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  • Cisco increases its reach to 100 million digital TV homes in Asia Pacific

    Cisco increases its reach to 100 million digital TV homes in Asia Pacific

    MUMBAI:  In the rapidly-growing digital television industry in Asia Pacific, Cisco, a provider of conditional access (CA) and digital rights management (DRM) solutions, has secured content that is delivered to more than 100 million digital homes in the region.

    Using an industry-estimated average of 3.3 people per household, Cisco’s VideoGuard conditional access and digital rights management technology now provides the critical protection of premium content to over 340 million viewers.

    Cisco has also developed a research and development (R&D) center in Bengaluru that is dedicated to the development of video technology. According to the MPA report of May 2013, the company currently enjoys the largest market share of the estimated 257 million digital TV homes in Asia Pacific.

    Service Provider Video Software Solutions vice president sales, Asia Pacific Sue Taylor said, “Achieving the milestone of over 100 million digital homes in this region is a testament to our commitment to Asia Pacific over the past 20 years, and our partnerships with some of the most successful cable TV and DTH satellite platforms in the region. This industry in Asia Pacific is one of the fastest growing and most dynamic in the world. We look forward to serving million more households that can benefit from Cisco’s enhanced TV-viewing experiences, as the demand for advanced services and applications surges.”

    BOX

      Cisco® VideoGuard conditional access and digital rights management solutions make Cisco the leading CA provider in Asia Pacific with a market share of 31 per cent (Source: Screen Digest Report 2013 and Cisco’s internal subscriber data).
     

      Cisco is a trusted pay-TV technology partner for over 150 Pay-TV operators as well as media and entertainment companies worldwide, including leading Direct-to-home (DTH) and cable operator customers in Asia Pacific like Airtel Digital TV, Astro, Foxtel, Hathway, Oriental Cable Network, Sichuan Cable TV, Tata Sky and DEN Networks.

    Cisco recently announced the key milestone of over 30 million digital TV homes in India with an estimated 150 million viewers.

  • Cisco increases its reach to 100 million digital TV homes in Asia Pacific

    Cisco increases its reach to 100 million digital TV homes in Asia Pacific

    MUMBAI:  In the rapidly-growing digital television industry in Asia Pacific, Cisco, a provider of conditional access (CA) and digital rights management (DRM) solutions, has secured content that is delivered to more than 100 million digital homes in the region.

     Using an industry-estimated average of 3.3 people per household, Cisco’s VideoGuard conditional access and digital rights management technology now provides the critical protection of premium content to over 340 million viewers.
    Cisco has also developed a research and development (R&D) center in Bengaluru that is dedicated to the development of video technology. According to the MPA report of May 2013, the company currently enjoys the largest market share of the estimated 257 million digital TV homes in Asia Pacific.

    Service Provider Video Software Solutions vice president sales, Asia Pacific Sue Taylor said, “Achieving the milestone of over 100 million digital homes in this region is a testament to our commitment to Asia Pacific over the past 20 years, and our partnerships with some of the most successful cable TV and DTH satellite platforms in the region. This industry in Asia Pacific is one of the fastest growing and most dynamic in the world. We look forward to serving million more households that can benefit from Cisco’s enhanced TV-viewing experiences, as the demand for advanced services and applications surges.”

    BOX

    • Cisco® VideoGuard conditional access and digital rights management solutions make Cisco the leading CA provider in Asia Pacific with a market share of 31 per cent (Source: Screen Digest Report 2013 and Cisco’s internal subscriber data).
    • Cisco is a trusted pay-TV technology partner for over 150 Pay-TV operators as well as media and entertainment companies worldwide, including leading Direct-to-home (DTH) and cable operator customers in Asia Pacific like Airtel Digital TV, Astro, Foxtel, Hathway, Oriental Cable Network, Sichuan Cable TV, Tata Sky and DEN Networks.

    Cisco recently announced the key milestone of over 30 million digital TV homes in India with an estimated 150 million viewers.

  • Video’s the way forward for Cisco

    Video’s the way forward for Cisco

     

    MUMBAI: With the ever increasing demand for video services, Cisco is among a clutch of companies that views video as the next big thing.

    Cisco TV coupled with Cisco STBs, caters to over 300 million homes globally and over 30 million households in India. The Cisco Videoscape Unity platform fulfils the demand for video on multiple screens, empowering service providers and media companies to create and connect new synchronised, personalised and intuitive multi-screen experiences at great speeds.
    Video is the next big thing for us: we see the way video will be personalised, consumed and delivered to be very dynamic believes Arora

    Says Cisco India & SAARC service provider – regional sales manager Sandeep Arora: “For Cisco, network is the platform for business enablement. Video is the next big thing for us: we see the way video will be personalised, consumed and delivered to be very dynamic.”

    “There are multiple ways by which we are driving digitisation in India and helping our partners in what we call as a glass to glass strategy, so if you see our technology platforms, we serve from the IRDs – which is a picture coming from the lens of the camera to the glass of the TV screen,” adds Arora.

    Cisco Videoscape Unity brings expertise in building comprehensive carrier-class cloud products and a flair for designing award-winning user experiences that implement each provider’s unique brand and vision. Cisco then engineers this vision into a coherent and deployable multi-screen product.

    “So while we are enabling technology platforms, we are also enabling business platforms, and since it’s a very capex (capital expenditure) driven industry, we are also using our financial arm – Cisco Capital – to drive that high capex worth of business going forward. So in the end, we are just focusing on providing the right value for the end consumer by using the Cisco technology and to be a part of the immersive experience,” says Arora.

    Six to seven years ago, Cisco acquired Scientific Atlanta – its largest acquisition till date – and over the years, it has been acquiring multiple companies to enhance its network capabilities and platform technologies. “So be it content aggregation, content creation or content distribution, all of this need to come together and we need to drive this experience,” says Arora.
    About digitisation, Arora says there have been many anxious moments during phase I and phase II. “There is a technical digitisation that has happened – with the seeding of STBs in homes – but the business digitisation is still evolving – where the revenue is pumped in – and what we are looking at is it kicking in and that’s where the business model starts functioning,” he explains.

    A behavioural change is also taking place, according to him, which is necessary for the success of both technical and business digitisation. “So with phase III and IV of digitisation approaching soon, we are moving to the bottom of the pyramid, and each phase will have its unique set of requirements and challenges, the fragmentation will also increase as digitisation penetrates further. The audience being addressed is very different, so we need to keep thinking how to redefine ourselves as we move forward,” he points out.
    While others may aspire to offer either quick and powerful cloud-based services or customer-specific experiences, Cisco Videoscape Unity is unique in that it offers both.

  • Hathway Broadband launches Docsis 3.0 Ultra High speed network

    Hathway Broadband launches Docsis 3.0 Ultra High speed network

    MUMBAI: Hathway Cable and Datacom, the largest cable broadband company in India, has launched the Docsis 3.0 ultra High speed network. Docsis 3.0 is a widely deployed technology and is the dominant technology powering leading Broadband markets like USA, Korea and Europe. Docsis 3.0 is capable of delivering speeds upto 1 Gigabit.

    We are the first Company to launch a Docsis 3.0 network in the country,” said Hathway Cable & Datacom MD & CEO Jagdish Kumar. “With our Docsis 3.0 network supplied by Cisco we are ready to deliver Ultra High Speed Broadband upto 50 Mbps to every retail customer in South Mumbai. We see Broadband as a key part of our business portfolio and we will soon be launching the Docsis 3.0 networks in other parts of the country. We are enabling our network for delivering a superior HD video experience on our Cable TV as well as on Broadband.”

    Hathway Broadband business head Kunal Ramteke added, “True High speed retail Broadband delivered on Docsis 3.0 will be a game changer in the market. In today’s video led internet consumption these speeds are absolutely vital for a superior consumer experience. The south Mumbai customers will be able to enjoy YouTube in HD and lightning fast responses in internet gaming. TV is also being consumed across multiple screens. With our new Docsis 3.0 plans starting at Rs 599 you will not break the bank to start enjoying these benefits.”

    Cisco service provider software solutions VP – sales Sue Taylor said, “Cisco is excited to be playing a crucial role in shaping this industry and leading it to a transformative stage with technology. Hathway has been a pioneer in its willingness to adopt technology that benefits its subscribers and we congratulate them on this important milestone.”

    To cater to this demanding high speed segment, Hathway will also be launching a dedicated Service Desk exclusively for the Docsis 3.0 customers. These desks will have fully trained staff to handle any service requirements pertaining to High speed internet access through multiple devices. Hathway is also geared to deliver 99.9 per cent network availability and service issue resolution within 24 hours recognising the criticality of a high speed connection in the connected world of today.

    Hathway Docsis 3.0 plans start from monthly Rs 599 and go upto Rs 1499 for the 50 Mbps plan which offers 50 GB of download data.
    The network is initially being deployed in south Mumbai and has been extensively tested. All existing and new customers of Hathway Broadband in south Mumbai can upgrade to the Docsis 3.0 plans. The customers will be provided a Docsis 3.0 Modem by Hathway which will be capable of supporting the Ultra High Speed Plans.

  • Cisco providing pay TV to 150 million viewers in India

    Cisco providing pay TV to 150 million viewers in India

    NEW DELHI: Cisco today claimed it was now enabling a rich and advanced TV experience for over 150 million viewers in India, using the industry estimated average of five people per household.

    Thus, it said it had established itself as the leading provider of enhanced TV viewing experiences to more than 30 million Indian homes, a milestone that reinforces the company’s leadership in the digital pay-TV solution market in India.

    Cisco service and solution platforms are in the prime position to address the changing needs of pay-TV operators now and into the future, with more than 10,000 R&D experts in Bangalore. It claimed that the company currently enjoys a leading market share in conditional access and middleware. (Source: MPA Media Route, 26 February 2013).

    Cisco claimed it is a trusted pay-TV technology partner for more than 100 operators worldwide, with leading direct to home (DTH) and cable operator customers in India including ADN, Airtel Digital TV, Asianet, Atria, CCN, Darsh Digital, DEN Networks, Fastway, GTPL, Hathway, JAK Communications and Tata Sky, to name a few.

    Cisco is fully committed to supporting the cable TV industry to meet the government mandate to roll out digital addressable systems in a phased manner by 31 December 2014.

    India is the leading DTH satellite market in Asia Pacific with the most subscriber homes and is second only to the US DTH satellite market, which it is expected to overtake in the next few years.

    Cisco is committed to delivering a host of world-leading, affordable and innovative solutions and services to help its satellite and cable customers to differentiate their services in their markets in India, which has an estimated 135 million pay-TV homes.

    Cisco India and SAARC senior VP sales Jeff White: “The Indian pay-TV industry is one of the fastest growing and most dynamic in the world. India now accounts for nearly a third of Cisco‘s subscriber homes in the Asia Pacific region. We are excited about our leadership in the industry, deep commitment to our customers and sharp focus on innovation in India.”

    Cisco service provider video technology group senior VP & GM Jesper Andersen said: “Achieving the milestone of over 30 million digital homes in India is a testament to our commitment to India over the last 18 years and our partnerships with some of the most successful cable TV and DTH satellite platforms in the country. The Indian pay-TV industry is one of the fastest-growing and most dynamic in the world. We confidently expect tens of millions more households to benefit from Cisco’s enhanced TV-viewing experiences, as the demand for advanced services and applications surges.”

  • Cisco’s Videoscape Unity demonstrated modular, open video networks for cable at The Cable Show 2013

    Cisco’s Videoscape Unity demonstrated modular, open video networks for cable at The Cable Show 2013

    MUMBAI: At the recently concluded The Cable Show in Washington D.C. Cisco showcased advancements in its Videoscape Unity IP video platform. Visitors saw how Cisco is engineering openness and modularity into Videoscape Unity by extending Cisco Open Networking Environment (One) to video, how Videoscape Unity is embracing open software, and how Cisco is integrating third-party vendors with Videoscape Unity to deliver transformational and ‘monetisable‘ video experiences for cable operators. Cisco also demonstrated how it is delivering scalable, deployable cloud DVR solutions.

    Videoscape Unity focusses on an interface that brings together video, social networking and other information, using multiple screens for personalised, synchronised, and more social experiences.

  • Tivo gets $490 mn from settlement of patent litigation

    Tivo gets $490 mn from settlement of patent litigation

    MUMBAI: Tivo which develops digital video recorders in the US has settled its pending patent litigation with Motorola (now owned by Google and Arris), Cisco and Time Warner Cable. This way the parties have avoided going to trial.

    Tivo has agreed to enter into certain patent licensing arrangements with Arris, Cisco, and Google. As part of the settlement, Google and Cisco will pay Tivo an upfront lump-sum payment of $490 million, bringing the total from awards and settlements related to the use of certain Tivo intellectual property to roughly $1.6 billion.

    In February 2011, Motorola had accused Tivo of infringing on its patents for digital video recorders. Tivo then filed a counter-suit in March 2012.

    Tivo CEO and president Tom Rogers said, “We are pleased to reach an agreement that brings our pending litigation to an end and further underscores the significant value our distribution partners derive from TiVo‘s technological innovations and our shareholders derive from our investments in protecting TiVo‘s intellectual property.”

    “Further, this settlement significantly enhances our already strong balance sheet, bringing our cash position to over $1 billion before inclusion of future expected payments of at least $400 million from prior settlements. We intend to use our significant capital resources to drive shareholder value, including more aggressively returning capital to shareholders under our newly increased share repurchase authorisation and we will be increasing the size of our 10B5-1 trading plan as soon as permissible,” he added.

    “Importantly, we just recently closed one of our best quarters ever in terms of subscription growth, driven by a number of our existing operator deals in the US and abroad that are now fully up and running. As a result, we delivered our highest gross margin ever and solid MSO revenue growth of 98 per cent year-over-year, and we expect this MSO revenue growth will continue as we roll out additional deployments. So, as we look out beyond today‘s important settlement we believe our core operating business will continue to drive growth to both the top and bottom line.”

    As part of the settlement, TiVo and Motorola, Cisco, and Time Warner Cable agreed to dismiss all pending litigation between the companies. Tivo will recognise a portion of the payment as past damages during the second quarter and the remainder over time. The company intends to provide additional details regarding the timing of revenue recognition in its second quarter fiscal year 2014 earnings report. Further, as a result of this settlement, TiVo expects net income and Adjusted EBITDA to benefit from lower litigation spend in the remainder of its fiscal year ending 31 January 2014 and beyond.

  • Digitisation: Cisco ships 1.3 mn STBs to India in Q4

    Digitisation: Cisco ships 1.3 mn STBs to India in Q4

    MUMBAI: Cisco, which acquired NDS, has won a significant standard definition (SD) set-top box business in India for the quarter ending January, benefitting from India‘s move towards mandatory digitisation.

    Cisco shipped 1.3 million boxes in the fourth quarter compared with 850,000 in the trailing three-month period, with a large portion of the increase coming from India.

    Cisco CEO John Chambers remarked that the company has “been more selective in the business we are taking in terms of set-top boxes and the lowest margin set-top box business in particular.”

    “Cisco has been able to retain attractive margins delivering set-top boxes in India because the engagements are based on end-to-end services. These engagements include Cisco headend equipment (notably, cable modem terminations or CMTS), middle ware, and conditional access systems in addition to the set-top boxes,” comments Sam Rosen, practice director at ABI Research.

    ABI Research‘s Set-Top Box Database has provided further details.

    Chinese set-top box manufacturers ChangHong and Jiuzhou surged in unit shipments in the third quarter of 2012 and together grew 66 per cent sequentially to nearly 5 million units from 3 million in the prior quarter. The tracked market grew approximately 10 per cent worldwide.

    ChangHong serves primarily the Asian markets, while Jiuzhou has more of a mix of domestic and international business.

    “Asian market strength within the set-top box sector is no surprise. North American and Western European markets are largely flat as Asian markets grow and African markets are expected to open up in the next few years,” continues Rosen.

    “Western manufacturers are using end-to-end strategies, as shown by Cisco, while Asian manufacturers are operating at lower margins and aiming to compete on price within low-ARPU Asian markets.”

  • NDS to deploy its advanced solutions for SCTV in China

    NDS to deploy its advanced solutions for SCTV in China

    MUMBAI: NDS, a subsidiary of Cisco, has collaborated with one of China‘s largest cable operator Sichuan Cable TV Network (SCTV) to deploy advanced functionality that will provide an enriched subscriber experience with greater flexibility for over 15 million subscribers.

    SCTV will employ a number of solutions from NDS, including NDS MediaHighway set-top box middleware, XTV DVR technology, an electronic programme guide (EPG) and NDS Dynamic advanced EPG advertising. VideoGuard, the world‘s leading conditional access (CA) technology, secures SCTV‘s service to ensure revenues and provide anti-roaming protection between regional operations.

    According to NDS, the deployment, which addresses 131 branches and 15 million subscribers, is one of the largest feature upgrades of its kind in China and will enable access to HD services across the entire province.

    SCTV GM Guo Jianxin said, "We have been working with NDS for over a decade and are delighted with what we have achieved together – an advanced platform that truly utilises our network to get the best for the subscriber. NDS has shown strong technology and support capabilities in enabling such an exceptional user experience." He added "We look forward to NDS‘ continued support as we evolve our service."

    NDS Asia Pacific VP and GM Sales said, "SCTV are taking great steps to provide their subscribers with the best possible experience across their entire network – a substantial task, and one that we are extremely proud to be working with them on in such close collaboration. With underpinning technologies from NDS, SCTV have the foundations to enable continued innovation and enhancement of their service and we are excited to support them in their next endeavour."

  • WPP Digital to acquire Rockfish Interactive

    WPP Digital to acquire Rockfish Interactive

    MUMBAI: WPP Digital, the digital arm of WPP, is acquiring Rockfish Interactive, one of the fastest growing digital marketing agencies in the United States.

    “Rockfish is a fantastic addition to the WPP Digital family,”WPP Digital CEO Mark Read said. “Kenny Tomlin (Rockfish CEO) and his team have built a smart company that understands how technology is changing communications and business. Its work demonstrates how it can apply this to drive innovation for clients. We‘re delighted that under Kenny‘s leadership we will be continuing to develop the Rockfish brand and helping the team to maintain the rapid growth they have shown since they started in 2006.”

    This acquisition continues WPP‘s strategy of investing in fast growing sectors and markets and further strengthens its capabilities in the digital marketing sector. The transaction, however, is subject to regulatory nod and the approval of Rockfish‘s shareholders.

    Rogers, Arkansas (AR) -headquartered Rockfish has offices in Little Rock, AR, Dallas and Cincinnati and boasts a client list that includes marketers like Walmart, Sam‘s Club, Cisco, Procter & Gamble, United Health, EA Sports and Tyson Foods.

    Tomlin added, “The rapid growth of Rockfish into one of the world‘s foremost digital innovation companies most appropriately aligns with WPP and their vision for our continued success. We believe that our best days are still in front of us and consider this an important next step in the evolution of Rockfish.”

    Rockfish was founded in 2006 and employs 150 people. It provides clients with strategic consulting, technology, mobile, design and digital marketing services. It was named “Small Agency of the Year”by Advertising Age magazine in 2009 and was third on their “Agency A-List” in 2010. 

    OMMA magazine, a publication devoted to coverage of online media and marketing, recognised Rockfish as its “Best Web Design and Development”agency of the year in 2010.