Martin Opens New Comcast Net Data Probe [Multichannel News]
It was an extraordinary act of lame-duck abuse. Even after outgoing FCC Chairman Kevin Martin had packed up his office and turned off the lights, he couldn't restrain himself from taking one last swipe at the cable industry and Comcast in particular. Last Friday was the Federal government's last business day until tomorrow because of Martin
Luther King Day and the inauguration of President-elect Obama. But, according to Multichannel News, Martin had staff working over the weekend to open (or reopen) a probe of Comcast's practices of network management.
We request that Comcast explain why it omitted from its filings with
the [FCC] the distinct effects that Comcast's new network management
technique has on Comcast's VoIP offering versus those of its
competitors," the FCC said in a Jan. 18 letter signed by two
hand-picked Martin aides, General Counsel Matthew Berry and Wireline
Competition Bureau chief Dana Shaffer.
Under more normal circumstances, the agency would have been focused on exclusively managing their short-term challenges since the election. This move spotlights another obsessive attempt to impact long-term policy well after a new administration takes over.
I am confident that the incoming administration and the FCC will, starting tomorrow, begin to focus on the most critical issue facing telecommunications in the first quarter of 2009 -- the digital transition. Whether or not the February 17th date is delayed, the FCC has a critical role in ensuring a smooth transition. As I previously reported, it took the Obama transition team about one nanosecond to figure out that there was no infrastructure in place to handle millions of calls that surely will be made when the analog channels go off.
Working together, cable operators and broadcasters have offered a solution to be prepared to receive the calls. Let's hope that's the beginning of a new spirit of cooperation between industries and government.
Ops Seek Rights to 'Place-Shift' [Multichannel News]
The three largest cable operators are looking to develop place-shifting technology to compliment the time-shifting capability of current DVR technology. The cable operators' planned place-shifting would work much like the Slingmedia Slingbox, allowing television viewers to watch their channels from any broadband connection. At this point in the product's development, the cable operators are seeking permission from programmers to stream their content online.
DVRs have completely changed the way people use their television. It won't be long before cable customers will be able to watch their favorite channels on any broadband connected computer or mobile device.
64% Of P2P Pirates Would Quit With ISP Warning [Broadband Reports]
According to a recent study, a large majority of those trading in illegally copied material over peer-to-peer networks say they would stop once warned that the activity they're engaging in is illegal. The study was conducted by The Leading Question, and included 1,300 US, British and French broadband users. Legislation is currently pending in France and Britain that would allow ISPs to warn illegal P2P downloaders. If P2P'ers received three warnings, their broadband service could be terminated by their ISP.
YouTube Rolling Out (Obama) Downloads [NewTeeVee]
YouTube is no longer the web's most popular streaming video service, as the site is announcing downloadable versions of its videos. For now, the downloadable videos are limited to those on President Obama's Change dot gov channel. The download is accessible via a link below each YouTube video. According to this article, Google anticipates rolling out this feature for other YouTube videos in the future. In the meantime, President Obama's open government pledge is just a download away.
Engadget's Netflix HD streaming shootout [Engadget]
Engadget profiles every device on the market that has Netflix streaming capability, rating the strong points and the shortfalls of each devices. The Roku set-top, TiVo HD, Xbox 360, and Bluray players from Samsung and LG were all tested and evaluated by Engadget. The Samsung Bluray player comes out on top, while the Roku box gets points for being a good value. Apparently the HD streaming on the Xbox 360 was sketchy during the test. And although the picture on the devices got good marks, none of the devices are capable of streaming surround sound - a big let down for audiophiles.
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