Comcast Begins Rollout of Extreme 50 Mbps High-Speed Internet Service

Plans to Reach More Than 10 Major Markets and Nearly 10 Million Homes and Businesses in the Next Several Months

Two New, Faster Speed Tiers Introduced and Speeds Doubled for Most Existing Customers

Comcast, the nation’s leading provider of entertainment, information and communications products and services, today announced it is making the leap from broadband to wideband with the launch of next-generation DOCSIS 3.0. With wideband, Comcast will introduce a brand new echelon of Internet speed tiers, which will redefine the customer experience online and create a platform for Internet innovation in the years ahead.

In the next few weeks, Comcast’s new services will be available to millions of residential homes and businesses in parts of New England, including the Boston Metropolitan region and Southern New Hampshire, as well as areas of Philadelphia and New Jersey. These services also will be available in the Twin Cities where wideband was launched earlier this year. Comcast plans to continue to roll out wideband across its footprint and expects to reach more than 10 major markets and pass nearly 10 million homes and businesses in the next several months.

With wideband, Comcast will offer among the fastest speeds available today, including the Extreme 50 tier at up to 50 Mbps. It also will enable Comcast to double speeds for the majority of existing high-speed Internet customers at no additional cost.

Verizon FiOS TV Broadens Multicultural Content With 14 New In-Language Channels From World TV

New Content Includes Leading Channels for Arabic, Portuguese and Russian Audiences, Among Others

As part of Verizon's continual expansion of its FiOS TV channel lineup, the company announced Monday (Aug. 25) that it has started adding 14 new multicultural channels from World TV. The channels, broadcast in eight different languages, offer a diverse mix of programming to FiOS TV subscribers.

"This new programming from around the world is part of what makes FiOS TV the ultimate home-entertainment experience," said Terry Denson, vice president -- FiOS TV content and programming. "It also helps to expand our multicultural channel lineup, making FiOS TV an outlet for emerging and independent networks to showcase their diverse content."

The 14 new channels come from World TV, a division of content management and delivery company GlobeCast, which previously signed a distribution deal with Verizon for top-tier international channels.

BRIDGEVINE RANKS ON INC 500 LIST FOR SECOND YEAR BY SIMPLIFYING SHOPPING FOR HIGH SPEED INTERNET AND CABLE TV BUNDLES

COMPANY RANKED NO. 182 ON THE 2008 LIST OF FASTEST GROWING COMPANIES

VERO BEACH, Florida, and ATLANTA, Georgia— August 20, 2008 — Bridgevine, Inc., the trusted source for consumers to compare and shop for cable TV, high speed internet and other digital home services, announced the company was recently ranked No. 182 on the 2008 Inc 500 list of the fastest growing private companies.

The digital services market is so fragmented with deals and packages that consumers are baffled. Bridgevine's web site allows shoppers to choose the best values from online video rental and high speed internet to cable TV, moving services or home security. “A listing on the Inc. 500 for the second straight year demonstrates how consumers realize the value our service provides them,” states Bridgevine’s President and CEO Vinny Olmstead. “Our remarkable growth is the result of a strong team, solid technology and listening and responding to consumer needs and wants.”

Bridgevine’s CFO Rob Hamilton goes on to state, “Our Company will continue raising the bar higher to deliver the best service possible, for the millions of consumers with unique needs. We are very proud of this Inc. 500 honor and we look forward to building upon it again next year.

Bridgevine’s consumer-facing website, Bridgevine.com, addresses the often daunting task of shopping for services in a marketplace where constantly changing prices, promotions and package offerings can leave consumers unsure if they are getting the best deal, or even the service that best meets their need. Unlike other “comparison” shopping sites, the Bridgevine experience is differentiated by a unified shopping cart, real-time pricing, order status and scheduling to deliver the best customer experience in the industry. Bridgevine’s deep integration with leading service providers enables the company to deliver the most accurate information on services, pricing and special promotions, adding even more value to the bundled services shopping experience.

About Bridgevine
Founded in 2003, Bridgevine, Inc. is headquartered in Vero Beach, FL with an office in Atlanta, GA. The company’s consumer-facing website, Bridgevine.com, is a trusted source for consumers to compare and shop for the services that shape their lives. From communications to entertainment to security, Bridgevine.com lets consumers choose individual services that are best for them, or create personalized bundles from trusted providers resulting in saved time and money. Unlike other “comparison” shopping websites, Bridgevine’s powerful technology offers a unified shopping cart, real-time pricing, order status and scheduling to deliver the best customer experience in the industry. Bridgevine’s deep integration with leading service providers from across the country — including Comcast, AT&T, D-Link, Time Warner Cable, Verizon, DIRECTV, RealNetworks, Panasonic, GameFly and more — enables Bridgevine to deliver the most accurate information on services, pricing and special promotions, adding even more value to the bundled services shopping experience. The company’s proprietary ecommerce platform is licensed by leading retailers, websites and Fortune 500 companies, making it possible for them to monetize online, call center and in-store traffic. Bridgevine was ranked 57 on the prestigious 2007 Inc. 500 list of fastest growing private companies. For more information, please visit www.bridgevine.com.

Yankee Group Says 2008 Is the High-Water Mark for Interactive Cable

Cable Networks Must Step Back From Interactive Video and Address On-Demand Programming

Yankee Group today announced that there is a significant shift taking place in the advertising industry—cable and IPTV operators will lose out to internet video platforms in the competition for the incremental ad revenue that supports investments in interactive television. By the time cable and IPTV operators will be able to deliver interactivity to a large number of households, content owners and advertisers will have already made long-term interactive platform investments online.

According to the recently published Yankee Group Report, The High-Water Mark for Interactive Cable, digital and interactive advertising is the cornerstone for the infrastructure investments necessary to support interactive programming. Cable networks will continue to command large linear audiences and above-the-line advertising revenue, but cable operators will be limited in their ability to deliver interactive experiences that can compete with internet video.

“Ubiquitous broadband connectivity is driving a new media mix for time-shifting and ad-skipping audiences,” said Daniel Taylor, senior analyst, Yankee Group Consumer Research group. “Advertisers see interactive television as a way to reach viewers in this increasingly saturated media environment. But in light of recent internet video developments, it's time for cable operators to face facts about their abilities to deliver interactive experiences.”