Algerie Telecom & Netgem launches IPTV service in Algerie
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Safir, an IPTV service in Algerie has been launched by Algerie Telecom along with French IPTV set-top box maker Netgem. FTTH fibre-optic network has been rolled out for Safir and Algeria Telecom broadband customers a mix of advanced digital TV services and a choice of 60 IP-delivered TV channels will be offered under the service.
NetgemTV software is used to create and Netgem’s set-top box is used to deliver the service. Safir was implemented in close cooperation with the integration partner Spec-Com Algerie.
Google to roll out FTTH networks in US
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Ultra high-speed broadband networks is planned to be built and tested by Google in a small number of trial locations across the US. The speed delivered by the network will be 100 times faster than what most Americans have access to today, with 1 Gbps fibre-to-the-home connections.
The service will be offered at a competitive price to at least 50,000 and potentially up to 500,000 people, with a focus on the next generation apps. An open access network has also been offered by Google giving users the choice of multiple service providers.
Google has announced to manage the network in an open, non-discriminatory and transparent way. Google will announce its target communities later this year.
Canadian cellco Bell Aliant posts EBITDA rise
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: 2.2% drop in the total revenues has been reported by Canadian regional full-service telco Bell Aliant as its full-year results for 2009. As a result of declines in local and long-distance telephony turnover, the total revenue went down CAD3.246 billion in 2008 to CAD3.174 billion (USD2.999 billion), this year.
However, 1.1% rise in the EBITDA has been recorded which increased from CAD1.450 billion in 2008 to CAD1.466 billion the following year. The results reflect ‘streamlined’ investment programme and the completion of the backhaul project to support sister company Bell Mobility which began in the fourth quarter of 2008.
According to Karen Sheriff, President and CEO of Bell Aliant, in 2010 Bell will more than double its 2009 spending on fibre technology to pass 140,000 homes with FTTH by the end of this year.
Fibre proposals submitted by Telecom NZ
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: A response to the invitation from the government to participate in providing ultra-fast broadband will be submitted by Telecom New Zealand. As per the response, a fully compliant preferred commercial model proposal, and an alternative commercial model proposal will be provided by the Telecom.
The focus of the alternative proposal is on delivering a national network using Telecom’s fibre-to-the-node (FTTN) programme as a springboard for the government’s vision of fibre-to-the-home (FTTH).
The company is also open to discussing other alternative proposals in addition to the above two.
50 Mbps FTTH commercial pilot launched by Orange Spain
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: FTTH commercial trial has been launched by Orange Spain, as a result of which, users would be able to access broadband speeds of up to 50 Mbps both for download as well as for upload. Users living in the Retiro area of Madrid are the main targets of this pilot project.
50 Mbps FTTH service has been offered by Orange as a part of a package including a flat-rate voice tariff and digital TV services, available for a starting price of EUR 44.95 per month.
100,000 additional homes covered by Slovak Telekom’s FTTH
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: More than 315,000 households are covered by the fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) network of Slovakian incumbent PSTN operator Slovak Telekom, highlighting an increase of 100,000 in twelve months.
Services such as ‘Magio TV’ IPTV channels and internet access at speeds of up to 80Mbp is delivered and 19 cities including Banska Bystrica, Kosice and the capital, Bratislava is reached by the network.
The company is also planning to roll out FTTH to additional areas in these cities, as well as to other towns, during this year.
Etisalat offers free internet upgrades to its Al Shamil subscribers (UAE)
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Etisalat’s Al Shamil subscribers can enjoy high internet speeds at no additional cost. The subscribers can avail this offer starting from September 2 to November 30. For upgrading the highest speeds of 8 Mbps and 16 Mbps, the subscribers will require FTTH (fibre to the home) connectivity. As soon as the period is over, the subscribers can continue with the higher speed packages, (chargeable from the third month onwards), selectively upgrade their speeds from the various available packages or revert to their existing package, depending on their upgrade experience and requirements.
Internet today has become more of an Interactive medium of communication, than just a means to stay connected,†said Khalifa Al Shamsi, Chief Marketing officer, Etisalat.
Today customers use Internet not just for traditional applications like email and browsing the Internet, they also like to use this medium for the uploading photographs, music and movie downloads, networking on community centric portals like Facebook and YouTube, for which they require seamless connectivity and higher speeds. Etisalat, with this offer, is enabling its customers to experience and enjoy the higher Internet speed,â€he added.
