By Patricia Fusco
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 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 wires. mhase designs digital
television and high-speed data solutions for the tecommunications
industry. mhase’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.