Telecompetitor

Several blogs including EngadgetHD and UverseUsers.com are reporting on AT&T launching two streams of HD for U-verse subscribers in the St. Louis market. These U-verse customers can receive 2 HD and 2 SD streams, for a total of four streams. Most people who follow DSL powered IPTV recognize that HD is a challenge because of its bandwidth intensity. Most of ...

Verizon announced the expansion of high definition VOD service to eight additional states. With the expansion, Verizon’s HD VOD service is now available in California, Delaware, Florida, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas and Virginia. Verizon says they will average about 1,000 HD VOD titles per month. Verizon joins other "terrestial" video operators trying to leverage HD VOD against the perceived HD advantage for linear ...

RCN, a Herndon, Virginia based triple play provider, announced a dramatic increase in its video on demand portfolio, “almost doubling” its content library. RCN is also upgrading its VOD technology platform to allow new VOD choices, including HD VOD, an intuitive on-demand portal and “virtual on-demand.” The upgraded platform will be available to RCN’s digital customers in Boston, Chicago, New York, Penn. and ...

Both DirecTV and DISH ran into major HD setbacks this week. A new satellite that DISH planned to use for HD channels encountered a problem after its launch and its future is uncertain. The SES AMERICOM AMC 14 satellite was unable to get into its proper orbit after launch. DISH was planning on leasing the satellite for HD capacity, specifically for local HD ...

Comcast announced that they will begin offering certain HD video on demand titles the same day those titles are released on DVD. Comcast joins other operators, including DirecTV, which are experimenting with same day VOD (or PPV in DirecTV’s case) releases. These developments are shrinking typical release “windows,” which normally have a 30 to 45 day delay between DVD and VOD/PPV releases. Hollywood studios and ...

Charter is the latest video service provider to join the announcement parade for HD channel growth. Charter says they are aiming to offer at least 40 HD channels by year end 2008, doubling their current HD capacity. Charter is also joining some of its cable MSO brethren by utilizing switched digital video technology to achieve their 40 channel HD goal. But will 40 HD channels ...