Verizon FiOS Announcements

As previously reported, Verizon held a webcast/conference call today to introduce new programming for FiOS TV and some upgrades to FiOS Internet services. The key points were:

Verizon has launched (as of today) local news and information channels on Long Island and in Northern New Jersey under the name FiOS1. In those markets FiOS is competing with Cablevision, which has established local news programming outlets. No stated plans at this time to establish FiOS1 outlets anywhere else, though one already exists in the DC area. FiOS1 will gather and produce content with the help of RNN (Regional News Network) which is apparently already doing some work in Philadelphia though I'm not sure with whom.

Internet Speeds: The 10/2 Mbps entry-level tier will increase to 15/5 Mbps. The 20/5 Mbps jumps to 25/15 Mbps. In New York City and Long Island, entry-level starts at 25/15 Mbps, with mid-tier of 35/20 Mbps (available only in bundles). Verizon is emphasizing the doubling or tripling of upload speeds, which it considers one of its major competitive advantages vs. Cable.
Verizon execs indicated that while they certainly would have the technological capability to do so, they do not see much consumer demand right now for 100 Mbps and are not planning to move towards this, focusing instead on the increased upload speeds.

Customer signing up for various bundles can receive a free or discounted Compaq mini netbook or a free Flip Ultra camcorder, depending on the type of bundle.

Also, Verizon Raises FiOS Prices, But Hardly Mentions It (New York Times: Bits)

Daily Links 6/22/09: Comcast, SAP Losing Share vs. Major Competitors?

DirecTV closing in on Comcast (Philadelphia Inquirer)

Comcast to provide wholesale IPv6 service (ars technica)

SAP Loses Customers to Oracle on Ellison’s Acquisition Binge (Bloomberg)

What really happened with SAP Business ByDesign? (ZDNet Blogs)

Lancaster, Pa., keeps a close eye on itself (Los Angeles Times)

QlikTech CEO Lars Bjork Named Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year 2009 Award Winner in Greater Philadelphia (PR Web)

Blood, Sweat & Capital LLC Announces Launch and Calls for Healthcare Business Ideas (Business Wire)
Worth posting for the name, if nothing else.

DSG Announces Record Growth for First Half of 2009 (Business Wire)

ExpertPlan buys service center from ADP
Acquisition will expand firm’s geographic reach (Investment News)

SCTE: Meetings Of The Minds
As Cable Engineering Group Looks Back, It Eyes New Opportunities Ahead (Multichannel News)
The SCTE is based in Exton.

CMS Names NextGen Healthcare a Qualified PQRI Patient Registry for 2009 (Business WIre)

Synygy Introduces Sales Compensation Management Outsourcing Services for Small and Mid-sized Companies (Business Wire)

Channel 6 quadruples signal to improve reception (Philadelphia Inquirer)

Apple rejects a Commodore 64 emulating iPhone app that coulda been a contender (MobileCrunch)



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Philly Tech Events

People News 6/21/09

University City Science Center Names Four to Board
(Business Wire)

New Independent Director Joins InterDigital Board (Business WIre)

Gregory Barger Joins NewSpring Capital (PE Hub)

Canoe Names COO (Light Reading:
Cable Digital News)

Prof. Dr. August‐Wilhelm Scheer is awarded the VHB prize for being the most 
scientifically oriented entrepreneur 2009  (IDS Scheer Press Release)

MedQuist Adds Kevin Piltz as New Chief Information Officer (PR Newswire)

Aloysius Butler & Clark Expands Interactive Department; Adds Stuart Thomas and Lindsay Kohl (Philly Ad Club News)

DeLeon Group Adds Stephanie Turzanski as AC
(Philly Ad Club News)

Entercom Ups Jim Rushton to VP/Sports Sales (Radio Online)

SAP in Preliminary Talks on Acquisition, Welt am Sonntag Says (Bloomberg)
I don't like to fan rumors, but Tibco, which some have mentioned
as a possible target for SAP, would probably fit within the price range mentioned in the article.

Comcast positioning itself for digital future (Boston Globe)
Interview with Brian Roberts.

Razorfish Still Blowing Dot-Bomb Bubbles (Information Week Blogs)
A little harsh?

MyMedicalReports.com & iGuard.org Partnership Provides Reliable Interactive Health Resource (Business Wire)
MyMedicalReports is based in Wayne, iGuard in Princeton.

Philadelphia Film Market gives filmmakers a chance to showcase their wares (Philadelphia Inquirer)

Verizon FiOS Announcement on Monday

Verizon is holding a webcast + conference call on Monday morning to "reveal new choices for local programming available on the Verizon FiOS TV Network in the greater New York/New Jersey region". Verizon execs will also discuss "several new promotions and compelling broadband developments".
Whether Verizon is going to up its top FiOS download speed of 50 Mbps is unclear. Other options could include some speed increases for existing tiers (as reported previously) and price cuts for some tiers. Verizon will also be offering a free Compaq netbook for FiOS bundle subscribers, according to Broadband Reports.
Not clear if this will apply immediately to the Philadelphia area, but anything announced for NY/NJ should be coming down the pike pretty soon.

Nortel selling wireless unit to Nokia Siemens (Reuters)

Apple: Steve Jobs Had Liver Transplant, WSJ Reports (Barron's: Tech Trader Daily)

Google tricycle snaps views from Philly campus (Associated Press via Google News)

Daily Links 6/19/09: Lockheed GPS Satellite Glitches

LLR Partners' Bullitt on PE deals
(The Deal.com: Dealscape)

Cheap jibe sullies SAP's SaaS strategy (ZDNet Blogs)

iPhone 3GS launch in Atlantic City (ZDNet Blogs)
Jason O'Grady reports early.

Air Force: GPS Glitches May Cause Boeing, Lockheed Martin Contract Delays (Satellite Today)

Court Sends Verizon's Wholesale Pricing Bid Back To FCC (Dow Jones via CNN Money)


Comcast Tries On 3D VoD (Light Reading: Cable Digital News)

You can pick up these cool Comcast 3D Glasses for free!




PA-MAPPS Elects New Officers, Adopts Strategic Plan (GISUSER.com)

Ulticom Announces Settlement With SEC
(Globe Newswire)

AnySource Media is About to Cram the Internet into Your TV (Keystone Edge)

Municibid markets gov’t stuff (Philadelphia Business Journal: Technology Blog)



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Daily Links 6/18/09: Comcast assumes full ownership of NECN

June 2009 Business Outlook Survey (Philadelphia Reserve Bank of Philadelphia)
A little less gloomy.

Another Hot Market For SaaS: Business Intelligence (Information Week Blogs)

QlikTech Unveils India Strategy (CXOtoday)

Comcast assumes full ownership of NECN (Boston Globe)

Canoe Scraps Initial Zone-Ad Plans
CEO Verklin: Technical, Business Limitations Made CAM 1.0 Too Inflexible (Multichannel News)

Comcast open for IPv6 business (Network World)

Comcast Corporation Announces Cash Tender Offer for Certain Outstanding Debt Securities (Business Wire)

Errant Shots? No, Marines Look for Errant Golfers (New York Times)
On Camden's myLEADERBOARD.

SAP Wants to Help Microcredit Groups Manage Loans (PC World)

Photos from the Atlanta Clearwire Launch (Media Experiences 2 Go)

Clearwire Media Exec Leaves; Is The WiMax Company Changing Its Content Strategy? (mocoNews.net)

Demdex Comes Out Of Stealth, Offers Advertisers Their Own Behavioral Data Bank (TechCrunch)
Another First Round Capital portfolio company.

Gov’t still looking to tighten rules on venture capital (VentureBeat)
Ridiculous.

RadiSys and LCR Electronics Collaborate to Deliver Ruggedized ATCA Solutions (Business Wire)

AnySource Media to Drive Viewership for The Associated Press (PR Newswire)



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U Penn Named 4th Best Place to Work In IT (Computerworld)

Computerworld recently released its 100 BEST PLACES TO WORK IN IT 2009, and Penn, as usual, ranked right near the top at #4. Other area companies and organizations in the top 100 were Lehigh Valley Health Network of Allentown (43), The Vanguard Group (67), and Temple University (90).
Some others that have a significant presence in the region are Verizon Wireless (7), Exelon Corp, parent of PECO Energy (23), The Chubb Group (36) , Penn National Insurance in Harrisburg (62), Aetna (70), and some of the large consulting firms.
Does this ring true at all?

Infragistics On The Move To Bigger Things

Infragistics, the prominent developer of user interface development tools for the Microsoft platform, is moving from East Windsor, NJ (near Princeton) up the road north a few miles to a much larger new headquarters in South Brunswick, MyCentralJersey.com reports.
The move, which is expected to occur late this year or at the beginning of next year, will increase the company's space to 72,00 square feet, up from 24,000 currently. About 150 employees will move to the new location, and Infragistice says it plans to double its workforce, and is currently hiring technical document writers, software release engineers and software developers.