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AOL to test video search serviceAOL was slated today to announce the test-launch of a new video service, AOL Video, which will allow users to search the Web for video content, upload their own videos, watch TV shows and rent movies. The move comes as AOL mulls a wide-ranging plan to offer many of its services, including e-mail, for free. The Washington Post/Reuters (7/30), The Wall Street Journal (7/31)
Verizon Wireless to accelerate music plans with "Chocolate" phoneVerizon Wireless on Aug. 7 will begin selling the "Chocolate" phone from LG Electronics, a move seen as a direct challenge to Apple Computer's iPod. The "Chocolate" device can be connected to a PC via USB cable, and, when outfitted with a storage card, can hold up to 2,000 songs. The carrier also said it will not require customers to sign up for a $15-per-month data plan to download songs. USA TODAY (7/31), The Wall Street Journal (7/31) ESPN 360 deal a sign of the timesESPN 360, the online video offering from the sports network, is a treasure trove of content, but available only to customers of Verizon
Communications, Adelphia and a handful of
regional providers. Broadband providers are making similar exclusive content deals as a
new way to attract subscribers. The New York Times (7/30) Time Warner may cut costs, not prices, after Adelphia dealTime Warner Cable, which will see its customer base increase by 29% in its joint deal with Comcast to buy the assets of Adelphia Communications, will be in a better position to negotiate content deals. But customers shouldn't expect any price cuts as a result, according to Glenn A. Britt, the CEO of Time Warner Cable. The New York Times (7/31) Other News
MetaSwitch pitches VoIP platform to cable operators
Motorola preps bid for Chicago Wi-Fi contract
Spending on broadband ads soars in U.K.
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Report: Skype, Kazaa founders working on video venture(BusinessWeek) Verizon picks GPON lineup(Telephony Online) Motorola adds sleek phones to lineup(Chicago Tribune) Study: VoIP quality is getting worse(ZDNet) Analysis: Huawei, other Chinese players poised to surge(TechNewsWorld)
Wi-Fi phones hit the marketPhones that can switch seamlessly between traditional wireless networks and Wi-Fi networks are popping up on the radar screen, and they could shake up the telecommunications industry. While such gadgets don't pose an immediate competitive threat to established carriers, they eventually could grab consumers' and businesses' attention for their ability to cut monthly bills and perform additional functions. The New York Times (7/29) Viral video bursts onto the media sceneViral video is reshaping the way people relate to video content, and it eventually could have a profound impact on the TV and advertising industries. A single video passed around via e-mail for a few days can reach tens of millions of eyeballs, about the same penetration as a major TV show. The Boston Globe (7/30)
Gabelli, Cingular win approval to bid for wireless licensesWall Street money manager Mario Gabelli received permission to enter an upcoming FCC auction of wireless spectrum, despite the fact that he agreed to pay $130 million to settle charges that he defrauded the government in spectrum sales. Cingular Wireless. also received permission to bid. Yahoo!/Reuters (7/28), The Wall Street Journal (7/29) Boston plans Wi-Fi system run by nonprofitBoston plans to develop citywide Wi-Fi service that will offer Internet access to anyone. But unlike other municipalities that have joined up with companies such as EarthLink, Boston plans to raise money to give to a nonprofit corporation to manage the system. The Boston Globe (7/31) Ebbers loses appealThe U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit rejected an appeal of former WorldCom chief Bernard Ebbers' fraud conviction. The Washington Post (7/29)
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Contributing Editor: