AT&T Announces $750 Million Investment to Bring Florida Consumers New Video Services, Choice and Competition

As a direct result of a new state law that encourages statewide video competition, AT&T Inc. has announced plans to invest approximately $750 million during the next several years in fiber network upgrades, further broadband deployment and Internet-based technologies to bring new services, including cutting-edge television, to Florida consumers.

These upgrades are a direct result of House Bill 529 being passed by the Florida Legislature and signed into law in May by Gov. Charlie Crist. "We look forward to bringing Florida consumers not only choice and competition but also advanced video, voice and Internet service technology," said Marshall Criser, president, AT&T Florida. "We especially commend Governor Crist, Representathttp://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gifive Trey Traviesa, state Senator Mike Bennett and all of the members of the Florida Legislature for their
vision."

The Consumer Choice Act of 2007, HB 529, brings a new world of communications and entertainment for consumers. HB 529 will also encourage investment in next-generation broadband network infrastructure and will help bring new technology and jobs to Florida. According to the Internet Innovation Alliance, increased competition in the video market would result in increased investment across the industry and spur new entrants, contractors, equipment- makers, manufacturers and service-providers to
create nearly 7,000 jobs in Florida.

The Consumer Choice Act was vigorously supported by consumer groups, business groups and tens of thousands of citizens throughout the state.

AT&T's infrastructure and investment will include a new world of communications and entertainment through AT&T U-verse(SM) service. AT&T is the only major U.S. provider to offer a 100 percent Internet Protocol (IP)-based television service, and that makes AT&T U-verse TV one of the most robust and feature-rich services available today. The planned network investment in Florida by AT&T companies does not change AT&T's capital expenditure guidance for 2007 and 2008. AT&T is in the process of updating its U-verse deployment plans for the Southeast region and expects to provide an update later this year.

Verizon Introduces FiOS Media Guide

Verizon has announced that it is to offer an interactive media guide for its FiOS customers.

The guide will let users of the service swiftly and efficiently find the content that they wish to peruse. FiOS is Verizon's fiber to the home telecommunications and broadband service. Verizon is the first carrier in the US to offer such a service.

Shawn Strickland, Verizon vice president of video solutions, said: "We've capitalized on our investment in an ultra-fast, highly responsive fiber-optic network to deliver a customer experience that marries the best interactivity of the web with the highest-quality programming experience in the marketplace." The guide merges the television, Internet and other media and makes it simpler for users to customize and enjoy media, added Mr. Strickland.

FiOS customers will not be charged for the new guide, which can be obtained through a network download. The word fios is an ancient Irish term for knowledge, claims Verizon.

For information on other digital products and services visit www.dsldance.com

Corporate Acquisitions Transforming The IPTV Marketplace

Corporate Acquisitions Transforming The IPTV Marketplace

A recent spate of corporate acquisitions is changing the burgeoning Internet protocol television (IPTV) market, recent research has suggested.

The number of independent IPTV providers is rapidly decreasing, which is creating a wide market gap, according to a report from New York-based ABI Research. Recently Swedish communications giant Ericsson acquired the broadband provider Redband Networks and Motorola announced in December that it was to acquire Tut Systems.

ABI Research principal analyst Michael Arden said: "Those first IP video equipment providers were small startups creating cutting-edge technologies that the larger vendors weren't nimble enough to do themselves. "Lately, as IPTV technology becomes more important - not only for telco TV but also for cable and satellite - the big companies need those technologies."

The larger corporations are now acquiring the smaller companies, which were the first on the market, Mr. Arden added. Recently it was found that the US is not among the top ten countries with the most IPTV subscriptions, reports Telephony Online. With 896,000 IPTV subscribers, France tops the list of countries with the most IPTV subscriptions, a new report from the marketing researcher Dittberner has found.

"There's a natural cycle of consolidation in every industry and the IPTV arena is no different", states Mark Weibel, EVP of Marketing for Broadband National, the industries leading comparative shopping website. "I wouldn't be surprised if this same thing doesn't happen in other high growth broadband products and services, VoIP being one of them" For more information on IPTV visit www.broadbandnational.com