— On-demand developer Espial was granted U.S. Patent No. 8,286,217…

— On-demand developer Espial was granted U.S. Patent No. 8,286,217 by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for technology that lets service providers embed fast channel change (FCC) on set-top boxes and TVs powered by IPTV networks. This isn’t a first for the company, however; it boasts patents with more than 80 claims that cover FCC technology.
 
— If Sprint’s iDEN Nextel National Network users haven’t switched to Sprint Direct Connect by the end of June, they will experience nothing but dead air space. The last full day of iDEN service will be June 29. Switch locations will shut down on June 30, followed by the powering-down of equipment and the elimination of backhaul at each cellsite. After that, iDEN devices no longer will receive voice service – including 911 calls – or data service. Says Bob Azzi, senior vice president/Network, “We strongly urge customers to migrate now, rather than wait until the last minute.”