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Cablevision: Data and Voice Growing Faster than Cable TV
 Cablevision, which serves the NYC metro region, saw its Q1 2012 revenue grow 0.2% to $1.659 billion, consolidated adjusted operating cash flow (AOCF) decreased 7.6% to $513.5 million and consolidated operating income declined 16.0% to $250.1 million, all compared with the prior year period.
Cablevision reported continued growth of data and phone customers, which was offset by fewer video customers than the prior year period. For first quarter 2012, Optimum Lightpath net revenues increased 2.9% to $79.5 million, AOCF increased 0.7% to $32.7 million and operating income decreased 2.7% to $10.6 million, each as compared to the prior year period. First quarter results reflect an 11.1% increase in revenue from Ethernet services and higher operating expenses.
The company also noted in its conference call:
The digitization of the network will be completed this year.
The regional Wi-Fi network is a key differentiator. So far, 30% of customer have used the Wi-Fi network. There have been 1.3 million devices enrolled for auto-sign-in, of which 50% are smartphones.
During 2012, Cablevision is increasing CAPEX for expansion of the Wi-Fi network, including rollout of further
in-door and outdoor Wi-Fi hotspots in targeted areas....
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Comcast Gains Internet Subscribers, Prepare X1 Cloud-based Content Navigator
Comcast reported slightly higher churn in cable video subscriptions during Q1 with a decline of 37,000 subscribers for the period. Meanwhile, the High-Speed Internet service continued to expand faster than its peers with the addition of 439,000 subscribers.
Revenue increased 22.7% in the first quarter of 2012 to $14.9 billion, while Operating Cash Flow increased 15.3% to $4.7 billion and Operating Income increased 24.0% to $2.8 billion. Earnings per Share (EPS) for the first quarter of 2012 was $0.45, a 32.4% increase from the $0.34 reported in the first quarter of 2011.
"We are off to a great start in 2012, with strong revenue and cash flow growth and record quarterly free cash flow. Cable's results show real momentum in High-Speed Internet and Business Services, and continuing improvements in Video results and Voice services," stated Brian L. Roberts, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Comcast.
Some highlights:
High-speed Internet had a strong quarter in customer growth with 439,000 net additions, up 5% from the strongest quarter last year, and outpacing the net additions of competitors.
Business Services recorded a 37% growth in revenue in the quarter, making it a significant engine for growth for the company.
During February, Comcast launched Streampix for streaming movies and TV.
Comcast Voice had 164,000 net adds during Q1. The company is enhancing the service with readable voicemail, free text messaging and Skype on XFINITY.
XFINITY Home, which incorporates home security, home control, and energy management, is now available in 72% of the Comcast footprint.
Comcast is planning to launch its X1 cloud-based user interface to hundreds of thousands of homes this year.
The Verizon Wireless marketing partnership is up and running in six markets.
Comcast now has 11.1 million high-def and/or DVR customers, equal to 54% of its 20.7 million digital customers.
Total cable CAPEX was stable at $1.1 billion, equal to 11% of cable revenue versus 11.6% in the first quarter of 2011.
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Comcast and Verizon Wireless Extend Co-Marketing
Comcast and Verizon Wireless are moving ahead with their co-marketing agreement with special bundled offers in a number of markets.
Depending on the package chosen, new and existing customers of both Comcast and Verizon Wireless could qualify for cash incentive between $50 and $300, and/or a "double your data package" on the Comcast Xfinity Internet service and a doubling of a 4G LTE data plan from Verizon Wireless.
"Because mobility is a top priority of the consumer, we co-developed an offering that provides a terrific wireless, entertainment and communications experience in one spot," said Jonathan Lecompton, president, Verizon Wireless Georgia-Alabama Region. "Comcast continues to deliver exceptional entertainment and communications services and the Verizon Wireless 4G LTE network is the ideal complement to complete the package."
In addition to Atlanta, Comcast and Verizon Wireless are expanding the offer to five additional markets today: Chicago; Colorado; Kansas City, Mo.; Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn.; and Salt Lake City. Earlier this year, Verizon Wireless and Comcast launched in Portland, Ore.; San Francisco; and Seattle. ...
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MCNC Advances North Carolina's Golden LEAF
The first round of MCNC's $144 million Golden LEAF Rural Broadband Initiative (GLRBI) is complete with all fiber now actively in service to Community Anchor Institutions (CAIs) including K-12 schools, universities, community colleges, health care facilities, public health facilities, libraries, research institutions, and other sectors of CAIs in western and southeastern North Carolina. 
The GLRBI is funded through grants from U.S. Department of Commerce's Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) and significant matching funds from private donations and investments including a $24 million investment from the Golden LEAF Foundation. Once complete through two phases, the GLRBI will greatly expand the reach and capacity of the North Carolina Research and Education Network (NCREN) in the state.
Some highlights:
- All North Carolina Community Colleges have been connected to NCREN;
- The video services infrastructure on the network was upgraded;
- East Carolina University received a 10gig network upgrade and now serves as a hub for most of eastern North Carolina;
- the National Climatic Data Center in Asheville now has a 10gig connection,
- Vidant Medical Center in Pitt County became the first not-for-profit hospital connected to the N.C. Telehealth Network via NCREN,
- MCNC received federal approval to begin the second phase of the GLRBI in June 2011. Since that time, MCNC has mobilized efforts and made significant progress on this portion of the project, which is three-times the size of the first phase.
- The total of new miles spanning both projects is currently 2,604.
- The routes for Round 1 as engineered represent 904 newly-operational miles of which 414 miles are new construction.
- All Round 1 fiber is now lit and placed into service.
- The routes for Round 2 as engineered represent 1,700 total miles, of which 1,338 are new construction and 362 are being obtained and/or leased via indefeasible rights of use (IRU) or existing fiber is being upgraded.
595 miles of new conduit has been built along the Round 2 project route, 292 miles of fiber has been deployed within that conduit, and nearly 307 miles of dark fiber have been obtained via IRUs.
- The participating vendors and contractors who worked on Round 1 include: Fiber Technologies for construction/installation of fiber in western North Carolina; Globe Communications for construction/installation of fiber in the southeast; Comtech for all the fiber splicing related to this portion of the project; Cisco Systems for providing the Cisco ONS 15454 Optical Design Network Solution; CommScope for supplying all fiber-optic cable and materials; and ONUG Communications for engineering design, project planning, and related services.
- All construction for the GLRBI is to be complete by 2013.
"This first phase of the project already is having a positive impact on student learning, patient outcomes in health care, economic outcomes in job creation and community development, and is accelerating innovation and research all across the state," said MCNC President and CEO Joe Freddoso. "Our goal is to continue creating infrastructure that meets the advanced needs of research, education, and health care while stabilizing costs to consumers and small businesses in areas where affordable broadband currently isn't available."
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MegaPath Expands Ethernet Over Copper Footprint Across U.S.
As the result of its latest buildout in central offices across the country, MegaPath, the new local exchange carrier formed through the merger of Speakeasy, Covad Communications and MegaPath, now claims to be the largest provider of on-net Ethernet over Copper (EoC) services in the United States.
MegaPath offers EoC on its network in 19 major markets, including Los Angeles, New York, Washington D.C., Chicago, Dallas, Miami and San Francisco, reaching millions of businesses with symmetrical speeds up to 45 Mbps...
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