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  • On Demand Group Wins Greek VoD Contract for IPTV launch


    On Demand Group has won the VOD and subscription VOD contract from OTE for its upcoming IPTV service in Greece.

    ODG is Virgin Media TV’s content management partner for its VOD service in the UK, which is the largest VOD service outside of North America with over 50m views per month.

    Tony Kelly, CEO of ODG said the TVOD and SVOD offering would help kick-start the IPTV launch.

    "The range of movies, TV series, kids programming, documentaries and music videos will help to underpin the successful launch and regular and sustained viewing of VOD in Greece,” he said.

    OTE’s FilmExpress transaction VOD (TVOD) service includes blockbuster movies from major Hollywood studios including Disney-ABC-ESPN Television, Universal Studios, Paramount Pictures and Warner Bros.

    Subscribers to the service can select a movie of their choice for a 24-hour rental period with full DVD-like features including control to pause, fast forward, rewind or watch over again.

    OTE’s FilmClub subscription VOD (SVOD) service includes a wide range of TV series from CBS, HBO, HIT, Lions Gate and Warner Bros, as well as documentaries from National Geographic.

    The SVOD service also includes library movies from HBO, Lions Gate, Paramount Pictures and Warner Bros, and hundreds of international and local music videos from EMI, Universal Music and Sony Music.

    Subscribers will also receive more than 30 digital broadcast channels.

  • Sony Not Cutting PS3 Price – or Planning Non Blu-ray Version


    Sony has no intention of releasing a PS3 without a Blu-ray drive.

    The suggestion that the Japanese company would ditch the high-def format was scotched by Sony’s marketing manager Kim Nguyen.

    "That would pretty much destroy the PS3’s backbone, our games were built on Blu-ray." Kim told Silicon Alley Insider. "Quote that: Blu-ray will always be part of PS3."

    Speculation about the console’s Blu-ray drive and a possible price cut began a few weeks ago.

    However, the Sony executive told SAI there were no immediate plans to reduce the price tag.

    This is despite renewed pressure from industry figures, including Electronic Arts exececuties.

    They say only 3 per cent of the PS1’s sales were at its launch price of USD $299 – and it only began selling when the price dropped.

    They also point to the Xbox 360’s growing market share, suggesting it is largely as a result of a price drop.

  • Panasonic's VHS/Blu-ray Combo Upconverts SD Video to 1080p


    The world’s first Blu-ray-VHS dual player is to go on sale in the US from next month.

    Made by Panasonic, the DMP-BD70V has a multi-format playback that allows users to play VHS, CD, DVD and 1080p high definition Blu-ray Discs.

    It also allows standard DVDs and VHS tapes to be up-converted to 1080p resolution.

    While the picture quality of VHS tapes obviously doesn’t rival Blu-ray, it does produce an impressive picture – something certain to appeal to the many households with stacks of VHS tapes lying around.

    The DMP-BD70V has been available in Japan since last year.

    The combo VHS/DVD/Blu-ray/SD Card Player is to be priced at USD $399.

  • BMW Offers Legal Way To Drive Z4 Roadster While Using iPhone

    smartphone iphone
    BMW has come up with a novel – and legal – way to drive its new Z4 Roadster while using the iPhone.

    No, it’s not some ingenious hands-free device designed by engineering geniuses at the German car-maker.

    It’s a free game for the Apple handset created by mobile applications company Artificial Life.

    According to BMW, the launch of the lite version of the "BMW Z4 – An Expression of Joy" game offers BMW fans the first opportunity worldwide to virtually customize and test drive the new Z4 Roadster.

    While the game will no doubt appeal to fans of the German sportscar, it also demonstrates the potential smartphones offer to inventive marketing departments.

    Andreas Schwarzmeier, of BMW Sports Marketing & Cooperations,said the car-maker was always looking for innovative and effective communication channels.

    He said the game had been produced to accompany the BMW Z4 marketing campaign.

    "For a long time the game market has delivered new products and technologies closer to the consumer," he said.

    "Additionally this game perfectly fits with the key intention of our brand ‘Joy’."

    Presented in top quality interactive 3D graphics, the lite version is described as "a unique driving game that lets players drive the BMW Z4 while at the same time painting a picture using the car’s tires".

    The virtual car configurator enables players to choose between the official BMW Z4 colors and rims to create their own roadster.

    The option to drive with an open or closed retractable hardtop gives additional authenticity.

    Selections can be made by simply tapping on the various components. Players can virtually rotate the car around in order to view the car from different angles. The customized cars that players create may be saved for use in the driving game.

    The game is available for download for the iPhone and iPod touch in Apple’s App Store. A full version is being prepared for release in May.

  • 1080p Video Possible With Intel's New Atom Chipset


    Poor video acceleration – stuttering and frame rate drops – is something of a blight for netbooks when it comes to playing HD video.

    Now Intel has confirmed that the GN40 chipset for Atom chips, when paired with the Atom N280 processor, is capable of playing 1080p video.

    That doesn’t, however, stretch to Blu-ray HD footage.

    An Intel product manager has told Fudzilla that the GN40 is "designed to do 1080p HD playback for typical broadband internet content".

    The semiconductor firm says the more advanced graphics acceleration in GN40 can decode most common bitrates of the full HD resolution without the problems of poor video acceleration encountered with the 945 chipsets used with most Atom-based netbooks.

    It is likely that Microsoft’s own compressed HD format, 1080p WMV, will be playable through the GN40.

    The same may not be true for H.264 and VC1 decoding.

    This will be encouraging for NVIDIA, which has its Ion platform – capable of bringing Full HD-capabilities to the netbook.

    However, Intel says the chipset wasn’t engineered to enable full Blu-ray capability "where the bitrates and demands of multi-layer content are significantly higher than that of internet HD content" – as high as 24Mbps for the video as well as extra layers like picture-in-picture commentary.

    So when are we likely to see a successor to GN40 that is capable of Blu-ray video?

  • HD Version of iPlayer Expected Soon


    The BBC is planning on offering a high-definition version of its iPlayer – possibly by April.

    While the move has been mooted since the online catch-up TV service was launched in 2007, it seems likely the HD service will shortly become a reality.

    Jana Bennett, director of BBC Vision, confirmed that the HD edition was imminent during a panel discussion at the recent FT Digital Media and Broadcasting Conference.

    Other developments with the iPlayer include being added to Freesat, a move expected to take place later this year.

    While the step-up to HD may be welcomed by viewers, it’s unlikely to be viewed favorably by the UK’s broadband Internet Service Providers.

    The popularity of the iPlayer has already put strains on bandwidth – so the arrival of higher resolution video is certain to make the download situation worse.

  • VoIP Solutions Provider Cypress Communications Expanding into Europe and Middle East

    INTERVIEW: Frank Grillo, Cypress Communication’s executive vice president of marketing, speaks to voip-biz.news about the company and its move into international markets
    voip solutions
    One of the US’s largest providers of VoIP solutions, Cypress Communications, is to announce shortly that it is expanding operations into Europe and the Middle East.

    After more than 20 years providing managed communication solutions to clients across the States, the Atlanta, Georgia-based company is to extend its network internationally.

    Frank Grillo, Cypress Communication’s executive vice president of marketing, told voip-biz.news that more than 80 per cent of its revenue and customers come from a very focused base.

    This comprises law firms and businesses in the financial services, commercial real estate and professional services sectors.

    voip solutions, frank brillo, cypress communications
    Frank Grillo,  EVP Marketing, Cypress Communications

    Grillo said the decision to move into Europe and the Middle East came as a result of a new client – a large US law firm of a similar size to Cypress’ anchor tenant, Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP.

    The full details are expected to be released by the end of March.

    He said a data center is to be established in London, which is to be the initial anchor point in Europe.

    But the expectation is that the expansion will continue.

    "We are extending the Cypress network into other markets," he said.

    "We will initially be marketing to our US customers and serving their needs in Europe and the Middle East."

    Targeting US customers

    Grillo, who was recently, announced as the winner of the voip-biz.news’ Person of the Year award, said focusing Cypress’ initial marketing push on US customers made sense since many existing clients, such as law firms, had offices in Europe.

    The company’s business model is to be modified in the new markets, with more reliance placed on partners.

    In the Middle East, that is likely to be as a network manager rather than as a true end-to-end provider.

    Grillo added: "But from the customers’ perspective, it will be the same."

    As a provider of managed communication solutions, Cypress supplies technology that includes:

    * IP Communications (managed VoIP)
    * unified communication
    * digital and IP phones
    * unlimited calling
    * business-class Internet connectivity
    * firewalls
    * security and VPN solutions
    * audio/Web conferencing solutions

    Grillo described Cypress as a "fairly unique creature", firstly because its experience of hosted PBXs stretches back to the mid-1980s.

    "One of our biggest core strengths is that we get what it’s like to manage desktop phones," he said.

    The second reason was that Cypress’ core customers are high-value employees that depend on a quality phone service for doing business.

    So Grillo said a lawyer charging a client USD $400 per hour expects excellent service when using the phone for an important call.

    "Our clients are people using the phone as their primary tool for doing business," he said.

    Leap of Faith

    Last month, Cypress announced that an existing client, Ascensus, was making the move to IP communications.

    Grillo said this was an example of how customers are willing to put their faith in new systems because of the creditability Cypress has generated in over two decades in the industry.

    In Ascensus’ case, putting its trust in Cypress’ hosted VoIP and hosted unified communications solution, C4 IP, extends to nearly 1,000 associates from six offices — including a 300-person call center.

    C4 IP offers features such as integrated audio and Web conferencing, multimedia collaboration tools,presence, chat and Microsoft Outlook integration.

    "While the technology was new, we were not new," said Grillo. "We were a trusted provided."

    That’s not the case with every provider in the industry, according to Grillo.

    He said the hosted VoIP marketplace has been damaged in the past by providers that he describes as nothing more than "two guys and a truck looking to make some fast money with a bare bones product and the appearance of low cost".

    He said there were only a few providers that offered the reliability and quality required – one he was happy to name was M5 Networks.

    However, Grillo said the current state of the economy meant that those providing poor service were unlikely to fare well.

    "There’s only so much appetite in the market for bad VoIP," he added.

  • INTERVIEW: Ivar Plahte, CEO and Co-Founder of OnRelay

    "Mobile PBX is the future – and the era of everyone having corporate desktop handsets is coming to a close" – Ivar Plahte, winner of smartphone-biz.news’ Person of the Year Award 2008

    Cast your eyes over most office desks and something they have in common is a fixed-line telephone – at least for now.

    Ivar Plahte, CEO and co-founder of OnRelay, has no doubt that mobile PBX is the future – with smartphones increasingly replacing desktop phones to become the sole business phone.

    But then someone who runs a unified communications software company firmly focused on cellular Fixed Mobile Convergence (FMC) might be expected to say that.

    Founded in early 2000, OnRelay is a pioneer of mobile PBX and launched the first global private mobile branch exchange.

    In January, the company launched Unified MBX, a solution that delivers complete IP PBX functionality to the mobile phone.

    Essentially it turns users’ smartphones into full desk phone replacements, supports PBX functions such as caller ID and calling name and offers business vs personal call separation.

    Ivar Plahte, CEO  and Co-founder OnRelay

    Plahte told smartphone-biz.news that interest had already been huge – with inquiries from 100,000-employee enterprises right down to very small businesses.

    "It’s very cool in the sense that Unified MBX can be deployed in a plug-and-play manner," he said.

    Shift from IP PBX to mobile PBX

    While it may not yet be apparent, Plahte said there were "dramatic changes" currently taking place as enterprises shifted from IP PBXs to mobile PBXs.

    To underline that this isn’t some future-case scenario, he said OnRelay had just finalised an agreement with one of the top five global telecom service providers.

    The company was also deploying its solution in what he described as a "very large enterprise".

    "They said explicitly they do not want a single deskphone – they only want smartphones," he said.

    "This gives a very strong indication that this market we have been pushing for is really emerging."

    Mobile PBX is Fourth Generation

    Plahte said the best way to think of mobile PBX was in generations, with the progression from analog PBX to digital PBX and then on to the IP PBX.

    "Looking at the previous change between digital and IP, the desk phone was very similar – it was still a proprietary type of desk phone," he said.

    "We are talking about two very similar systems, both vertically integrated, coming from the same vendor, hardware-based models.

    "Even if the technology is different, the markets are quite similar."

    That isn’t the case with the move from IP PBX to mobile PBX, according to Plahte.

    The CEO said this was especially apparent in the back office with the change from hardware to software platforms.

    He said that while companies might still want to have fixed phones – such as for call centre switchboards – most users would have mobiles as their desktop phones.

    "A PBX where the backdrop is software, the network is the public mobile network and the predominant device is the mobile phone," he said.

    What has made this type of scenario possible are factors such as the improvements made to smartphone reliability in the last couple of years and the fall in mobile call prices.

    Even so, Plahte said the only way to convince companies to ditch deskphones was to demonstrate the reliability of the solution to them.

    He said businesses already made a sizeable proportion of their calls on mobiles – the novelty was that a mobile PBX meant the handsets could become the only mode of business communication.

    While OnRelay is very aggressively anti-deskphone, Plahte said it was important to assure customers they can "mix-and-match" in whatever way they like.

    "If they only want to use a mobile, then that’s fine," he said.

    "If they are a little sceptical – perhaps because of coverage – then they can have a deskphone that pairs with a mobile and rings at the same time."

    Not making this clear was where a lot of fixed/mobile substitution has been misdirected, according to Plahte.

    "They were telling companies: ‘You have to throw out every everything and only have mobile phones’," he said. "Our proposition is more balanced."

    Competitors Lagging Behind

    While competitors in the form of PBX vendors have been threatening to copy OnRelay since 2003, Plahte said he was confident they had a significant lead over them.

    He said OnRelay also differed from the largely voice-over-WiFi technology being touted by competitors.

    After initially offering large enterprises managed MBX projects, the UK-headquartered company has now launched Unified MBX.

    While OnRelay’s main markets are in Europe and the Far East it is also targeting the US.

    Plahte said the US market was different in terms of:

    – the network: "2/3 years behind Europe in quality of coverage but catching up"

    – smartphone brands: "RIM’s Blackberry and Apple’s iPhone strong, while Nokia is very small in the US

    – contracts: "In Europe a lot of companies pay for their employees’ contracts. That is getting there now in the US."

    – Europe more aggressive in getting rid of deskphone completely: "In the US, the combination of mobile and deskphone will linger for longer."

    OS Diversity is "Disappointing"

    Plahte said the diversity of operating systems on smartphones has been a major headache.

    OnRelay has to port a significant amount of software for every platform and user experience is very important.

    "I hoped operating systems would converge but they are doing the opposite," he said. "For us, that’s disappointing."

    While having to work across four or five platforms has slowed development, Plahte said he never doubted the solution would be launched.
    "I have always had the firm belief that this market is inevitable," he said.

    "It is just a question of time in relation to when this generation of PBX will happen."

    We are interested in hearing your views on mobile PBX – can you see your enterprise becoming mobile-only?

  • TeleGeography Survey Shows VoIP Surge in Europe












    VoIP telephone services in Western Europe leapt to just under 30 million consumer lines by mid-2008 – up from 20 million only a year earlier.

    That figure has continued to climb and totalled 35 million lines at the end of the year, according to a survey by researchers TeleGeography.

    The study into fixed-line VoIP usage also found that while the aggregate pace of growth across Europe remains rapid, fixed line market trends in each country are surprisingly unique.

    Household penetration of VoIP telephony at mid-2008 ranged from slightly less than 50 per cent in France to less than 3 per cent in Spain.

    In terms of annual subscriber growth rates ranged from 544 per cent in Portugal to a comparatively anemic 13 per cent in Norway.

    TeleGeography analyst Patrick Christian said VoIP services are reshaping the fixed line market in Europe.

    But he said regional market differences were were much in evidence.

    "Europe may have a single market, but it’s far from common," he said.

    "However, while the uptake of IP telephony services varies widely, VoIP has been a powerful spur to innovation, even in some countries with relatively modest numbers of VoIP subscribers."

    This has taken the form of "incumbents" having to slash the price of traditional telephone services, to deploy higher-speed broadband networks and to introduce new video-over-IP services in the face of the challenge presented by IP-based competitors.

    TeleGeography projects that the number of VoIP subscribers will continue to grow strongly, increasing from 35 million at end-2008 to 45 million by the end of 2009.



  • Carrier VoIP Equipment Spend Down, IMS To Become Revenue Driver by 2011







    The worldwide market for carrier VoIP equipment has stalled after a pro-longed period of double-digit annual revenue growth that began in 2002.

    This led to the market contracting for the first time ever in 2008, with a drop in revenue of 6 per cent, according to Infonetics Research.

    On a brighter note, a second Infonetics report, found that IMS deployments are likely to become a serious revenue driver by 2011.

    Diane Myers, directing analyst at Infonetics, said the fourth quarter of 2008 confirmed what had been seen in the previous two quarters in North America, with signs in Western Europe and some parts of Asia as well.

    "The market for carrier VoIP equipment has stalled due to large deployments nearing completion and shifting strategic priorities," she said.

    "The global economic downturn will likely exacerbate the drop in VoIP equipment sales."

    The second Infonetics report paints a more optimistic picture for VoIP equipment manufacturers.

    It shows that worldwide sales of IMS (IP multimedia subsystem) equipment, including HSS (home subscriber servers) and CSCF servers, were up 94 per cent in 2008 compared to 2007.

    Myers said IMS deployments are growing, led largely by European operators.

    Fixed-line VoIP services are still the most popular applications delivered over IMS, however the reports suggests rich communication services will be an important part of the shift from fixed-line VoIP services to mobile networks and integration with standardized devices.

    She said the revenue total for IMS deployments is small currently, but will grow rapidly and become substantial in 2011 and beyond as mobile operators upgrade infrastructure.

    "With over 100 service providers worldwide having chosen their IMS vendors, less than half are fully deployed with live traffic," she said.

    "The move to turn-up the remaining deployments, in addition to new deployments, will help fuel the sales for IMS network equipment.

    "Mobile operator migration to IP and adoption of RCS will drive the deployments for IMS during the next four to five years."