Lilia Guan

Lako Pacific has released Dvico’s FusionHDTV Dual Digital and the Hybrid, both high definition, DVB-T digital TV tuner for Windows based PCs.

The FusionHDTV Dual Digital is a HD digital TV tuner with two TV tuners on one PCI card that allows consumers to watch one digital channel while recording another simultaneously. Whilst the Hybrid is a digital & analogue TV tuner card for those who are unsure of whether they are able to receive digital TV or not, it will also allow them to convert their PC into a TV.

FusionHDTV Dual Digital The Dual Digital opens up options for end users to watch 2 streams of high definition digital TV simultaneously, watch one and record another or record both channels at the same time. It incorporates 2 HDTV tuners on one PCI card,
sparing a PCI slot for systems builders and endusers looking to install 2 TV tuners in their desktop PC. The Dual Digital also lets you have a Picture-in-Picture mode or Multiple Viewer mode, record TV in DVD/MPEG-2 format, schedule record in PC hibernation mode, pause and replay live TV with Time shifting, capture high resolution still images, capture analogue video from a VCR, and supports Electronic Program Guides (EPG) and subtitling.

The Hybrid is both an analogue and high definition digital TV tuner card for desktop PCs, designed for end-users who require full TV coverage, digital or analogue. It also features Time Shifting for pausing and replaying live TV, scheduled recording, support for EPG, analogue video capture for digitizing video from a VCR or analogue camcorder, still image capture from TV or video, and converts native recorded HDTV files into DViX DVD or MPEG-4 formats.

Both the FusionHDTV Dual Digital & Hybrid are compatible with Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 operating system (MCE2005) which means users of Media Center home PCs can view and record hi-definition TV along with the convenience of playing back all the multimedia files in the PC.

The FusionHDTV Dual Digital is currently available and priced at $325 inc.GST. The FusionHDTV Hybrid retails for $249.

D-Link Australia and New Zealand has sold one million ADSL modems in this region.

With the estimated number of ADSL subscribers in Australia and New Zealand currently less than two million, this suggests D-Link ADSL devices dominate in the broadband marketplace.

According to D-Link ANZ Managing Director, Domenic Torre the company has constantly maintained an emphasis on investing heavily in local R&D, technical support and infrastructure. The result of this is that the local markets has recognised D-Link as being the most reliable name in the ADSL modem CPE area

“One of the recognised driving factors behind the growth of ADSL in Australia is the competitive prices being made available for the service. ADSL has become a cost effective solution for both home and business,” said Torre.

As for the future, Torre said, “D-Link will continue working with our partners to achieve the company’s goal of providing innovative and cost effective solutions, which meet mass market needs. This includes the future proofing of the new ADSL2/2+ standards.”

The first national study of mobile phone users has found 97% of mobile phone users accessed SMS and over half used pictures, music and sounds on their mobile phone.

According to the Australian Mobile Phone Lifestyle Index conducted by The Mobile Content Industry Development Group, of 2,400 consumers surveyed, text messaging was used by most people to communicate with close friends, friends and family.

However, over 50 per cent used it to communicate with work colleagues and over 20 per cent to communicate with business contacts. Females used SMS more than males. With regard to age, 19-25 year olds used SMS more than average and those over 36 years old used it less.

When it comes to the brand of mobile phone consumers’ desire, Nokia is still the dominant player in the market with 59 per cent of respondents currently owning one of its phones. This was followed by Sony Ericsson (10 per cent) and Motorola (10 per cent).

The study also highlighted that age and sex was an important factor in the brand of phone purchased. Females are more likely to opt for a Samsung whilst males prefer a Sony Ericsson. Younger consumers are also being drawn to the Samsung brand whilst people aged 36 years and over prefer Nokia.

According to one of the sponsers of the report the Australian Interactive Media Industry Association, mobile phones are being used in a variety of ways. “The report has highlighted that consumers are no longer simply using mobiles to make phone calls,” said chief executive, John Butterworth. “Today they are being used as a more integrated communication device, with high usage of devices such as cameras, SMS and MMS.”

A Sydney based company has used Mitel to provide it with an IP telephony solution, to keep its customers satisfied.

Sainsbury, a company that specialises in corrugated boxes and retail point of sales display solutions, successfully deployed the Mitel 3300 ICP IP Telephony solution.

With around 40 staff, Sainsbury relies heavily on telephone based sales and customer services include integration of the phone system with Windows PC applications via CTI (Computer Telephony Integration).

The project includes the integration of the company’s phone system with Windows PC applications via Computer Telephony Integration (CTI), a solution that was previously only affordable by large companies. Mitel 3300 ICP manages the IP phone system, providing web based administration and reporting. It also handles voice mail, unified messaging and automated reception attendant features. It features 5201 IP Telephony Handset and Your Assistant software that runs on desktop PCs). Your Assistant provides ability to control telephone calls from the PC desktop, as well as document collaboration, CallerID screen pops, CallerID based call routing. Personalisation was a key element of Sainsbury’s customer service strategy. With CTI, Sainsbury was able to integrate its Mitel telephony solution with the Windows based software applications used to handle customer service. Client details are automatically presented on-screen to staff at the beginning of a client call.

According to John Coughlan, sales director for Sainsbury, top-notch customer service delivery is critical. “For our business, inbound call management is critical. By using CallerID and CTI to integrate our computer applications with our new Mitel IP phone system, we have made it much easier for our staff to become customer service superstars,” said Coughlan.

Convoy International’s addition of OmniMount systems to it Brand portfolio reinforcing the idea that accessories will help resellers increase margins.

In early September Convoy released a range of OmniMoint Systems to its Brand portfolio. The range of products meets the needs of nearly any application, from mounting Plasma, LCD or CRT television to speakers of any shape or size.

The 2005 range of products includes flat panel mount (available to suit panels from 38cm to 160 cm) in fixed and tilt mounts to advanced cantilever; projector mounts; speaker mounts (available for 2Kg to over 136Kg products) and CRT mount and Swivels.

Due to the diminishing hardware margins, resellers are finding accessories like OmniMounts will help them improve profit margins, as customers always need extras when they purchase hardware. According to Glen Vartiainen, brand Manger, Convoy, these product differ from what the hardware brand may offer when a customer has purchased one of their products.

“Obviously products like the OmniMount systems, batteries and cables will help to improve profit margins for resellers, especially as hardware margins diminish each year, ” he said. “OmniMounts are intuitive mounting accessories, resellers can sell a one of these products to a customer and explain the solution in the store so the consumer won’t be dissatisfied when they get home Also because the range is easily installable resellers spend less time in a consumer’s house, which means they can spend more time selling.”  

By 2009 Telstra plans to overhaul its access network, Public Switched Telephone Network (PTSN) and backbone infrastructure.

Customers will be able to access voice, video, data services on a common IP (Internet Protocol) MPLS core network and Telstra’s network will support high speed Internet (with speeds greater than 12 Mbps); mass deployment of VoIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol; multi-casting for advanced capabilities such as IP TV; seamless tele-commuting; video on demand and IP video conferencing.

The transformation will give IP network 77 times the capacity of the current network. The network will also reduce costs by consolidating the Wideband IP, ATM, Frame Relay and Digital Data Network from multiple networks into one common core network. Additionally Telstra will replace 116 old PSTN switched with 10 new voice soft switches. This will see traditional telephony services delivered using the IP core infrastructure, positioning customers for new broadband and multimedia service offering.

Telstra will upgrade its access network by providing IP based ADSL2+ equipment to four million services addresses, giving these customer’s access to speeds of 12 Mbps or greater. The company will deploy Fibre to the Node technology to 20,000 nodes and will upgrade 450 exchanges. Broadband-blocking technology will be removed, enhancing the availability and reach of this next generation capability. These commitments are subject to the same regulatory qualifications as apply to all Telstra presentations announced at the company’s strategic review.  

According to Susana Vidal, Senior Analyst, Telecommunications believes these changes are necessary for Telstra.

“Saying it will simplify the network because of its multiple network redundant partnership. Simplifying and cutting costs is absolutely necessary. Choosing Cisco for its IP Core (which is the heart of the network) will be huge for Cisco as Telstra is not only known throughout Australia, but worldwide as well. This deal is a value deal for Cisco,” she said. 

An IP solutions provider wants to help resellers profit from the broadband explosion in Australia.

Mitel has launched a channel campaign designed to help Australian resellers and systems integrators profit from the explosion growth in usage of both home and business use of broadband Internet Services.
The company has put together a solution set designed to allow resellers to offer high margin voice, video and teleworking application solutions. The solutions are suitable for small offices with as few as five staff, as well as, businesses that need to connect home office workers to a central office voice system.

The Mitel 3300CXi offers small sites a low cost way to deploy an entire portfolio of IP telephony applications, including Teleworking, Unified Messaging, Presence and Video Conferencing. The fully integrated system offers voice, video and data services and enables businesses to deliver voice and collaboration tolls to their staff at any Internet connected location. Other applications available with the 3300 CXi include voicemail, unified messaging, automated reception attendant, the latest generation XML applications and caller ID screen pops that automatically bring up client data within applications when a client calls.

Mitel’s 3300CXi also includes the following options; an inbuilt 16-port Ethernet switch with Power over Ethernet support, Internet security firewall and Internet router with NAT. The 3300 CXi starts from $3,550, GST incl. for an eight user system, and will be available in August 2005.