Here is a recap of some of the latest cable and ISP news around the country - and the world - for the week of June 5, 2017:
Rheo - New Social Video Platform Learns What You Like To Watch
A new social video app streams short videos to you that fit your mood: Taste, Learn, Inform, Spark, Chill or Laugh. You just select your mood and it “curates” a stream of videos chosen for you. You can’t search for videos but if you don’t like what Rheo shows you just skip to the next one. It learns what you like, the more you watch.
Former Apple developers Alan Cannistaro and Charles Migos designed the platform so you don’t spend time searching for what you want to watch. Rheo selects videos for you to either watch or skip.
Windstream to North Georgia: “We’re 10% There”
Windstream announced this week that they have completed upgrading over 6000 households in Blairsville, Georgia, moving toward upgrading over 67,000 North Georgia households by the end of the year.
The upgrade plan which was announced last year aims to provide up to 100 megabits-per-second (Mbps) internet speeds. The project will include 13 North Georgia communities, including Cleveland, Hiawassee, Clarkesville, Young Harris, Helen, Homer, Cornelia, Commerce, Dawsonville, Jefferson, Nicholson, Dahlonega and Blairsville, as well as Hayesville in North Carolina.
Windstream says the 100 Mbps speeds will enable residents to:
- Enjoy online games with less lag
- Download a 1 GB HD video in less than a minute and a half
- Download a high-quality full length album in less than 5 seconds
- Download 100 photographs in about 16 seconds
- Video chat almost seamlessly.
Google Yawns at Chrome Recording You Without Your Knowledge
An AOL web developer discovered that Google Chrome has a bug that may let websites record you without your knowledge, ie, without the red dot that lets someone know they are being recorded showing up. When he reported it to Google they said that it wasn’t “really a security vulnerability,” but they might get around to fixing it. It shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise that Google is cavalier with your privacy. They have made $ billions exploiting it.
Dish Network Ordered to Pay Millions For Robo Calls
Earlier this year Dish and their vendor, Satellite Systems Network, were found guilty of illegally calling 50,000 North Carolina residents who were on the federal Do Not Call registry. The original award was $400.00 to each person called but last week Judge Catherine Eagles tripled the award to $1,200.00 for each person. Dish is also accused of violating the Telephone Consumer Protection Act and the Telemarketing Sales Rule in Illinois, California and Ohio in addition to North Carolina. The Dish Network could face almost $1 billion in fines.
In 2015 Dish Network was found guilty of more than 50 million call violations. 50 million! Robo calls have become such a problem that the FCC has initiated a telecom industry led Robo Call Strike Force to combat them.
T-Mobile Takes Aim At Verizon Wireless
T-Mobile announced that it would pay up to $1,000 to Verizon customers to pay off their Pixel or iPhone SE, 6S or 7 when they switch to T-Mobile. This is adding insult to injury for Verizon who already lost almost 300,000 wireless customers in the first quarter of the year. T-Mobile gained almost 800,000 customers during the same time.
T-Mobile announced that they have a similar offer for Sprint and AT&T wireless customers. As with all “deals” there is some fine print requirements to be eligible for the offer so make sure you read that if you are interested in switching.
Now Over 10 Million Viewers JustWatch
JustWatch, a Berlin based start up just passed the 10 million user threshold. JustWatch is a streaming search engine. The app is free and with it you can search for the most cost effective way to stream your favorite TV show or movie.
JustWatch indexes all the major streaming providers whether it is a pay-per-episode service like Amazon, Google Play or iTunes or unlimited streaming services like Netflix and Hulu or even premium cable channels like HBO or Showtime.
If you want to watch a certain movie, just click on it and you see all the services on which it is currently available. It will tell you where you can rent it, where you can buy it, if it is available on a subscription service and how much it is on each platform.
Did I mention the JustWatch app is free?
Internet of Things World 2017 Event in Santa Clara
As the Internet of Things take over the world, major IoT players from around the world attended Internet of Things World 2017, held at the Santa Clara Convention Center.
Companies and organizations like Microsoft, AT&T, Samsung, Hewlett Packard, Intel and even the FBI came to show and tell as well as listen and look at what the future of life will be as we connect more and more “Things” to the Internet.
The main focus of the event was AI, Security, solving real problems with connected devices and growth of connected devices.
Concurrently at the Santa Clara Convention Center the Connected and Autonomous Vehicle event was held since the two subjects have a lot of cross information.
Internet of Things (IoT) Report Warns of Security Dangers
A report released on May 31st called IoT Third Party Risk Report by the Ponemon Institute shows that 76% of those surveyed believe that a there will be a hack of unsecured Internet of Things devices within the next two years. 94% believe that such an attack would be “catastrophic.” The survey was sent out to individuals who have a role in risk management in their organization and are familiar with the connected devices in their organization. The survey further revealed that although most of those surveyed acknowledged that it was an important issue, not nearly enough was being done, all along the command chain, to make IoT devices secure.
Some of the things that could occur with a major hack of Internet of Things devices would be that suddenly connected devices like medical devices, phones, appliances and security systems stopped working. A scarier scenario would be that hospitals, power grids and airports shut down. It may be that a major event has to occur before those in charge take action.
Charter Says No To Verizon’s $100 Billion Offer
The rumor mill is saying that recently Verizon made a $100 billion offer to buy Charter Communications but, according to reports originating in the New York Post, the bid was too low and Charter wasn’t ready to sell. With Charter CEO Tom Rutledge making almost 100 million himself last year it explains why he wouldn’t want to sell right away.
With Verizon working on buying Yahoo, AT&T working on buying Time Warner Inc, and Charter’s recent acquisition of Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks it seems there is merger in the air.
Connect America Fund Helps Frontier Connect Another 46,000 Households in Ohio
Frontier Communications has again taken advantage of the FCC’s Connect America Fund to extend broadband connections to almost 13,000 more households and improved speeds to an additional 33,000 households in rural od underserved zip codes. All in all Frontier enhanced Internet connection in 25 counties in Ohio in the past 18 months. The Connect America Fund was put in place to help Americans find High Speed Internet in their zip code.