Michael's Insight

Bloggers say set-top boxes likely to be around for a while

With the news that Sony has agreed to include the cable industry's Tru2Way platform in new televisions coming to market, some news outlets and blogs predicted the "death of the cable box." Not so fast, say IP Democracy and The Bauminator.

Cynthia Brumfield at IP Democracy lists four reasons why she thinks that cable set-top boxes won't disappear overnight.

Getting ahead of the digital transition deadline

I read an interesting story in Broadcasting and Cable about Las Vegas TV station KVBC's strategy to help their viewers get ahead of the digital transition that will occur in February of next year. To prepare their viewers for the transition, KVBC conducted a test by temporarily "pulling the plug" on their analog signal. From Broadcasting and Cable:

While the transition won't affect viewers who watch KVBC through cable, since the station already provides both analog and high-definition feeds via fiber to local operators, it will disrupt service for over-the-air viewers who don't buy a digital-to-analog converter box or a new digital set.

So during each of the station's seven daily newscasts on May 2, the station stopped feeding its normal programming into its studio-to-transmitter link and instead ran a brief clip of simulated static.

[...]

The simulated blackouts, which included footage of an actual cable being pulled, began with Friday's 5 a.m. newscast. KVBC anchors explained to viewers that those who could still see them after they "pulled the plug" have nothing to worry about come February 2009—those who got only white snow, however, need to act now to make their sets DTV-ready.

The story goes on to detail the result of KVBC's DTV test. I was surprised

Sony Signs Up for Cable's Tru2Way

In a major breakthrough, Sony has agreed to include the cable industry's Tru2Way platform in some of their new digital televisions.

Multichannel News yesterday reported,

The binding memorandum of understanding (MOU) reached by Sony and the six operators addresses how two-way, cable-ready products will be brought to market with interactive services like video-on-demand, digital video recording and interactive programming guides.

The deal also provides new ways for content providers, consumer-electronics manufacturers, information-technology companies and cable operators to cooperate in “evolving the tru2way technology” at CableLabs, the cable industry's research and development arm.

According to NCTA and Sony, key elements of the agreement relate to the deployment of a platform for "write once, run anywhere" applications and to the incorporation of secure digital interfaces that protect consumers' home recording rights along with copyright owners' rights to secure their digital content.

NYTimes Cable Story and a Rash of Bash

Thanks to Saturday's New York Times article on cable rates, there was a rash of cable bashing going on this weekend.  Blogs all over the place, especially from Silicon Valley, piled on.

In one of my first posts, I admitted that I read certain blogs even before I read the New York Times.  I guess one reason for that is because they're all to be taken with an equal amount of skepticism -- not just the blogs but the Times too.

One blogger reacts to my a-la-carte post

Cable Rates

Convention Update: Sports

There were no fireworks at the session on sports programming yesterday.  I showed up prepared to air the laundry between distributors and programmers so I wore a referee's shirt.

But the panel was more committed to discussing ways the two natural opponents

Blogs covering The Cable Show

As the final day of The Cable Show winds down, I wanted to point your attention to a couple of blogs that are covering the events and exhibitors here in New Orleans. EngadgetHD has a great photographic tour of the convention floor's various exhibitors. EngadgetHD also has a series of individual product-based articles about the exhibitors here.

Over at IP Democracy you can read about U.S. Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez's comments on net neutrality (supportive of "reasonable network management") and a panel discussion that was held by three former FCC members acting as proxies for the presidential candidates on the issue of broadband policy.

Convention update: Want television interactivity? Meet tru2way

The CableNet showcase on the exhibition floor here in New Orleans is displaying examples of a plethora of new technologies. It's a good opportunity to see what's coming next in cable television and broadband.

In my post last Friday, I said that I was looking forward to seeing the true2way

Convention Buzz: Strong Results and WiMax

The Cable Show opened on Sunday in New Orleans.  I've been to around 30 of these annual events and the mood of the industry is usually quite clear.  Coming off a string of very strong Q1 results by all reporting companies, the mood is good.  We reported last Thursday record increases in basic, broadband and phone customers.  We had a great quarter, adding over 15,000 basic customers and increasing our revenue by 17% and operating income (the financial guys call it OIBTDA) by 22%. 

So, here in New Orleans, there's a sense of optimism

Getting Ready for the Big Easy

I'm getting ready to attend the Cable Show starting Sunday in New Orleans.  Lot's of technology, programming and software to check out.  I plan to attend some public policy discussions, technical seminars and I get to moderate a session on Sports.  I'm really looking forward to that one! 

I also want to check out the True-2-Way products and see what type of 3rd Party opportunities are beginning to be developed for digital cable's new interactive open platform.  I know the cable industry is preparing to welcome developers to add great new products to the next generation of video service and I want to make sure we're being hospitable.

I hope to have a chance to post some thoughts while I'm there.  Don't blame me though if the crawfish etouffee and dirty rice keep me out late!

Confessions of a Network Manager (Part 1)

Okay, I confess.  It's true.  I'm a network manager.  I manage networks.  Not directly, but I approve policies that authorize our technical people to do just that.  I can't help myself.  There, I said it.

What is network management?

Simply put, network management is a series of rules that network managers put in place to ensure the smooth operation of their networks, thus maximizing customers' experiences.  I'm not sure why, but network management has become a debate. 

Why do we do this?

WOW! Where's our Workforce?

A while back we were given the opportunity to hire a number of experienced customer service representatives who were looking for new positions.  Why?  Because their jobs were eliminated when their employer and our competitor -- WOW -- closed one of their local call centers.

Cable a Monopoly? Don't Make Me Laugh!

This is a story about a few dozen people who wake up in the morning and get ready to go to work, just like everyone else.  Specifically,these folks are responsible for the products and services that their company provides to its customers.  They work for Insight Communications.

Before they get to their desks, they've already checked out what's going on in their world.  How much of an installation discount is Dish offering?  Is DSL increasing their maximum speeds?  What kind of response is AT&T having to our unlimited long distance, feature-rich phone service?

Cable A-La-Carte - A Great Idea, or Is It?

I know it sounds like a great idea to offer all the cable networks individually and to allow consumers to pick and choose the ones they want. 

But is it really? 

I have no doubt that consumers will suffer if cable operators, by law, had to offer their channels a-la-carte.  It sounds good at first but, when consumers face the reality of their new choices, they will discover that they are facing the prospect of having to choose far fewer channels than they have today or pay much, much more for them.

Why? 

Customer Service 101

Yikes.  That was a spirited reaction to Karl's report about my blog over on Broadband Reports yesterday.  Some cynics over there questioned my motivation for reading blogs and responding to customers.  I actually intended to write about customer service anyway, so I guess this is as good a time as any. Here's one quote from the reactors. 

...Mr. Willner takes some time to scan through this and other sites, but don't for a second think it's all about customer service. It's about keeping PR fires under control.

I understand the comment but actually disagree with it.  I scan the blogs to deal with individual issues but we apply what we learn from those issues to fundamental changes in the way we do business and in the services we offer.  I have a very different motivation than "putting out PR fires." 

Human Contact Doesn't Cost Extra at Insight

According to recent articles on Broadband Reports and MSNBC, AT&T is planning to charge customers $5 to talk to a live billing representative, even if you're the victim of identity theft. Broadband Reports says: 

We mentioned in March that AT&T is prepped to start charging $5 in May if you want to talk to a live billing rep over the phone. MSNBC discovers the practice after an id theft victim (forced to close her checking account) was charged $2 for trying to pay AT&T in cash:

Payne objected to the "administrative charge" that was added to her bill but got no sympathy. Instead, she said, she was told she should consider herself lucky because the fee was about to go up to $5.

"We want our associates to spend their time helping customers as they are thinking about their wireless plans or looking at phones," AT&T spokesman Mark Siegel says.

You gotta be kidding me. Apparently, AT&T doesn't want

And the Blogs, They Are a Changin' (The World!)

Two years ago, we had to migrate our broadband service in a very short time.  We ran into some real service issues when we were forced to rush the process.  Customers were temporarily experiencing access, speed and email problems.

We decided to confront the problem head-on.  Of course, all of our dedicated people who had any technical expertise worked day and night to fix the problems.  But we also did other things.  We taped some 30-second spots explaining the problems, telling customers what we were doing about it and, of course, apologizing.  We recorded outbound telephone messages and sent emails and letters.  We also increased our inbound call handling capacity as quickly as we could.

And we went on the blogs. 

Download movies the same day you can purchase the DVD at the store

For those of you who are iTunes users, I saw an interesting story last week on the blogs about a deal Apple has struck with most of the major movie studios to release their movies on iTunes the same day they are available as DVDs at retailers. Broadband Reports wrote:

Apple this morning dropped the news that customers will now be able to purchase films from iTunes the same day they hit DVD shelves, eliminating the typical 30-45 day delay between DVD launch and digital availability. It appears that a lot of major studios are on board as well, including 20th Century Fox, The Walt Disney Studios, Warner Brothers, Paramount Pictures, Universal, Sony, Lionsgate, Image Entertainment and First Look Studios.

Apple's iTunes online downloads have supplanted CD sales, with Apple recently overtaking Wal-Mart as he largest retailer of music in the U.S.

Cable providers invest in wireless broadband network

The New York Times reports this morning that a consortium of Sprint Nextel, Google, Intel, Comcast, Time Warner, Bright House and Clearwire are set to announce today a $12 billion deal to build the nation's first wireless 4G network. The proposed wireless network speeds would be comparable to current home broadband speeds.

Get ready America - digital television is coming

Get ready!  The mandatory conversion from analog to digital broadcasting in the United States is only nine months away.  It may sound like a long time from now, but it really isn't. 

Many older, standard TV's do not have digital tuners in them and they won't automatically work after February 17, 2009.  But there are things you can do to avoid replacing every TV in the house.

House of Representatives hearing on net neutrality

The U.S. House of Representatives' Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet is holding a hearing today on a bill that would regulate certain aspects of net neutrality.

I believe deeply in the principle of free access to all legal Internet destinations. What I want to make sure of is that we don't confuse net neutrality with

Why the #*@# Am I Doing This?

It's conventional wisdom.  When it comes to communicating with the public, most companies take the safest path.  They usually play their cards pretty close to their chest.  I'm joining the blogsosphere to challenge that "wisdom."

So, I have created this blog and will use a part of my day to write about what is going on in the world of cable.  I hope to discuss the things that we at Insight Communications and others in the cable industry deal with in bringing you your cable, Internet and phone services.