its modem and server capacities. Wireless providers today, too, will be able to deal with congestion issues but only if they have adequate spectrum.

"Reaching an always-on wireless broadband future means that spectrum can no longer remain attached solely to uses deemed valuable decades ago. The broadband plan will suggest ways of moving more spectrum into high value uses, such as broadband access, to help ensure that we don't get stuck in 1997 dialup-style congestion," they stated.

For its part regarding the iPad, AT&T has said it doesn't expect huge congestion problems on the network. During its recent quarterly conference call with analysts, AT&T executives said they believe iPad users will rely predominantly on WiFi, and therefore it won't drain AT&T's 3G network. "We will monitor the usage as the device gets out there," said Rick Lindner, senior executive vice president and CFO at AT&T. "If it turns out substantially different, we will adapt."

The 3G/WiFi version of the iPad will sell for $130 more than a WiFi-only device so folks are predicting that the WiFi-only device will be more appealing, despite the fact that it will come to market after the 3G/WiFi version.

For more:
- see the FCC's Blogband post

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The Korea Times reports that Korea Telecom chief Lee Suk-chae dropped the A-word in talking about the future of the telco's IPTV services offering, which has evolved over the last year from video-ond-demand to VoD and broadcast. That's right, like other telecom players in both wireless and video sectors, KT wants to be more like Apple, the Times story says.

The evolution begins next month, with the planned launch of an open content development platform for the broadcast part of the network, and also is looking to gather prospective content developers at a conference soon. The goal is to allow the developers to sell their programming over the network through a revenue-sharing model, potentially broadening the appeal of KT's IPTV offering over those of its two largest competitors, SK broadband and LG, as the nation's IPTV growth moderates.

The Korea Times reports that KT is aiming to have about 2 million IPTV customers at the end of this year, after collecting about 1 million in 2009--it's first full year with a IPTV package.

While numerous companies across telecom have looked at Apple, iTunes and the Apple store for hints in how to sell content in the future, they have done so cautiously, and no one has really become the Apple of the IPTV world yet--not even Apple, which after launching the Apple TV platform, took its time following up with upgrades.

For more:
Korea Times has this story

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Those vendors, including Alvarion, hoping to capitalize on the Indian market in light of an expected 3G and WiMAX license auction this month will once again have to wait, it appears.

The auction will now reportedly begin in April, according to Dow Jones. WiMAX suppliers have been clamoring for a chance at this market, which will likely be the world's largest market for WiMAX. Numerous delays have plagued India's planned auctions, including disputes with the Department of Defense over frequencies and reserve pricing of the licenses.

Interestingly, India's Department of Telecom and regulators are also looking at more auctions shortly after the 3G and WiMAX auctions to support 4G services in the 700MHz band. The 2.5GHz band is being allocated for WiMAX because it is available today.

For more:
- see this Rethink Wireless article

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