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SBC and Microsoft to Provide HDTV Over IP
Chroniton writes "SBC Communications (The #1 DSL provider in the US) is announcing new plans for broadband deployment, including internet, HDTV, and VOIP service: "With today's announcement, SBC will significantly accelerate its previously planned deployment pace and now plans to reach 18 million homes by year-end 2007. Through Project Lightspeed, the company will deploy 38,800 miles of fiber - double the amount used to build out the company's DSL network - at a cost of $4 billion to $6 billion."
This comes in response to an FCC ruling which shields IP-based networks from traditional telecom regulation. Speeds are expected to reach 15-25 Mbps, enough for HDTV: "To take advantage of this new network, SBC companies and Microsoft have begun testing an IP-based switched television service based on the Microsoft TV IPTV platform. This infrastructure would enable features such as standard and high-definition programming, customizable channel lineups, video on demand, digital video recording, multimedia interactive program guides and event notifications. IP-based television services will also allow TVs to interact with other devices in the home, including computers and PDAs." More details available here and here"
Maybe they should string a fiber or two to their own servers.
1. Yay! Now SBC will have another reason to call me at home 5 times a week and ask me if I'd like fries with my telephone service.
2. Yay! Is Microsoft in control of fucking everything now?
the obligatory "Damn BSOD on my TV" joke
As much as they're willing to pay pluss a dollar.
"Have you ever thought about just turning off the TV, sitting down with your kids, and hitting them?"
TV is a productivity and social interaction sink
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Posted on
'Nuff said...
This space for rent
I dunno . . . maybe 60 billion dollars of cash ; )
harmonious design
I'm afraid this totally rocks. This is why Microsoft is so rich... they keep doing things that totally rock. Wow. It greives me to say it ... but wow.
It doesn't matter if Linux can do HDTV over a network and do it better (as if it could). It doesn't matter because Microsoft will be there first for the most people. They'll be there the most. They'll have all the deals locked in from server to client. They'll totally shut out HDTV over IP competition before it gets born. If you read Cringely at all then you know that at least one if not a few Linux hackers have done this type of thing in the small.
But it doesn't matter now. Microsoft is a true kung-foo master. Unless the world changes radically and it becomes illegal to force people to use whatever EULA you want or to force out competition from your market place by using innovative and strategic business deals... Microsoft is unstoppable. It's like a dinosaur. What could stop the dinosaurs?
[signature]
maybe 60 billion dollars of cash ; )
You forgot to hold your pinky to your mouth as you said that.
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"And may your days be long upon the earth."
ah yes, pardon.
[holds pinky to mouth]
MUWAHAHAHAHA!
harmonious design
I don't need CD quality, MP3 quality is fine!
The upfront cost won't be too bad at first.. about $400 per TV and an additional $500 per TV if you want "premium" content. The trouble is that you will need a dedicated sysadmin to to keep up on the security patches and maintain the active directory servers. All in all you should squeeze your HDTV over IP in at just around $5500 a month for 2 sets. A steal for a Microsoft solution!
Given that MS even has a reboot button on their latest mouse, I can see this MS-HDTVoIP scenario being what one might call "sub-fun". Sounds like there are going to be a lot more non-TV-watchers in the future.
Engineering is the art of compromise.
Nobody ever remembers the lessons learned from the Ancient Sumerian telecommunications infrastructure. Just as soon as Utnapishtim gained a telephone monopoly, it cost more than a good used chariot was worth just to call your cousin in Persia.
Fascism trolls keeping me up every night. When I starts a preachin', he HITS ME WITH HIS REICH!