mPhase Technologies Inc. and AlphaStar International Inc. are
teaming up to deliver satellite television content with Digital Subscriber
Line broadband systems.
AlphaStar pulls local and global content and sends it to telcos over a
small dish satellite. The mPhase (XDSL)
DSL solution then distributes television content from the telco to
households over standard copper wire. Because the content is delivered from
the telco central office to consumers over the existing twisted pair copper
telephone wire no infrastructure upgrades are necessary.
The deal is a big step toward providing telcos with television content in
an attempt shift the balance of power away from cable providers. The
network is a pioneering effort to create a new distribution medium for
phone companies to compete with cable and satellite networks.
Ronald A. Durando, mPhase president and chief executive officer, said
telcos could quickly provide customized content to customers.
“The ability to partner with a pioneer in the delivery of satellite
broadcasting and Internet streaming digital content puts mPhase in a
position to offer a complete solution to telcos nationwide,” Durando said.
“Using mPhase Television broadcasts, telcos can provide their own content
to their customers economically, immediately and conveniently.”
Mahmoud Wahba, AlphaStar president, said combining its global satellite
coverage with mPhase’s last mile solutions ushers in a new era
entertainment distribution.
“Now 96 percent of Americans have the potential to get both local, global
TV and radio programming via their existing phone connection,” Wahba. “The
potential to penetrate the global market is equally impressive.”
Michelle Abraham, Cahners In-Stat
Group senior analyst, said the deal takes advantage of broadband
service growth that is expected to significantly increase over the next
several years.
“Companies that can package value-added services such as interactive
content and e-commerce will be well-positioned to seize a primary foothold
in this burgeoning market,” Abraham said.
The joint venture is located at the AlphaStar facilities in Oxford,
Connecticut. The teleport is one of about a dozen facilities worldwide
capable of uplinking and downlinking satellite feeds using Ku and C bands.
AlphaStar is one-of-four Direct-To-Home (DTH) satellite broadcasting
companies. Its network provides telcos worldwide with interactive
television and video content over a hybrid model of satellites and standard
copper telephone wire.
mPhase designs digital television and high-speed data solutions for the
telecommunications industry. mPhase’s flagship product, the TRAVERSER, uses
Rate Adaptive Digital Subscriber Line (RADSL) technology to enable
telephone companies to simultaneously transmit high-speed Internet access,
up to 400 channels of digital television programming and traditional voice
services.
