November 2005

Satellite Operators Consolidation To Continue
It’s not cheap to launch a satellite and, as commercial satellite operators have become prey to acquisition over the last 2 years, this has been followed by the operators consolidating. The economics of satellite distribution have fundamentally changed in the USA and Western Europe. Expect competition to be fierce in what was until recently a comfortable cartel carved out the International Telecoms Union (ITU) with constituent members many years ago.
Long term, there may be question marks over the future of satellite. While it’s currently the main method of transmitting digital pay-TV platforms to much of Europe, the threats increase. The combination of the continued increases in the efficiencies of encoding technology and additional service distribution reduce the need to rely on satellite.
Satellite does still have an important role to play as an intermediate solution, that is, providing connectivity and services ahead of the arrival of more sophisticated solutions. It will also continue as a ‘in fill’ for those places where the population is dispersed and delivery of data by other means would be uneconomic.
Increasingly telecommunications traffic is being carried by fibre – an example being sports games, that used to be delivered to the broadcasters by satellite, now routinely use fibre that is available at most major venues. This has led to many Telco’s divesting their interest in the satellite companies.
Telecommunications companies like France Telecom are increasingly selling off underused teleport facilities – they’re those places with loads of big satellite dishes pointing towards the heavens. These are being bought by satellite operators so they can offer an integrated end-to-end solution to their customers.
So expect the merged Intelsat/PanAmSat who bought PanAmSat for $3.2 billion at end of August to take satellite uplink business from Globecast (owned by France Telecom) and other European Telco’s who have traditionally up-linked their satellite services.
The metamorphosis will continue with an IPO by Eutelsat and a beefed up Inmarsat. Despite a good year for satellite companies, focus will shift to the growing markets of Asia and Africa with tighter control of costs and careful management of capacity in the mature markets.
Anyone say all change?
17 November, 2005
One Laptop per Child: The Machine, The Impact
The $100 laptop project launched by MIT Media Lab, gained a big boost yesterday when the labs Nicholas Negroponte met with UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan at the World Summit on the Information Society in Tunisia.
Kofi Annan opening address summed up the project and its hopes succinctly, “The true meaning of one laptop per child, is not a matter of just giving a laptop to a child, as if bestowing on them some magic charm. The magic lies within. Within each child there is a scientist, scholar, or just plain citizen in the making. This initiative is design to bring it forth into the light of day.”
No right thinking individual could possibly doubt the value of this project. There may be a lot of commercial concerns, but we’ll get to that later on.
The Specs
It will be Linux-based, full-colour laptop that uses a wind-up handle as a power source. Run at 500MHz, with 1GB of memory and a built in 1 Megapixel camera it should run most applications that could be required (remember Linux doesn’t suck up a lot of the processors power). Just the laptop screen alone is expected to cost around $35, pretty good when a screen on a laptop is normally $150 alone.
“USB ports galore” will be provided as will built-in WiFi. The only thing it will be missing is a hard drive. We’d imagine that this will be down to the additional power drain they have, and to try and maintain the necessary ruggedness. The networking will be via a wireless mesh.
The driving theory of the project is that Learning is seamless – not just something that you do at school. This has lead to the need for an adaptable design, enabling it to be used as an electronic book (with the fingers at the back controlling the cursor), a games machine, TV set and, of course, laptop.
All software will be open source as in Negroponte view “open source software is the key to innovation in software and learning technology.”
It’s been reported that Steve Jobs had offered Apple OSX for nothing for use in the project, but it was turned down as it wasn’t open source.
Availability and impact
The laptops will be financed though domestic resources (ie the countries government), donors, and what was rather mysteriously described as “other arrangements.” It will be at no cost to the recipients themselves.
The current plans call for producing five to ten million units near the start of late 2006 or early 2007, launching in six countries. Not bad considering that Negroponte first publicly announced it in January 2005. The promise is to bring the price down at each technical advance.
Negroponte spoke about “the same laptop being commercially available, at say $200” for small businesses. They hope to announce the construction partners soon.
The impact of this project could be huge on many fronts – if it comes into being – and we’ve no reason to imagine that it won’t. Giving any and every child access to a computer, and teaching them to use it and inspiring them will be the start of a revolution bring free communication and equal learning to all citizens.
We don’t think that the impact will stop there. If the world is aware that there are laptops, perfectly able to carry out most daily required computing functions, that only cost $100, why would anyone want to pay for other ‘full price’ machines? The impact on the supply of hardware in the part of the world that already has computers will be huge.
All power to this project. Let’s help technology change the world for the better.
MIT Media Lab One Laptop Per Child
Watch the Launch video(Real video)
17 November, 2005
Digital Dividend Review: Ofcom Look At Spectrum Use After Analog TV Switch Off
Now that the Government has hit the ‘go’ button for switchover there are plenty of people anxious to know how the released spectrum will be used – and thereby how we will realise the value of it for UK plc.
In an attempt to address this issue Ofcom announced today the beginning of the Digital Dividend Review (DDR) – the project which will examine the options arising from the release of spectrum afforded by the digital switchover programme.
Ofcom estimates that the digital switchover programme will release up to 112 MHz of spectrum in the UHF (Ultra High Frequency) band for new uses. The UHF band is prime spectrum, because it offers a technically valuable combination of capacity (bandwidth) and range.
Ofcom say,
“The cleared spectrum – the Digital Dividend – offers real opportunities for wireless innovation.”
The Digital Dividend could enable the launch of a wide range of different services. Ofcom’s examples include:
- New mobile services, with high quality video and interactive media delivered to handheld devices
- Wireless broadband services, with high-speed data and voice services
- Wider coverage for advanced services in remote and rural areas. This spectrum is particularly suitable for low cost, wider-area coverage
- Advanced business and broadcasting services, such as those used to support major sporting events
- Additional television channels including possible High Definition (HD) channels carried on Freeview
Ofcom point out that this is not an exhaustive list – which will please HM Treasury since the greater the potential uses and users the higher the value likely to be realised from auctioning it.
On this point, Ofcom have a tricky job since they will have to ensure that there is enough incentive to investing the development of a particular wireless technology with no guarantee of it actually securing an allocation of the spectrum required – however it should be noted that Ofcom have stated that they will also begin work on a new auction design, with a view to ensuring that the spectrum is acquired by users who are likely to make best use of it – (i.e. best use = greatest value) – not sure how HMT will view this.
This approach means Ofcom will:
- Consider the potential uses for the available spectrum
- Set out the technical limits on spectrum use to prevent potential interference
- Draw up packages of frequencies that give flexibility to the market
- Design an efficient auction/allocation process
The proposed timetable for DDR is:
- Digital Dividend Review (DDR) begins – November 2005
- Programme team and consultants in place – end 2005
- Stakeholder meetings begin – Jan-Feb 2006
- Outcome of RRC – June 2006
- Digital Dividend Review completed – Q3 2006
- Ofcom publishes final proposals – Q4 2006
- Digital switchover programme begins – 2008
- Digital switchover programme completed – 2012
Luke Gibbs writes regularly for Ofcomwatch.
Ofcom Digital Dividend Review
17 November, 2005
TAHI Conference 2005
The connected home is developing fast. The TAHI conference provides a unique opportunity to get together with key players in the industries which are driving the connected home market. Learn how you can profit now. The conference is at the River & Rowing museum at Henley on Thames, a unique venue that provides the right platform for both speakers and delegates. The cost of the day and a half conference is kept very low to encourage you to come and to network with others interested in the various aspects of the connected home. Come for the afternoon and stay on to network with colleagues at the drinks reception and dinner, refreshed for the next day’s full programme. An in-depth review of the pioneering TAHI “live” trials programme on interoperabilty, which concluded recently, dominates the first afternoon of the conference, Wednesday, November 16. This is your opportunity to hear the results first hand from the experts who devised and led the extensive 30-month programme and increase your knowledge on the latest technical, commercial and consumer matters. River & Rowing museum at Henley on Thames, UKhttp://www.theapplicationhome.com/2005Conference/2005Conference.html
16 November, 2005
Search Safe: UK Gov Advises Parents
The Home Office’s Internet Task Force yesterday published guidance aimed at advising parents on how to keep children safe when using the Internet, mobile phones or other means.
The simple document covers:
- What an Internet search actually is, why users sees the results they do and how search is generally made available on the internet
- Advice for parents and carers on safe searching
- Guidance for service providers and what they can do to make searching on the internet as safe as possible for children
The document discusses the variety of searches you can make and how this affects the results you get.
It also provides practical guidance on how to use search effectively but safely, for example, by monitoring or filtering your search results.
Home Office Task Force on Child Protection on the Internet: Good practice guidance for search service providers and advice to the public on how to search safely (PDF)
16 November, 2005
Jens MP-X: First All-Weather MP3 Player
One of our Digital-Lifestyles favorite digital media entrepreneur Swede, Jens Nylander has extracted himself from recent problems and brought out a new mp3 player called MP-X.
You want firsts? Well, it’s the first all-weather mp3 player. A smart selling point in damp areas like much of Northern Europe, especially in Sweden, where their public weather monitor say that more than half of their days over the last 30 years have had an average of 0.1mm of rain or more.
Aimed at fit-types, another good move given the amount of outdoor fans there are in Sweden, it’s made of soft and durable urethane rubber which repels all of that sweating and doesn’t get knocked around.
Two versions are available. It comes in 512 Mb and 1 Gb versions (150 or 300 songs), only weighing the equivalent of six A4-pages of paper and cost €68 (~£46, ~$79) or €85 (~£57, ~$99) respectively excluding sales tax.
As with previous Jens players it supports MP3, WMA, ASF, OGG-Vorbis music files.
We’re glad to see Jens back on his feet, following his bankruptcy after a miscalculation of import duty (they should have paid 10% because of built-in FM radio, not the 2.5% they’d calculated at). They tell us that all of the debts have now been met and the $25k that they still owe to the post office will be made up through new trade.
Jens of Sweden
16 November, 2005
Too Easy(net) For Sky?
Yesterday, Sky’s takeover of Easynet was finalised and it looks to many that, despite paying a premium on the share price, they’ve have quite a bargain on their hands.
Easynet is not a ‘fly-by-night’ Internet start up but a profitable business having traded for over 10 years in it own right, it has equipment located at over 250 of BT’s exchanges and has earned its technological spurs with deliveries of 22Mb using its ADSL2+ network.
The broadband addition should future proof Sky against TV being broadcast to the home by ‘Wi-Fi’, and cable or fibre, expect future generations of receivers to start evolving into the home media hub with increased storage and the sophisticated Digital Right Management (DRM) that major film studios demand. Easynet will also offer an alternative to satellite delivery to customers who are prohibited from having a dish, or live in a built up urban area, where there can be no line-of-sight.
Although reports that broadband is the latest media battleground have highlighted the moves by the UK telcos, the ultimate prize is the fabled home digital information gateway. The opportunities that this acquisition enables go beyond a mere triple play option (Inernet, TV & Telephone), allowing Sky to, begin by become the overriding aggregator of TV content and, in time, become the preferred digital gatekeeper for many UK homes.
The prize? Being the ability to take a small fee for each of the numerous transactions that will take place.
Sky will be competing initially with the telco’s and ultimately Microsoft. Sky’s choice of MPEG4 H264 for future HD TV delivery pits it against Microsoft and their WMV HD. The two new encoding technologies offer similar advantages and share characteristics but, by and large, broadcasters remain wary of becoming locked into a Microsoft solution and prefer, historically the flexibility of more open standards.
Eyes are peeled to see if Sky Italia and other associated ‘News’ companies look to replicate this type of broadband acquisition.
16 November, 2005
UK Gov Wants Your Views On Content Protection And More
Ladies and Gentlemen, start your word processors …
The House of Commons’ Culture, Media and Sport Committee today announced a new inquiry into the challenges and opportunities for the creative industries arising from the development of new media platforms.
For the purposes of the inquiry, the term “creative industries” includes music, visual broadcasts, sound broadcasts, film, graphic art, design, advertising, fashion and games software.
The Committee is particularly interested in receiving evidence on the following issues:
- The impact upon creative industries of recent and future developments in digital convergence and media technology
- The effects upon the various creative industries of unauthorised reproduction and dissemination of creative content, particularly using new technology; and what steps can or should be taken – using new technology, statutory protection or other means – to protect creators
- The extent to which a regulatory environment should be applied to creative content accessed using non-traditional media platforms
- Where the balance should lie between the rights of creators and the expectations of consumers in the context of the BBC’s Creative Archive and other developments
Written submissions are invited from any interested organisation or individual by Thursday 19 January 2006.
Submissions should give the name and postal address of the person sending the memorandum and should state whether it has been prepared specifically for the Committee. If the memorandum is from an organisation rather than an individual, it should briefly explain the nature and membership of the organisation. The Committee may publish some of the submissions it receives.
For more guidance on the preferred format, see http://www.parliament.uk/commons/selcom/witguide.htm
Submissions should be sent to the Clerk of the Committee at the address below.
Kenneth Fox
Clerk of the Culture, Media and Sport Committee
House of Commons
7 Millbank
London SW1P 3JA
[email protected]
Luke Gibbs writes for Ofcomwatch.
16 November, 2005
Will ADSL2+ deliver in the UK?
The rollout of ADSL2+ in the UK appears to be going through a reverse-hype process, with people saying it’s not going to deliver high speeds to most people. That may be partially true, but in urban areas where people are within 1.5Km of the exchange they should get 20Mb/s+.
These speeds are enough for multi-channel HDTV. At the extreme end (extremely optimistic end?), we’ve seen Microsoft demonstrate what they call near-HDTV running at 1.5Mbps. A more ‘normal’ size for HD will be running at 2.5-4Mbps.
We can see that the delivery to the home isn’t a problem, but the back-haul (speaking between the exchange and the content provider) is another matter. Unless intelligent delivery and caching is used, shipping that amount of content to all of your customers gets very expensive.
Most people do seem to be ignoring QoS though, as having 20Mb/s downstream and 1.3Mb/s upstream is still useless for VoIP unless some of that bandwidth can be guaranteed so the voice traffic doesn’t get mixed in with everything else.
Using traditional CoDecs and then packetising them uses more bandwidth than over traditional telephony links. VoIP bandwidth can be squeezed to much lower levels, but then the calls are not what’s called toll-grade.
Broadband providers moving into VoIP are going to need to look long and hard how they actually implement services such that they are competitive (in terms of call quality) with existing analogue lines.
15 November, 2005
Google Analytics: Where’s The Data Google?
CRASH! Did you hear that? Any idea what it was? That was the sound of the Web traffic analysis market crashing to the floor following the no-charge release of Google Analytics.
Well it was until today, when a number of people were finding that the data that should have been collected on site for over 24 hours hasn’t appeared for analysis. Google quote that data should be available after only 12 hours.
The delay in reporting will give some thin hope to charge-for analysis service. We’d imagine that it will be short lived as we’re pretty certain that Google will get the service pumping out the stats soon and suspect that the delay has been due to a huge demand.
How much? Free
The service is generally, of course, available at no charge as it is, as with everything that Google does, designed to drive additional sales for Google’s advertising.
Always remember, Goggle may look like a search engine company, but it is, in fact, an advertising company.
The only exception to free usage of the service is sites with over 5m page views per month. Hey guess what? If you have an active Google AdWords account, you’re given unlimited page view tracking. There is no mention of how much it might cost if you don’t have an active AdWords account. Do you see a pattern here?
It looks like the service is comprehensive both in the breadth of reports available and in its thoroughness of reporting. Examples are that Google enable the tracking of external links, something of great use to many media companies, by simply adding some JavaScript to the link. It even easily tracks events within Flash files.
The history
Google bought Urchin Web Analytics for an undisclosed amount back in March this year. At the time, many in the online reporting world started to tremble.
They already had a number of big name customers like GE, NBC, Procter & Gamble, NASA and AT&T. Prices they charged varied from $495 (only covering 100,000 pageviews/month) to $4,995 for their Profit Suite. Prices increased depending on the number of Websites that were monitored.
Google’s free offering is based on Urchins online reporting offering.
Pressure on reporting companies is coming from other directions like, Microsoft with their AdCenter and eBay which has just launched a subscription-based service.
Google Analytics
15 November, 2005