Comcast Corp. (CMCSA) is likely to start its nationwide TV Everywhere service, named “On Demand Online", within the next couple of months. TV Everywhere is basically a broadband video service that will enable pay-TV subscribers to watch premium cable programming online over broadband networks. Preference for video-on-demand (watching movie on the Internet) has increased significantly among customers. In addition, demand for online gaming and downloading of various multimedia applications has also gone up.  With TV Everywhere, cable TV subscribers will have access to any entertainment content developer’s library on his/her computer, notebook and mobile handset through an easy and quick authentication system that will link their pay-TV subscriptions to watch cable programming using a broadband connection.  Since last June, Comcast, together with Time Warner Inc. (TWX) is conducting a trial run for its On Demand Online service with 5,000 customers. The trial implemented a "check-in ...

ADC Telecommunications Inc. (ADCT) has decided to assist rural telecom service providers in preparing their applications for the Broadband Stimulus funds through the Rural Utilities Service (RUS) program.

The company recently formed a Rural Carrier User Group to coordinate with several carriers, broadband consultants and engineering firms to exchange information and develop new ideas for emerging FTTP deployments. The American Reinvestment & Recovery Act (ARRA) contains provisions that encourage telecom operators to apply for grants, loans and guarantees to assist them in deploying un-served and under-served communities for broadband access.

The Broadband Stimulus Program has received significant acceptance among rural carriers. Out the total allotment of $7.2 billion, the first round will inject $4 billion into the industry. Yesterday, National Telecommunications and Information Administration said it had received about $28 billion in bids from various telecom service providers for the first round of stimulus fund.

ADC Telecommunications is

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Artificial Life Inc. is a leading full service provider of award-winning mobile technology, games, and applications. Founded in 1994, Artificial Life Inc. went public in 1998. Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, the company has their production center in Hong Kong as well as additional offices in Berlin, Germany, and a sales office in Tokyo, Japan.

Artificial Life provides mobile broadband 3G technology, mobile participation TV, mobile gaming, content, and mobile business applications. They also provide mobile advertisement and product placements and mobile aggregation and distribution. Artificial Life provides 2D and 3D multi- and single player rich-media applications for 3G, 3.5G/HSDPA and 4G network-enabled mobile phones. The company has received recognition internationally for outstanding content quality and technology.

Artificial Life announced in 2008 that their mobile development tool MobileBooster™ now extends its support to the iPhone® and iPod® touch platforms. Created by Artificial Life for mobile 2G/3G applications and games, MobileBooster™

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Small telecom equipment manufacturers, like Alvarion Ltd. (ALVR), Arris Group (ARRS), ADC Telecommunications (ADCT), and Anaren Inc. (ANEN), are expected to benefit from the $7.2 billion Broadband stimulus fund granted by the U.S. government under the Rural Utilities Service program.

The American Reinvestment & Recovery Act contains provisions that encourage telecom operators to apply for grants, loans and guarantees to assist them in deploying un-served and under-served communities for broadband access. Telecom-gear makers and infrastructure-solution providers will help the regional/rural telecom operators to plan, design, and implement broadband networks.

Recently, Alvarion received a five-year contract from Open Range Communications Inc, a U.S. wireless operator. The total contract size is more than $100 million. Alvarion will provide radio-access equipment, customer premises devices and systems integration for Open Range's broadband wireless network deployment spanning 17 states, 546 rural communities that may reach out to a population

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Hello 2009.  What do you have in store for us? Will you finally put the immense problems of the economy behind you? What surprises are you going to spring on us?

Nobody gave me a crystal ball for Christmas. Then again it doesn’t take one to predict a lousy 2009. “More of the same” isn’t much of a prediction, is it? It’s more like a status report projected into the future.

I don’t believe in “more of the same.” Either things will get better or worse. The one thing they won’t do is stay the same. Here are six things I think will happen in ‘09.

1. The BRICs (Brazil, Russia, India and China) will have a terrible year. China will compete with the U.S. on who has the bigger government-led infrastructure program. They will also compete on whose is more effective. China’s will be building roads and schools. In addition

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President-elect Barack Obama yesterday (Thursday) named Mary L. Schapiro – a strong proponent of protections for individual investors – to head the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission when his administration takes office next month, the biggest of three nominations with potential financial crisis implications.

And in the latest addition to his Obamanomics plan, the president-elect has also proposed a massive stimulus package of as much as $775 billion over the next two years as part of a historic infusion that’s aimed at overhauling America’s infrastructure, schools, broadband networks and energy use, a Congressional source told MarketWatch.com yesterday.

But making the Schapiro nomination official was considered a key move. In its Thursday morning issue, Money Morning reported that Schapiro had been chosen and that an official announcement would be made later in the day. And that’s just what happened.

Obama named

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Conexant Systems, Inc. (CNXT) designs and develops semiconductor solutions that enable consumers to access the digital world. The company's products enable set-top boxes (STBs), personal computers (PCs), and game terminals to share voice, video, and data over broadband networks including asynchronous digital subscriber line (ASDL), cable, and direct broadcast satellite systems.Recently, Conexant closed the deal for SigmaTel's Multi-Function Printer unit, which it purchased for $16 million and divested its broadband media processing segment. The company is in the process of deleveraging its balance sheet and retired almost $133 million of debt in fiscal 2008. Going forward, management had limited visibility owing to the global financial crisis and expects revenues between $103 million and $108 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2009, down 12%-16% sequentially. We continue to rate the stock a Hold and have set a target price of $1.50.Read ...

Arris Group, Inc. (ARRS), a leading provider of communication infrastructure for broadband networks, announced mixed financial results for second quarter 2008.

The company’s overall revenue growth was limited as a result of softening sales to Comcast (CMCSA) and Time Warner Cable (TWC). Net income, however, was above our estimates due to effective expense control and the introduction of higher margin products, following its C-COR acquisition. Arris maintains a solid order backlog, a favorable book-to-bill ratio, and strong free cash flow. We also believe the deployment of switch-digital video will ramp up in early 2009 to support Arris' growth projections.

On the other hand, it is our opinion that the company has a limited range of product offerings as its EMTA line of solutions may have reached a demand plateau. This, together with ongoing global economic uncertainties, may hinder valuation improvements over the near-term. We maintain our Hold

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