How 4G LTE Will Change Home Control

4G LTE could be the biggest thing in home automation since the iPad, ADT and Z-Wave. The evidence was at the Verizon Mobile booth during CES 2011.

There, Verizon demonstrated how its new Home Monitoring and Control system, powered by Motorola's 4Home platform, might utilize a 4G backbone and integrate with 4G-embedded devices such as surveillance systems and home health solutions.

It is that 4G integration that could give Verizon an edge in mass-market home control – a market that is increasingly crowded by the likes of ADT today and Comcast, AT&T and other service providers in the near future.

For the complete article, please click here.

Verizon FiOS Scores First NFL Game on 3D TV

Verizon is kicking off the football season with the production and broadcast of the first National Football League game in 3D on television for the company's FiOS TV customers in parts of New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts and Rhode Island for the Sept. 2 preseason match-up between the New York Giants and the New England Patriots.

Verizon FiOS1 is producing the 3D broadcast, which will be shown on FiOS Channel 834 for FiOS TV subscribers. Similar to previously offered 3D programming from Verizon, customers must have 3D TV sets, 3D glasses and a high-definition set-top box to view the broadcast.

The broadcast marks Verizon's third major 3D initiative this summer. On July 10 and 11, the company broadcast the first Major League Baseball games in 3D, between the New York Yankees and the Seattle Mariners. And on July 15, Verizon announced that it will carry 3D programming on FiOS TV Video on Demand from WealthTV.

For the more information, click here.

Verizon, Google 'Net Neutrality' Debate

Google Inc. and Verizon Communications Inc. called for equal treatment of most Internet traffic while at the same time saying fast-growing cellular networks and yet-to-be-developed broadband services should be exempt from such restrictions.

Google and Verizon released a proposal arguing that broadband providers shouldn't be able to discriminate against Internet content providers.

The ideas outlined in the proposal put forth by the Internet search giant and one of the largest broadband providers stand in contrast to the Federal Communications Commission's recent proposals on "net neutrality" rules, which would prevent companies from giving preferential handling to certain types of online traffic.

The joint endorsement of exempting wireless services from net neutrality is a significant victory for cellular broadband providers such as Verizon, which have said that excessive regulation of those services would stifle their investments.

Cellular Internet access is becoming an increasingly important profit center for telecommunications companies as more consumers adopt mobile Web tools such as smart phones like the iPhone and phones based on Google's Android software.

For more information, click here.

New Content Available from CONNECTIONS 2010 Speakers & Sponsors

The 2010 CONNECTIONS Speakers and Sponsors have shared marketing materials, product information, company media kits, and lots more.

The U.S CONNECTIONS Sponsors include Verizon Wireless, Cisco, Intel, Accenture, ActiveVideo Networks, Allegro, DivX, D-Link, Gigle Networks, Intamac, ProVision Communications, PacketVideo, RedMere, Rovi, Support.com, 4Home, Accedo Broadband, Affinegy, AlertMe, Arxan, IBM, iTOK, LEVEL Studios, PlumChoice, Vuze, Zenverge, and Roxio.

Speakers (that submitted information to share) include Cedric Arnaud-Battandier, VP, Strategy & Corporate Development, Technicolor; Cathy Bradley, Global Lead, Customer Contact Business Process Outsourcing Services, Accenture; Savinay Berry, Vice President, Granite Ventures; William C. Brown, Assoc. VP Technology and GM, Service Provider Business Unit, North America, D-Link; Mike Buckingham, Director of Marketing, SmartLabs, Inc.; Alfredo Choperena, President, SimpleHomeNet; Martin Flusberg, CEO, Powerhouse Dynamics; Todd Hinders, Senior Vice President, ExtendMedia; Scott Hublou, Co-Founder, SVP of Products, EcoFactor; Tony Masterson, COO, CTO and Co-founder, Zenverge; Kevin Meagher, CEO, Intamac Systems; Andy Melder, Vice President Business Development, Gigle Networks; Kevin Morgan, CTO, Arxan Technologies, Inc.; Tom Pollard, Director of Product Management, Verimatrix Inc.; Yaron Raz, Director of Video Solutions Marketing, BigBand Networks; Rick Schwartz, Senior Product Manager, PacketVideo (PV); Loren Shade, VP Marketing, Allegro Software Development Corporation; Melissa Simpler, CEO, Affinegy; Peter Smyth, CEO, RedMere; Steve Tranter, VP Interactive and Broadband, NDS; Edgar Villalpando, SVP, Marketing, ActiveVideo Networks; Dr. Kenneth Wacks, Member, GridWise Architecture Council, U.S. Department of Energy; and Nate Williams, CMO, 4Home.

To view all materials, click here.

CONNECTIONS 2010 Wrap Up

CONNECTIONS™: The Digital Living Conference & Showcase concluded last week following multiple sessions focused on value-added services, new platforms and distribution models, and digital media consumption. Industry leaders affirmed consumer demand for online video and proliferation of connected CE are driving the shift to multiplatform access within the home.

The conference featured keynotes from Sony, Samsung, Verizon, and Intel and research from Parks Associates, including the following insights, as noted in The Viodi View and The Urban Network:

• Annual U.S. revenues for online video from PCs and mobile devices will exceed $1.8 billion by 2014.

• Limited audience reach, the lack of a single-source measurement standard, and lack of format standards are major factors that could impact the growth of online video.

• The total addressable U.S. market for online video is approximately 170.5 million users in 2010 and will grow to 220 million by 2013.

• Consumers are still cautious in their purchasing, and according to Tricia Parks, CEO, Parks Associates, “No company can let its guard down.”

• 3D is here to stay. By 2014, one-third of homes will have a 3DTV, according to data presented by Samsung.

• Energy is moving from a commodity to a service, thanks to the ongoing expansion of the smart grid in the U.S.

• According to Cisco’s Ken Wirt, 91% of all Internet traffic by 2013 will be video bits.
  

In his CONNECTIONS™ keynote “Entertainment in a Connected World,” Mitch Singer, CTO, Sony Pictures Entertainment; President, DECE, discussed current efforts by the DECE to establish a standard for distributed content.

In his keynote “TV Technology in the New Age of Consumer Buying,” Scott Birnbaum, VP, Samsung LCD Business, detailed the evolution of the television and the trends toward thinner, more artistic and eco-friendly set designs.

In his keynote “The Connected Home: Turning SciFi into Non-Fiction,” Joseph Ambeault, Director, Product Development and Management, Video Services, Verizon, discussed the significant potential of the connected home due to the convergence of devices and services.

Wilfred Martis, General Manager, Retail CE, Digital Home Group, Intel, discussed the Era of the Smart TV, plus the need for players to act quickly in this rapidly changing market, in his keynote “Smart TVs: Ready for Primetime,” which also featured Anthony Soohoo, SVP, Entertainment, CBS Interactive.

Archived videos of the keynote addresses are available at www.parksassociates.com/connvideo.

CONNECTIONS focuses on New Media & Digital Content, Entertainment Platforms & Services, Home Controls & Energy Management, and CE

CONNECTIONS™ will feature two pre-show research workshops, “Monetizing the Digital Lifestyle” and “Residential Energy Management: Home Area Networks and the Consumer,” on June 8, prior to the conference. Parks Associates’ research teams will provide insight, analysis, and forecasts, including consumer and industry data, in these interactive workshops.

CONNECTIONS™ keynote sessions will feature executives from Intel, Verizon, Samsung LCD Business, and Sony Pictures Entertainment.

CONNECTIONS™ Conference Sessions:

-- Expanding Consumers’ Digital Media Choices
-- Digital Lifestyles: Outlook – A Parks Associates Analyst Roundtable
-- Opening Session - Monetizing Connected CE
-- TV and Online Video Advertising Metrics: Managing the Data
-- Design Elements for Connected CE
-- Mobile Internet and Cloud Services
-- Energy Management as a Key Application for Home Controls
-- Digital Home Technical Support Services
-- DRM, Conditional Access, and Payment Models
-- 3DTV
-- Home Area Network: Architectures and Implications
-- Service Provider Innovation
-- Residential Energy Management
-- Getting Consumers to Care about Home Controls
-- Business Models for Energy Management
-- The Future of the Set-top Box
-- TV Everywhere and Online Video
-- Innovations & Investments: Venture Capitalist Insights

For more information on CONNECTIONS™, visit www.connectionsus.com .

More than 100 industry executives lend insights at CONNECTIONS Conference

CONNECTIONS speakers will deliver insight and recommendations for new business models and opportunities in digital media/content, connected consumer electronics, broadband and value-added services, and home systems. View full agenda here.

Keynote Speakers
Joseph Ambeault, Director, Product Development and Management, Video Services, Verizon
Scott Birnbaum, Vice President, Samsung LCD Business
Wilfred Martis, General Manager, Retail CE, Digital Home Group, Intel Corporation
Mitch Singer, CTO, Sony Pictures Entertainment; President, DECE

Speakers & Panelists
Cedric Arnaud-Battandier, VP, Strategy & Corporate Development, Technicolor
Seth Bailey, CEO, iTOK
David Barclay, Director Energy Management, OpenPeak
Anthony Bay, CEO, MOD Systems
David Bercovich, Vice President of Business Development, AlertMe
Savinay Berry, Vice President, Granite Ventures
Gilles BianRosa, CEO, Vuze, Inc.
Stephen Blum, President, Tellus Venture Associates
Jeff Bonin, Vice President of Business Development, Alticast
Kris Bowring, Senior Director, Emerging Business, Best Buy
Paul Brody, Global Lead, IBM Electronics Industry Strategy Practice, IBM Global Business Services
William C. Brown, Assoc. VP Technology and GM, Service Provider Business Unit, North America, D-Link
Mike Buckingham, Director of Marketing, SmartLabs, Inc.
Thomas Carpenter, VP Operations and Digital Chief of Staff, Epix
Susan Cashen, Vice President Marketing, Control4
David Chechelashvili, Head of Gaming and Retail, XpanD, Inc
Alfredo Choperena, President, SimpleHomeNet
Matthew Choy, Marketing Director, Rsupport Inc.
Albert Chu, Vice President, Marketing and Alliances, ACCESS Systems Americas
Jim Denney, Vice President, General Manager, Product Marketing, TiVo Inc.
Gary Ellison, Chief Security Architect, Intertrust Technologies, representing Marlin
Greg Ennis, Technical Director, Wi-Fi Alliance
Jim Feuille, General Partner, Crosslink Capital
Martin Flusberg, CEO, Powerhouse Dynamics
Paul Fulton, General Manager, Prosumer Business Unit, Cisco Systems, Inc.
Dwight Gibson, VP & GM Connected Home Solutions, Ingersoll Rand
Alexandre Giess, Head of Digital Home - Group Marketing North America, Orange/France Telecom Group
Alex Glass, Vice President, Global Operations, thePlatform
Wynn Grubbs, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, PlumChoice, Inc.
Dave Habiger, President & CEO, Sonic Solutions (Roxio)
Brian Henrichs, Chief Business Development Officer, Actiontec Electronics
Todd Hinders, Senior Vice President, ExtendMedia
Scott Hublou, Co-Founder, SVP of Products, EcoFactor
Richard Irving, Managing Partner, Pond Venture Partners Ltd.
Kanaan Jemili, Vice President of Product Management, DivX, Inc.
Michael Kostainsek, Senior Partner, Account Director, MEC (WPP’s Group M)
Douglas Light, Sr. Vice President of Global Sales and Business Development, Widevine
Steve Linke, Associate Director Consumer Electronics, Verizon Wireless - Open Development
James Lopez, General Manager, Digital Video Surveillance, Logitech
Ajay Luthra, Senior Director of Advanced Technology, Motorola
Letha McLaren, Vice President of Energy Products, iControl Networks
Kevin Meagher, CEO, Intamac Systems
Andy Melder, Vice President Business Development, Gigle Networks
Amir Mobini, President and CEO, Zenverge
Frank Mona III, Executive Director, Sales Execution, Consumer Home Services, AT&T
Kevin Morgan, CTO, Arxan Technologies, Inc.
Malachy Moynihan, VP, Video Strategy, Cisco Systems, Inc.
Macario Namie, Senior Director, Product Marketing, Jasper Wireless
Richard Nesin, Executive Director, HomePNA Alliance
Robert O'Dell, President/CEO, SecurityCoverage, Inc.
Amy Oehler, Senior Manager, Business Development Direct Energy, Direct Energy
Nathan Ota, Solutions Product Marketing Manager, Consumer Solutions, Trilliant
Sean Parham, Executive Vice President & CMO, 2Wire, Inc.
Nash Parker, Director of Emerging Technology & Media, Alcatel-Lucent
Tony Perucca, Senior Director, comScore, Inc.
Tom Pollard, Director of Product Management, Verimatrix Inc.
Drake Pruitt, SVP Business Development, Ascent Media Group
Yaron Raz, Director of Video Solutions Marketing, BigBand Networks
Terri Richardson, Business Integration Manager, Navic at Microsoft
Anthony Rodio, COO, Support.com
Russ Schafer, Senior Director, Global Product Marketing, Yahoo! Connected TV, Yahoo!
Daniel Scheinman, SVP & GM, Cisco Media Solutions Group, Cisco Systems, Inc.
Rick Schwartz, Senior Product Manager, PacketVideo (PV)
Loren Shade, VP Marketing, Allegro Software Development Corporation
Gene Sheridan, CEO, BridgeCo, Inc.
Charley Shoemaker, Director, Product Management, Nielsen Online, The Nielsen Company
Howard Simons, Director of Sales Research, West Division, Comcast Spotlight
Melissa Simpler, CEO, Affinegy
Peter Smyth, CEO, RedMere
Kurt Stammberger, Vice President Marketing, Mocana
Mark Studness, Director E-Commerce, Verizon
Dean Takahashi, Digital Media Lead Writer, VentureBeat
Jim Theberge, Product Management Director, Rovi Corporation
Steve Tranter, VP Interactive and Broadband, NDS
Daren Tsui, CEO, mSpot, Inc
Edgar Villalpando, SVP, Marketing, ActiveVideo Networks
Dr. Kenneth Wacks, Member, GridWise Architecture Council, U.S. Department of Energy
Ian Walsh, VP Business Development, ProVision Communications
Nate Williams, CMO, 4Home
Ken Wirt, Vice President Consumer Marketing, Cisco Systems, Inc.
Tom Woods, VP, User Experience, Rovi Corporation
Mark W. Young, Vice President, Strategy & BD, Mobile, Comcast Interactive Media
Dan Ziegler, Regional Director, Latens Systems

Parks Associates Moderators
Farhan Abid, Research Analyst, Parks Associates
Bill Ablondi, Director, Home Systems Research, Parks Associates
Pietro Macchiarella, Research Analyst, Parks Associates
Tricia Parks, Founder and CEO, Parks Associates
Kurt Scherf, Vice President & Principal Analyst, Parks Associates
Stuart Sikes, President, Parks Associates
Harry Wang, Director, Health & Mobile Product Research, Parks Associates
Heather Way, Research Analyst, Parks Associates

Verizon Expands Availability of FiOS TV's Mobile Apps

Verizon continues to rapidly enhance the FiOS experience inside and outside the fiber-optic-powered digital home, expanding access to two of FiOS TV's growing suite of mobile applications -- Mobile Remote and Remote DVR Manager -- and adding new features to Mobile Remote.

Effective immediately, the FiOS TV Mobile Remote app can be downloaded to additional smartphones (the DROID ERIS by HTC, DROID Incredible by HTC, HTC Touch Pro2 from Verizon Wireless and the HTC Google Nexus One); and the Remote DVR Manager app now operates on more than 50 mobile devices.

Mobile Remote lets FiOS TV high-definition subscribers use their mobile phones as a television remote control, dynamically changing the TV experience. The application automatically personalizes options based on the specific smartphone connected to the set-top box, enabling customized favorites and other preferences.

In addition, customers can use their mobile devices to flick stored photos from the mobile device to the TV, and Mobile Remote has virtually the same functionality as the standard FiOS TV remote.

In addition to enhancing and expanding Mobile Remote, Verizon is also expanding its popular remote DVR management application, now available on more than 50 devices including most Verizon Wireless BlackBerry devices and Apple's iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch. Customers can review, change or add recording requests; record an entire series; delete recorded programs; browse and search TV and VOD listings; set parental controls; check their DVR recorder status and more -- all through their mobile device, anytime, anywhere.

Intel, Samsung, Sony Pictures, Verizon to Keynote @ CONNECTIONS

Executives from Intel, Samsung LCD Business, Sony Pictures, and Verizon will present the CONNECTIONS Conference keynotes on topics including TV technology, content protection and cloud media services, and the role of the service provider.

The keynotes include:

Joseph Ambeault, Director, Product Development and Management, Video Services, Verizon

Scott Birnbaum, VP, Samsung LCD Business

Eric B. Kim, Sr. VP, GM, Digital Home Group, Intel Corporation

Mitch Singer, CTO, Sony Pictures Entertainment; President, DECE

To view the full agenda, visit www.CONNECTIONSus.com.

Less than six million U.S. households would consider canceling pay-TV service in favor of online video

Despite the growing amount of video available online, less than 8% of U.S. broadband households are considering canceling their pay-TV services in favor of online video, according to Parks Associates’ All Eyes on Video.

All Eyes on Video found approximately 5.5 million homes would be open to canceling pay TV due in part to the availability of online video. At the same time, one-half of these households are also considering a switch to a new pay-TV provider, indicating the primary threats to companies such as Verizon, Comcast, DirecTV, and Cablevision are still their traditional competitors.

The households likely to switch or cancel their services watch a whopping 10 hours of online video each week, much higher than typical video consumers. They express strong interest in having online access to pay-TV channels (e.g., TV Everywhere), which highlights an opportunity for traditional pay-TV providers to solidify their base through the deployment of such features. Offline video consumption is also higher. Their median number of DVD rentals from the last six months is 18, compared to two rentals among other households.

HBO and Verizon FiOS TV Introduce HBO GO

Verizon and HBO announced that Verizon's FiOS TV customers will be the first to gain access to HBOGO.com, HBO's online video destination featuring over 600 hours of HBO programming.

HBO Go is part of the cable industry's TV Everywhere strategy to make TV content available online to paying subscribers.

Starting tomorrow, FiOS customers who subscribe to HBO will automatically receive free, unlimited online access to HBO programming at any time, from any U.S. location with a broadband connection. Customers must subscribe to both FiOS TV and FiOS Internet.

With HBO GO, FiOS TV customers who subscribe to HBO can instantly watch their favorite programs from a PC or MAC computer via a browser-based application. HBO GO will support Verizon subaccounts and allow up to three simultaneous users from the same household. Users have the ability to customize their experience through multiple browsing and viewing options, as well as the ability to restrict content with easy to use parental controls.

For more information, click here.

CONNECTIONS™ identifies key growth areas, obstacles, and opportunities for industry players

CONNECTIONS™: The Digital Living Conference & Showcase, hosted by international research firm Parks Associates, featured three days, June 2-4, of presentations and panel discussions from service providers, CE companies, software and middleware developers, and many other members of the consumer technology value chain.

Glenn Lurie, President of Emerging Devices and Resale, AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets, delivered the opening keynote “Embedding Wireless in Consumer Electronics” on June 2. In the following session, executives from Qualcomm, TiVo, YouTube, and Cisco addressed efforts from CE companies and content providers to deliver new video experiences to end users. PlumChoice hosted the evening networking reception.

Tricia Parks, CEO, Parks Associates, and Retrevo’s CEO Vipin Jain opened the conference on June 3 with “Navigating the Changing CE Purchase Process.” The presentation offered insight into 2008 CE purchase patterns, which showed consumers shifting away from spontaneity in their purchase decisions. Then, Kurt Scherf, VP, Parks Associates, moderated the session “Connected TV Strategies,” featuring IBM, AnySource Media, VIZIO, and Yahoo!, who discussed the implications of adding Internet connectivity to the televisions.

Joseph Ambeault, Director, Product Development and Management, Video Services, Verizon, provided the morning keynote, where he discussed the disruptive force of IP and the evolution of FiOS TV services to deliver a more personalized video experience. Eyecon Technologies sponsored the networking break.

The afternoon sessions featured speakers from Paramount Digital Entertainment, 2Wire, Alcatel-Lucent, Motorola, uControl, Macrovision, and more. The sessions focused on service provider strategies, WebTV, home monitoring, connected CE, and interactive services. MoCA hosted the session “Truth in Networking,” featuring executives from Actiontec Electronics, NETGEAR, Best Buy, and D-Link.

Mitch Singer, CTO, Executive Vice President of New Media and Technology, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Inc., and President of Digital Entertainment Content Ecosystem (DECE), delivered the day’s closing keynote “Entertainment 2.0: The Future of Entertainment.” He discussed DECE’s efforts to remove the barriers for digital distribution of content. The final session of the day, “Wireless Networking & Video Consumption,” featured executives from Aceurity, AMIMON, Quantenna Communications, SiBEAM, ProVision Communications, and Celeno.

Via Licensing opened Thursday with the presentation “Ideas for addressing IPR issues for technology standards,” which described the collaboration between Via Licensing and IEEE and discussed the benefits of patent pools in helping technology companies deploy digital lifestyle solutions.

Bill Ablondi, Director, Home Systems Research, Parks Associates, presented the firm’s residential energy management research and moderated a session featuring executives from Cisco, Direct Energy, and the U.S. Department of Energy. Andres Carvallo, CIO, Austin Energy, presented the morning keynote “Building the Smart Grid,” discussing efforts in Austin, Texas, to deploy intelligent electrical systems that benefit utilities and consumers.

Thursday’s sessions featured topics on remote technical support, mobile multimedia, and wireless home controls, with participants from support.com, Telcordia, Pandora, Ortiva Wireless, Sigma Designs, and Control4, among others.

The afternoon session “Building the Holistic Support Environment” featured executives from Retrevo, Alcatel-Lucent, and Cisco Systems and discussed the expansion of customer care services for PCs and other electronics. The conference ended with the session “What’s Coming Next?”, featuring venture capitalists for the tech industry who discussed the challenging economic climate and current solutions with the best long-term outlook.

CONNECTIONS™ speakers address challenges and opportunities that come with converging products and services

Digital Living Conference features executives from controls, networking, entertainment, and CE companies --

Parks Associates has announced the speakers for CONNECTIONS™: The Digital Living Conference & Showcase, including keynotes from Austin Energy, AT&T, Sony Pictures, and Verizon.

The 13th annual CONNECTIONS™, June 2-4 at the Santa Clara Convention Center, features interactive panels with over 80 speakers and consumer and industry research presented by Parks Associates’ expert analysts. This event attracts senior executives from industries associated with the digital home, new media and content distribution, and mobile applications and services.

“CONNECTIONS™ speakers offer an array of expertise covering CE, digital media, content and access services, home controls, and energy management,” said Kurt Scherf, vice president, principal analyst, Parks Associates. “The number of broadband households worldwide will reach 650 million by 2013. These connections will have a ripple effect throughout multiple industries, impacting communications, entertainment, and home management.

CONNECTIONS™ features an excellent lineup of speakers covering both the visionary and practical challenges in forging new business models for this changing consumer culture.”Parks Associates reports the number of mobile TV subscribers worldwide exceeded 30 million in 2008, while more than 26 million U.S. consumers use the Internet at least monthly to catch up on TV programming. Both findings show the growing appeal of place- and time-shifting features and are early indicators of the future directions of the mobile and video markets.

Keynote Speakers:
Joseph Ambeault, Director, Product Development and Management, Video Services, Verizon
Andres E. Carvallo, Chief Information Officer, Austin Energy
Glenn Lurie, President of Emerging Devices and Resale, AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets
Mitch Singer, CTO, EVP of New Media & Technology, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Inc.; President, Digital Entertainment Content Ecosystem (DECE)

Panelists:
Sanket Amberkar, Marketing Manager, Network Systems Solutions, Cisco
Bruce Anderson, General Manager, Global Electronics Industry, IBM
Sean Besser, VP, Business Development, Macrovision
Stephen Blum, President, Tellus Venture Associates
Jeff Bonin, Vice President & GM, Alticast
Brandon Brown, CEO, Zodiac Interactive
Geoff Burke, Senior Director, Corporate Marketing, Calix
Jon Burr, VP, Customer Experience and Operations, CrossLoop, Inc.
Duane Carvalho, Sales Director, North America, Jungo
Steve Cashman, Chief Strategy Officer, Exceptional Innovation
Chenyi Chiu, Strategic Program Manager, HD-PLC Alliance
Paul Dawes, CEO, iControl Networks
Rolf De Vegt, Director, Technical Standards Qualcomm
Jim Denney, VP, Product Marketing, TiVo Inc.
Vijay Desai, Founder, CEO, Aceurity, Inc.
Christopher Deutschen, Senior Manager, Product & Business Development, Direct Energy
Chris Dobrec, Sr. Director Strategy & Business Development, Cisco Systems
Brian Donnelly, Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Icron
Ajay Dugar, Executive Director, Paramount Digital Entertainment
Mike Ehlenberger, Vice President of Channel Sales, Actiontec Electronics, Inc.
Jaime Fink, Vice President of Technology and Strategy, 2Wire
Meir Friedlander, CEO, Eyecon Technologies, Inc.
Jonathan Gaines, Senior Vice President - Sales, Xeriton Corporation/BluePhone
Jackson Gates, Director of Business Development, Pandora
Ben Geller, Senior Director of Marketing, Motive Product Group, Alcatel-Lucent
Noam Geri, Co-founder, Vice President Marketing & Business Development, AMIMON
Andrea Goldsmith, Co-Founder and CTO, Quantenna Communications
Pankaj Gupta, Manager, Market Management - Service Providers, Cisco Systems
Mike Harris, CEO, AnySource
David Henry, Sr. Director of Product Marketing, Home Products, NETGEAR
Chris Hock, Senior VP, Product Management, BlackArrow
Jim Hunter, CTO and Chief Architect, 4Home
Brent Hurley, Strategic Partner Development Manager, YouTube
Richard Irving, Managing Partner, Pond Venture Partners
Vipin Jain, President and CEO, Retrevo
Braxton Jarratt, CEO, Clearleap
Brian Johnson, Senior Vice President, Americas and Asia Pacific, mBlox, Inc.
Jim Johnson, President & CEO, uControl
Scott Kelliher, Category Director, Telecommunications & Technology, Platform A/AOL
Fred King, VP, Sales & Marketing, PlumChoice, Inc.
Kazuhiro Kitagawa, Vice-Chairman, PUCC
Art Lancaster, CTO, Affinegy
Michael Lantz, CEO, Accedo Broadband
Craig Lee, Vice President, Marketing and Business Development, Ortiva Wireless
Michelle Leyden Li, General Manager, Home Control Business Unit, Zilog
Alex Limberis, COO, Syabas Technology, Inc.
Ellis Lindsay, Director, North American Strategy, Alcatel-Lucent
Ken Lowe, Vice President, Strategic Marketing, Sigma Designs
Robert Malnati, Director, Business Development, Broadband Solutions Group, Home and Networks Mobility, Motorola, Inc.
John Marshall, VP of Sales and Marketing, SiBEAM; Chairman, WirelessHD
Wilfred Martis, Director of Platform Strategy and Planning, Digital Home Group, Intel
Theodore May, VP, Content & Value-added Services, Synacor
Steve McKay, CEO, Entone Inc.
Travis Misterek, Technical Analyst, Best Buy
Seale Moorer, CEO, Exceptional Innovation
Mike Noonen, Senior Vice President, Sales and Marketing, NXP Semiconductors
Bogdan Odulinski, Director - Product Management, Enterprise Services Group, SupportSoft, Inc.
Ravi Raj, VP of Product Development, Kosmix
Len Rand, Managing Director, Granite Ventures
Mostafa Reza, Product Line Manager, IP Video Solutions Group, Motorola
Micha Risling, VP of Marketing, Valens Semiconductor
Anthony Rodio, Chief Operating Officer, support.com
Avner Ronen, CEO & Co-Founder, BoxeeVibha Rustagi, CEO & President, itaas, Inc.
Russ Schafer, Senior Director, Product Marketing, Connected TV, Yahoo!
Rick Schwartz, Product Manager, TwonkyMedia Manager, PacketVideo
Loren Shade, VP Marketing, Allegro Software Development Corporation
Parag Sheth, Vice President of Corporate Marketing, Hillcrest Labs
Eric Smith, CTO, Control4
Jason Spero, VP & Managing Director NA, AdMob
Kevin Spier, Director of Business Development, Bunchball
Singu Srinivas, VP, Sales and Marketing, Radialpoint
Bill Stanley, Director, Operations Solutions, Telcordia
Jan Steenkamp, Founder Member, Head Market Development America, Irdeto
David Sykes, CEO, ProVision Communications
Rob Tobias, Director, Market Development, Silicon Image
Steve Tranter, VP Interactive and Broadband, NDS
Derek Turner, Senior Product Manager, TV, Video & Music Business, Microsoft
Edgar Villalpando, SVP, Marketing, ActiveVideo Networks
Dr. Kenneth Wacks, Member, GridWise Architecture Council, U.S. Department of Energy
Fred Wang, General Partner, Trinity Ventures
Lior Weiss, VP Marketing, Celeno
Stephen White, Director, Business Development, VIZIO
Ken Wirt, Vice President Consumer Marketing, Cisco Systems
Daniel Wong, Director of Product Management, D-Link
Steve Yum, Sr. Director of Marketing, Synerchip
Scot Zarkiewicz, CEO, SingleClick Systems

New services, experiences, options for advanced TV, video, and multimedia a key focus at CONNECTIONS™: The Digital Living Conference & Showcase

Parks Associates has announced the speakers in the Content and Services track at CONNECTIONS™: The Digital Living Conference & Showcase, which features a keynote from Verizon and sessions focused on the future of the set-top box, Web TV, advertising, and interactive services.

Parks Associates research shows the number of broadband households worldwide now exceeds 400 million. In addition, more than 200 million households have a data network, and 73 million have a residential gateway.

Joseph Ambeault, Director, Product Development and Management, Video Services, Verizon, will deliver the opening keynote, FiOS TV: Changing TV for Good, on June 3 at 10:00 a.m.

TV 2.0 – The Future of the Set-Top Box, June 3 at 11:15 a.m., discusses changes in the set-top and its impact on other CE and networking devices. Speakers include:

Seale Moorer, CEO, Exceptional Innovation
Mike Noonen, SVP, Sales and Marketing, NXP Semiconductors
Jan Steenkamp, Founder Member, Head Market Development, Irdeto
Steve Tranter, VP Interactive and Broadband, NDS
Derek Turner, Senior Product Mgr, TV, Video & Music Business, Microsoft

WebTV: Extreme TV Makeover?, June 3 at 1:30 p.m., examines the online video space and its impact on traditional TV services as well as opportunities to distribute Web content throughout the home. Speakers include:

Ajay Dugar, Executive Director, Paramount Digital Entertainment
Pankaj Gupta, Manager, Market Management - Service Providers, Cisco
Wilfred Martis, Dir., Platform Strategy & Planning, Digital Home Grp, Intel
Avner Ronen, CEO & Co-Founder, Boxee
Edgar Villalpando, SVP, Marketing, ActiveVideo Networks

Interactive Services: Engaging the Consumer, June 3 at 2:30 p.m., examines the worldwide pay television market and consumer adoption of broadband video, including willingness to pay for advanced television features. Speakers include:

Sean Besser, VP, Business Development, Macrovision
Jeff Bonin, VP, GM, Alticast
Brandon Brown, CEO, Zodiac Interactive
Vibha Rustagi, CEO & President, itaas, Inc.

Multimedia on Mobile Devices, June 4 at 11:15 a.m., discusses emerging mobile multimedia applications and future business strategies. Speakers include:

Jackson Gates, Director, Business Development, Pandora
Brian Johnson, SVP, Americas and Asia Pacific, mBlox, Inc.
Craig Lee, VP Marketing, Ortiva Wireless
Rick Schwartz, Product Manager, DLNA, PacketVideo
Scot Zarkiewicz, CEO, SingleClick Systems

To view the full press release, click here.

Opening sessions feature TiVo, YouTube, Cisco, IBM, Yahoo!, VIZIO, AnySource

CONNECTIONS™ to address business strategies for Premium Web Video Content and Connected TV --

Parks Associates announced the speakers for two key sessions, The Marriage of Online Video to CE and Connected TV Strategies, at CONNECTIONS™, June 2-4, at the Santa Clara Convention Center. These sessions address the impact of bringing Web video content to connected TVs and the new business models emerging from manufacturers and content providers as more CE gain enhanced Internet capabilities.

The Marriage of Online Video to CE takes place Tuesday, June 2, 5:15 p.m., following the opening keynote Embedding Wireless in Consumer Electronics, by Glenn Lurie, President of Emerging Devices and Resale, AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets.

Speakers for this session:
>> Jim Denney, VP, Product Marketing, TiVo Inc.
>> Brent Hurley, Strategic Partner Development Manager, YouTube
>> Ken Wirt, VP, Consumer Marketing, Cisco Systems

Connected TV Strategies takes place Wednesday, June 3, 9 a.m. It addresses business plans, new revenues models, and marketing strategies for CE manufacturers selling advanced televisions. Following this session, Joseph Ambeault, Director, Product Development and Management, Video Services, Verizon, will present the morning keynote.

Speakers for this session:
>> Bruce Anderson, GM, IBM
>> Mike Harris, CEO, AnySource
>> Matthew McRae, VP, GM, Advanced Platforms, VIZIO
>> Russ Schafer, Sr. Director, Product Marketing, Connected TV, Yahoo!

Parks Associates forecasts that by 2013, worldwide annual sales of connected CE will exceed 100 million units, while cable and IPTV VoD service revenues will reach $11 billion.

To view the full press release, click here.

AT&T and Verizon to Keynote at CONNECTIONS™ Conference

CONNECTIONS™ features Parks Associates research and analysis on Networked Devices, Digital Content, and New Services --

Parks Associates announced CONNECTIONS™: The Digital Living Conference & Showcase will feature keynotes from AT&T and Verizon executives on topics including wireless connectivity and entertainment services in the home. CONNECTIONS™ tracks developments, trends, and opportunities in the four key areas Communications & Entertainment Services, New Media and Digital Content, Home Systems, and Consumer Electronics.

The event will take place June 2-4, 2009, at the Santa Clara Convention Center. Glenn Lurie, President of Emerging Devices and Resale, AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets, will present the opening Keynote on June 2. Joseph Ambeault, Director, Product Development and Management, Video Services, Verizon, will present the morning Keynote on June 3.

CONNECTIONS™ includes interactive panels with over 80 speakers, moderated by Parks Associates’ expert analysts and featuring the latest research on converging content, services, and hardware. The white paper The Future of Networked Devices and Digital Content highlights the key areas covered by the event tracks, including trends impacting all industry players:

• Commoditization of voice and bandwidth
• Growth of bundled services
• Growth of over-the-top service providers
• Convergence of platforms and networks

CONNECTIONS™ Sponsors include PUCC, PlumChoice, Allegro, Control4, the DiiVA Consortium, SingleClick Systems, support.com, Syabas Technology, and Valens Semiconductor. CONNECTIONS™ Global Sponsors include ActiveVideo Networks, Affinegy, DSC, HD-PLC Alliance, Icron, Irdeto, Macrovision, MoCA, ProVision Communications, Radialpoint, Telcordia, and Zilog.

Verizon to bring FiOS TV to Comcast's hometown

Verizon Communications Inc. is bringing the fight over TV customers to the hometown of its biggest cable rival, Comcast Corp., the nation's largest cable company.

Verizon on Thursday asked Philadelphia's City Council to approve a 15-year video franchise agreement allowing it to offer fiber-optic TV service in the city. Councilman Darrell Clarke introduced an ordinance to give Verizon the right to run a cable TV service, a measure the council is expected to vote on by the end of the year.

New York-based Verizon said it could start offering FiOS TV in the first year after the deal goes into effect.

Read More at BusinessWeek

Home Networks Heating Up

Today, the HomePlug Alliance announced that a joint proposal from the Alliance and Panasonic is the sole MAC/PHY proposal remaining in the IEEE P1901 work group process for creating an international standard for in-home and access powerline communication technologies. This is significant, because Panasonic was pursuing its own proprietary powerline solution (HD-PLC) after its submission to HomePlug for the HomePlug AV specification was not selected. For awhile, we had three competing solutions - HomePlug, Panasonic, and the solutions from Spanish chip developer Design of Systems of Silicon S.A. (DS2).

Although DS2's underlying technology was not selected by the IEEE P1901 work group, the company isn't sitting still. It indicates that it will have a 400 Mbps solution out soon. And, DS2 has an impressive list of European service providers that it says are taking a look at its solution. Europe may be where this market is won or lost. Given the strong emphasis on solutions such as bridges for IPTV and multi-service residential gateways, Europe is likely to be the leading market for powerline solutions. We're waiting to see which service providers and CPE vendors are willing to go public with their support for either the HomePlug or the DS2 solution. One suspects that many are waiting for a standards resolution in the IEEE before making a public affirmation of either technology.

In the meantime, both Entropic/MoCA and CopperGate/HomePNA were quite visible at last week's TelcoTV conference. CopperGate has announced 2 million HomePNA 3.1 chipsets shipped, and indications are that it is receiving favorable attention from the smaller telco community. As in the case of the powerline solutions, we're evaluating based on real deployments. So far, Verizon with MoCA is the only public deployment of which we're aware to date.

~Kurt Scherf, Vice President, Principal Analyst, Parks Associates