Filed under: Industry, Cable, Fiber

All this back and forth banter between the cable industry and Verizon is quite entertaining. While ultimately we agree with Verizon that there has to be a better solution than tru2way, we're not buying "it's not compatible with our network" jazz. As pointed out by a podcast listener (thanks Derek) -- the real reason why Verizon isn't down with tru2way, is because it would make all of VZ's new software useless. Either way, in the latest chapter Verizon calls out the NCTA's redicluos "it'll still work with a STB" argument, by pointing out the obvious; which is that the whole point of a system like tru2way, is to eliminate the STB. Although there is nothing new about us saying that we want to choose the software, as well as the hardware, we just hope that if we say it enough times, maybe the FCC will actually stand up and listen.

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Filed under: Industry, Cable

You hear so much tough-talk and blustery grand-standing these days over data capping that it's hard to take any of it too seriously. A recent announcement by Comcast, however, is sending chills down the collective spine of Engadget (and seriously threatening to put a crunch on Thomas Ricker's... er, "movie" downloads). The company recently confirmed that it will begin capping its residential broadband service at 250GB per month (or roughly 124 SD movies) come October 1st, and could simply terminate customers who violate the cap more than twice. Of course, 250GB is a pretty large chunk of bandwidth, so you'll have to be entertaining some pretty hefty habits to break that bank. Then again, who likes the Man breathing down their pipeline?

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Filed under: Cable, Sports, New content

Charter's next on the block to add the Big Ten Network and "related programming" in time for Saturday's football openers. No word whether or not this will include the HD version of the network, or if it will be in time for the start of the season, but it is definitely on the way. In a minor footnote, Charter mentioned that in addition to carrying the BTN across its systems in Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Northern Illinois it's also reupping Jim Tressel's snazzy sweatervest collection, teaching Terrelle Pryor the correct name of "the University of Ohio State University" and teaching Ohio State how to defend against the spread offense. Good times all around.

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Filed under: Cable, Sports, New content

Proud Buckeyes (& other fans in Big Ten country) served by Time Warner Cable can expect a new addition to their channel lineup ahead of Saturday's season opener against Youngstown State. On the way is the Big Ten Network's HD feed and video on-demand programming, so you don't have to worry about missing a snap as Ohio State looks forward to it's weak non-conference schedule (aside from USC) and the tantalizing future of yet another BCS Championship defeat at the hands of SEC speed. Cox customers take heart, word is they are also close to an agreement, not surprising now that TWC and Comcast have worked out their differences with BTN. [Disclosure: Engadget is part of the Time Warner family]

[Thanks, Mike & Paul]

Update: Unfortunately not everyone will have the HD & VOD packages in time for the August 30 game, but if you can stomach just one 480i game against punching bag Youngstown State, they're promised to be added "later" (Go Wolverines!). [Thanks Paul!]

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Filed under: Cable, New content

Apparently working out the details on the Big Ten Network squabble was just the beginning, since Comcast and Fox Cable Networks recently worked out a deal to add FX HD and SPEED HD. Already live in Chicago and in Pennsylvania, Multichannel News says the rollout should pick up momentum in the fourth quarter, with both 720p channels sliding onto HD basic tiers, so there shouldn't be much question whether you'll have it or not. It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia, Wreckedand daily motorsports action in high definition will surely find a welcome place in many TV watching schedules.

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Filed under: Cable, Fiber, Internet, Sports, New content

After ESPNews, now it's time for ESPNU to make the jump to 720p, as promised last year, on August 28. So far Time Warner Cable, Verizon FiOS, RCN, Atlantic Broadband and Broadstripe are signed on to distribute the channel, with ESPN "working on" deals with other providers. The debut event is the Vanderbilt vs. Miami (OH) football game at 7:30 p.m., with ESPN's fourth U.S. high definition station expecting to air over 200 HD events in its first year -- Thursday and Saturday live college football games, plus basketball, lacrosse, baseball, softball, volleyball, wrestling and hockey. Coupled with a 15-year agreement to air SEC matchups on its family of networks, there should be plenty of SPEED on tap for ESPNU HD.

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Filed under: Cable, New content

The mom 'n pop carrier strikes again, and this time it's Braintree, Massachusetts' BELD Broadband showing up the big guys. This localized provider has added in a number of NBC Universal properties in high-def just in time for (some of) the Olympics, including Bravo HD (535), CNBC HD+ (533), USA HD (549), Sci-Fi HD (516) and -- for the duration of the Beijing Games -- Olympic Basketball Channel (516) and NBC Olympic Soccer Channel (535). Additionally, NFL Network HD will be added in "soon," presumably before the nearby Patriots attempt to redeem themselves at home on September 7th against the Chiefs. Not bad for someone you've never heard of.

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Filed under: Cable

Time Warner Cable is keeping the SDV deployments a-rollin', and it sounds as if the next market to get hit is Charlotte, North Carolina. A local chimed in to let us know that he just recently received a letter in the mail from the carrier which informed him that the switch to SDV was coming on September 23rd. As predicted, the letter told him that he's pretty much out of luck being the CableCARD user that he is, and while TWC is supposedly working with TiVo on a tuning adapter, the best it could offer was a "hope" that it would be ready by "the end of the year." Gee, thanks. [Disclosure: Engadget is part of the Time Warner family]

[Thanks, Shawn]

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Filed under: Industry, Regulatory, Cable, Internet

First off, you've got to be kidding us. Okay, now that we've got that out, get a load of this. After the FCC told Comcast earlier this month that its data discrimination tactics weren't kosher, the provider has decided to react by simply slowing all internet traffic on its heaviest users. More specifically, Mitch Bowling, Comcast's senior vice president and general manager of online services, stated in a recent interview that the top internet speeds for "targeted customers will be reduced for periods lasting 10 minutes to 20 minutes, keeping service to other users flowing." Right now, this may not affect you one iota, but what's to happen when your kid spends his summer sucking down content on the VUDU / Hulu / etc.? We can think of quite a few reasons to legitimately use a huge chunk of bandwidth, and having Big Provider keep watch and determine when enough is enough frightens us just a wee bit.

[Via CrunchGear, image courtesy of Kansas]

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Filed under: Cable

New York is next in line after Massachusetts and Chicago, with the New York Times' CityRoom blog reporting it is next in RCN'splan to rid itself bandwidth-wasting of analog cable TV. Starting October 1, basic cable customers will suddenly become digital cable customers, with a few extra channels for their trouble. Of course we're more concerned with the potential of adding more HDTV over the ten already added recently, but first things first. Expect official word to go out in September, with rates expected to stay the same -- at least until next year.

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