BROADWING TESTS DSL ENTERTAINMENT-ON-DEMAND TO CONSUMER TVS
Broadwing will begin market-testing a system to deliver broadband entertainment directly to consumers' televisions via its ZoomTown DSL service in Cincinnati, Ohio.  The trial will use a DSL set-top box manufactured by uniView Technologies.  Subscribers will have access to entertainment-on-demand broadband content provided by Intertainer.  The service uses Microsoft Windows Media Technologies including Windows Media Player video format and digital rights management (DRM) technology. http://www.broadwing.com
Broadwing, October 26, 2000

• A look at uniView Technologies' 310 VOD Digital Set Top box
  http://www.uniview.com/collateral/specs/310vod.htm
  
• In August, Intertainer agreed to use Akamai's globally distributed FreeFlow Streaming network to deliver long-form, streaming programming to consumers' homes.  Intertainer's service features content from over 60 media companies, including Columbia TriStar Television, The Disney Channel, Dreamworks SKG, ESPN, Sony Music, Twentieth Century Fox, and Warner Bros., among many others.  Intertainer is a venture of Comcast, Intel, Microsoft, NBC, Sony and Qwest.  The company is based Culver City, CA.  http://www.intertainer.com
  
• In July, Blockbuster, the videotape rental chain of Viacom Inc., announced a 20-year, exclusive agreement with Enron Broadband Services to deliver a Blockbuster entertainment service, initially featuring movies on-demand.  The on-demand service would deliver movies to consumers' televisions through DSL networks.  SBC Communications, Verizon (Bell Atlantic + GTE), Qwest, Covad Communications, Telus and ReFlex have signed on as local distribution providers.  The companies are promising VHS-quality or better with VCR-like control (pause, rewind, stop). 

ORACLE TRANSFERS INTERACTIVE TV BUSINESS TO NCUBE, THIRDSPACE
Oracle transferred its Interactive Television (iTV) Division to nCUBE and Thirdspace Living Limited in exchange for minority equity stakes in both companies.  nCUBE develops digital streaming servers for broadband operators and ISPs. http://www.oracle.com/tellmemore/?384954/
Oracle, October 26, 2000

• The Oracle Video Server (now in release 3.1) offers integration with the Oracle8i database, full VCR controls, a Visual Scan feature, real-time RAID, DVB support and distribution capability scaling to thousands of concurrent video streams.

ALCATEL & ORACLE INVEST IN THIRDSPACE TO ACCELERATE ITV RACE
Alcatel and Oracle will contribute cash, key personnel and other resources from their respective iTV departments to Thirdspace, a new company targeting interactive services over DSL.  Thirdspace will combine technology, content and marketing capabilities to deliver a range of digital TV and information services in partnership with telephone companies over existing copper loops.  http://www.thirdspace.tv/
Thirdspace, October 24, 2000

BT SELECTS ALCATEL'S 7670 ROUTING SWITCH PLATFORM
BT will deploy the Alcatel 7670 Routing Switch Platform (RSP) to aggregate and switch traffic from its dial-up ADSL and broadband leased-line networks.  The 7670 RSP is Alcatel's next generation multi-protocol platform for switching and routing of IP/MPLS and ATM based services. BT's multi-phased order has an estimated value of EURO 200 million and will be supplied by Marconi, a channel partner of Alcatel.  As a result of a separate and earlier contract, Alcatel is also a key provider of BT's ADSL technology, including central office lines and modems.
http://www.alcatel.com/vpr/?body=/latestnews/26102000uk
Alcatel, October 26, 2000

EUROPE'S 160 GBPS PANGEA UNDERSEA CABLE READY FOR SERVICE IN DECEMBER
The Pangea Network fiber optic cable system, which will connect the UK, the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, France, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland and Estonia, completed construction of its Network Operations Center (NOC) in Amsterdam. The fully funded Pangea Network system is configured as self-healing submarine and terrestrial rings with an initial capacity of 160 Gbps.  Portions of the SDH network are now operational, and capacity will be available on the entire system in December.  http://www.pangea.bm/
Pangea Ltd., October 26, 2000

NORTHPOINT REPORTS 87,000 DSL ACCOUNTS
As of September 30, NorthPoint Communications was serving 87,300 installed DSL lines, up from 62,000 cumulative lines at the end of Q2.  NorthPoint had 1,686 central offices (of which 1,624 were fully operational), passing 43.8 million homes and businesses in 109 metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs).  http://www.northpointdsl.com/
NorthPoint Communications, October 26, 2000

• In August, Verizon Communications announced plans tol merge its DSL operations with those of NorthPoint, including all of its end-user DSL lines (which totaled 221,000 at June 30, 2000) and more than $500 million of broadband network assets, and $800 million in cash.

EDGEFLOW INC. TARGETS OPTICAL NETWORKING
edgeflow Inc., a start-up founded by former executives from Siemens and Newbridge Network, raised $5.5 million from Sierra Ventures and Venture Coaches.  The company will develop intelligent optical networking solutions for the carrier and enterprise markets.  edgeflow is headed by Wes Biggs, who most recently served as Assistant Vice President of Research & Development of the Narrowband Group in Newbridge Networks. The company is based in Kanata, Canada.  http://www.edgeflow.com
Edgeflow, October 26, 2000