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Technology Stocks : C-Cube -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Brad Rogers who wrote (39712)	4/8/1999 9:45:00 AM
From: JEFF K	Respond to of 50808

I believe this is a Divi\Cube customer U.K.'s ONdigital Says It Won 110,000 Subscribers London, April 8 (Bloomberg) -- ONdigital, a pay-TV service owned by Carlton Communications Plc and Granada Group Plc, said it won 110,000 subscribers since it started November 15, matching analysts' highest forecasts. The service also said it plans to offer a free e-mail service through the television beginning in September. ONdigital, which is received through a regular antenna, aims to win the 70 percent of U.K. households who have resisted cable TV and British Sky Broadcasting Group Plc's satellite services. BSkyB's new SkyDigital service won 120,000 customers in its first four months, however, and cable plans new services later this year. ONdigital ''exceeded those who were saying it would only get 50,000'' subscribers, said Mathew Horsman, an analyst at Henderson Crosthwaite Institutional Brokers who had predicted it would win 100,000 customers. ''It has a good marketing strategy and had fewer technical problems than some of the bears were saying.'' Horsman estimates ONdigital will win 350,000 subscribers by the end of the year compared with 370,000 new satellite customers for SkyDigital. Carlton shares rose as much as 28.5 pence, or 4.6 percent, to 642.5p ($10.28). Granada shares rose as much as 12 pence to 1,318p. Cheaper TVs Also today, Alba Plc said that from June it will begin selling digital televisions equipped with ONdigital's technology for as little as 499 pounds -- half the 1,000 pounds that sets were expected to cost. The lower price will only be available to people who pay for the ONdigital service, however. The reduced price ''means that it becomes a mass market product instead of an early adopter product,'' Horsman said. ''If you're ready to buy a new TV anyway you may go for it.'' Philips Electronics NV will begin to sell televisions containing the ONdigital system later this month and Toshiba Corp., Sanyo Electric Co. and LG Electronics will put similar sets on sale over ''the next few months,'' ONdigital said. It didn't disclose how much the televisions will cost. ONdigital customers now have to buy a decoder box that costs about 200 pounds and that plugs into a regular television. BSkyB also expects manufacturers to begin selling televisions incorporating its own SkyDigital system later this year. ONdigital also said it is developing several new programs for its service later this year, including a 90-minute special of soap opera ''Coronation Street,'' and live concerts by pop group All Saints, opera star Luciano Pavarotti and ''The Three Sopranos.'' The service also said it will start offering the Sky Sports 2 channel, supplied by BSkyB, within a couple of months. 05:53:31 04/08/1999 For more stories from Bloomberg News, click here. (C) Copyright 1999 Bloomberg L.P.

To: Brad Rogers who wrote (39712)	4/8/1999 9:55:00 AM
From: JEFF K	Respond to of 50808

Also isn't Tatung still a Cube customer Tatung Co. March Sales Rise 80.8% on Year to NT$5.2 Bln (Table) Taipei, April 8 (Bloomberg) -- Tatung Company Ltd., a major home appliance and computer products maker in Taiwan, said sales rose 80.8 percent in March from a year earlier to NT$5.2 billion ($158.6 million). Taiwan-listed companies disclose limited financial results every month in compliance with Taiwan Stock Exchange regulations. (All figures in millions of New Taiwan dollars, rounded) SALES: March 99 March 98 Y-o-Y % change 5,233 2,895 +80.8% Cumulative Cumulative Y-o-Y % Jan.-March Jan.-March change 14,811 9,276 +59.7% 21:58:02 04/07/1999 For more stories from Bloomberg News, click here. (C) Copyright 1999 Bloomberg L.P.

To: Brad Rogers who wrote (39712)	4/8/1999 10:48:00 AM
From: J Fieb	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 50808

Brad R., Thanks for the report on the call, nice to see CUBE/DIVI gaining some very important ground. Hopefully it will force a shift for ALL cable systems. Perhaps cable MSOs believe reports like this one.........and hence need CUBE/DIVI approach? biz.yahoo.com ompany Press Release SOURCE: Strategy Analytics Strategy Analytics Study: Interactive TV Has Edge On Broadband PC Interactive Video is Next Internet Battleground BOSTON, April 7 /PRNewswire/ -- Internet operators are shaping up to deliver video-based content via broadband networks, but broadcasters are ready to respond by adding interactive services in the battle for consumer dollars. According to a new report, broadcasters have the edge: 14% of households will have interactive TV by 2002, compared to only 7% with broadband PC. These conclusions are described in a new Strategy Analytics report, ''Interactive Video Emerges - Broadband PC and Interactive TV prepare to do battle'' -- available to subscribers to their ''Interactive Home'' strategic advisory service. A number of new and traditional players have staked their positions in this new market within the past few months, including service providers (AOL, @Home and Road Runner), network operators (Bell Atlantic, SBC, Deutsche Telekom, US West, BT and NTL), broadcasters (DirecTV, Echostar, BSkyB and BIB), and technology providers (GI, Scientific Atlanta, Philips, TiVo and NCI). Video and interactivity are the catalysts bringing these players into the same new marketplace: Internet providers offer enhanced content while broadcasters add interactivity. The emerging broadband PC market is a result of increasing ownership of cable and DSL modems. The analysts believe many consumers will not pay the current high costs of broadband Internet, and that DSL and cable modems are still unproven as far as full interactive video services are concerned. Nevertheless, they forecast that, by 2002, broadband modems will be in 7% of US households and 2% of European households. By this time, however, interactive TV services will be available in 14% of US and 23% of European homes. Many of these services will arrive ''by the back door'' as part of enhanced digital television services, allowing consumers to access home shopping, video-on-demand and interactive information services through their TV sets. ''Interactive video will offer the Internet four great challenges,'' says David Mercer, Strategy Analytics Interactive Home Service Director. ''There is the cost challenge, the usability challenge, the technology challenge and the TV challenge. Internet operators may ultimately find that the challenge from broadcasters is the greatest obstacle to success.'' Detailed market forecasts regarding European and US ownership are available on request. Strategy Analytics provides strategic insights to IT technology firms around the globe. SOURCE: Strategy Analytics