The number of subscribers worldwide to telco/IPTV services will approach 40 million by year-end 2009, according to international research firm Parks Associates. The strong growth is due partly to aggressive provider deployments according to the firm, the most successful rollouts will incorporate multiple services, such as home networking, convergence in entertainment and communications features, and […]

From Branislav Pekic in Rome Vodafone has launched an IPTV service in Portugal with more than 100 TV channels, of which eight are HD, which will be available free of charge until December for existing ADSL clients. From September, the service will be extended to the entire market. The monthly subscription to the triple-play package […]

According to The Diffusion Group, demand for Over-the-Top (OTT) broadband video services is comprised of distinct consumer segments driven by very different needs. “While Over-the-Top video delivery is widely discussed, it remains poorly understood,” notes Michael Greeson, author of TDG’s latest report. “The dominant understanding of OTT is based on a conceptual error, a category […]

IP Vision's FetchTV, the first Freeview+ IPTV service to offer its users access to video-on-demand (VOD) and catch up content direct to their TV screen with tied-in subscription model, has its first retail deal with John Lewis. The SmartBox provides free access to a growing range of web video services. Users are able to watch […]

A U.S. judge dismissed some damages claims in a copyright infringement lawsuit against Google and YouTube.com but left open the possibility that non-U.S. based rights owners could seek damages for live broadcasts, if they prevail. A group of sports and music copyright holders, led by the UK Premier League, had argued that foreign works were […]

Macrovision Solutions Corporation announced the official change of its name to Rovi Corporation, and unveiled its new brand positioning and visual identity. The company will now officially operate under the banner of Rovi Corporation, and its common stock will trade under the stock symbol ROVI on the NASDAQ Global Select Market. "Over the past two […]

From Colin Mann in Geneva Senior executives from the Kudelski Group have reiterated the company's commitment to OpenTV, despite its failure to take control of convergent media solutions provider. Kudelski has made a non-binding proposal to acquire all of the Class A ordinary shares of OpenTV not currently owned by Kudelski or its affiliates, for […]

Myvideorights.com, the agency trying to distribute TV clips to video websites on TV companies' behalf, is hiring video index Blinkx's sales director Ian Samuel as its own UK sales director, as it starts to sell video advertising in to the clips. The company distributes clips for clients like Hat Trick, ESPN and All3Media to sites […]

Macrovision Solutions Corporation has announced that Canal+ Group, a leading pay-TV operator in France, has signed a multi-year licensing agreement for Macrovision's electronic program guide (EPG) patent portfolio. The multi-year agreement allows Canal+ Group to use Macrovision's licensed intellectual property in its EPGs deployed on its various platforms. ….

US telco Verizon has launched the Widget Bazaar applications store as part of its ‘FiOS TV’ service – which includes a Facebook and Twitter widgets, and Internet Video on TV. The company also plans to offer an open development platform to permit developers to write interactive FiOS TV applications that will be available through the […]