Archive for the ‘Fastweb’ Category
BROADBAND INTERNET HAS BECOME
?KILLER APPLICATION? FOR EUROPEAN CABLE INDUSTRY
BROADBAND INTERNET HAS BECOME
Â?KILLER APPLICATIONÂ? FOR EUROPEAN CABLE INDUSTRY
(PRWEB) November 20, 2002
TOTAL EUROPEAN CABLE REVENUES GENERATED Â?11.5bn AT YEAR END 2001
TELEPHONY, INTERNET AND SET-TOP BOX RENTALS NOW ACCOUNT FOR NEARY 22% OF TOTAL EUROPEAN CABLE REVENUE
CABLE INTERNET, DIGITAL TELEVISION AND CABLE TELEPHONY SERVICES ARE THE MAIN DRIVERS FOR THE TECHNICAL UPGRADE OF NETWORKS
According to the European Cable Yearbook 2002 just released by media analysts Screen Digest on behalf of the European Cable Communications Association (ECCA), the year 2002 has been an important one for the cable industry. The pace of change has been relentless and the shift in market values across the telecoms sector has forced many cable companies to change their priorities. As result, consolidation has been placed on hold, but the upgrading of networks is continuing. Guy Bisson the report author claims, �The markets have forced a more measured approach to the execution of business plans, which has seen the cable industry step back from expensive technology upgrades. Many of those business plans were based on forecasts that were simply naïve in their bullishness. When the cable industry emerges from the dark days of the previous two years, it will have learnt many valuable lessons�.
The cable industry has been actively restructuring its business in order to cut its debt burden. At the same time, the industry continued to increase its turnover by adding more subscribers and delivering a more diverse range of services with a particular focus on digital television.
Although conditions vary across the different European territories, the march to broadband, particularly the provision of high-speed Internet has continued apace. If there is one service that has emerged as the Â?killer applicationÂ? for cable, then broadband Internet is it. And on the horizon, the developing technology of IP telephony is set to unleash as second.
The year 2001, witnessed a 14% increase in total gross revenues generated from European cable providers as compared to the previous year. By far the largest market generating in excess of Â?3.2bn is Germany. The UK ranks second with Â?2.9bn followed by France with just over Â?1bn.
The growth in subscriber take-up throughout Europe was up slightly by 4% in 2001 over the previous year. Germany led the way with a total cable subscriber base of 22.1m at year-end, followed by the Netherlands with 6.6m and Poland following closely with 5.2m. The UK ranks fifth with a total of 3.6m subscribers.
Cable Internet, digital television and cable telephony services have been the main drivers for the technical upgrade of networks. Proportionally, reach of these new services in many countries is still too low to produce meaningful penetration rates.
Digital cable television, by contrast, has not been seen as a killer application across most European countries. At year-end 2001, there were a total of 3.3m digital cable subscribers across Europe, although up 114% on 2000. Contrary to the proven popularity of cable Internet services across the Benelux group, digital cable subscriber take-up is led by the UK, having just fewer than 2m subscribers at the end of 2001. France followed with 664k subscribers.
In the cable telephony market, the UK again ranks well ahead of any other country in Europe with more than 4.2m cable telephony customers. Cable telephony is a much newer proposition in the rest of Europe. Spain has been the strongest new market for cable telephony. In fact, there are more customers in Spain taking cable telephony than cable television. In Italy only the new Fastweb offers telephony over its fibre-to-the-home network.
KEY FINDINGS INCLUDE:
· The 15 countries of the European Union generated �10.1bn in revenue during 2001
· Television services are still the main contributor to cable revenues, accounting for �7.7bn in the European Union; �8.1bn in Western Europe; and �863.7m in Central and Eastern Europe
· Television�s overall contribution to cable revenue is in decline. Television services accounted for 75.7% of total European Union cable revenue in 2001, compared to 82.9% in 2000
· Cable Internet and telephony services are increasingly important generators of revenue for cable. Cable Internet accounted for nearly 6% of European cable revenues in 2001, up from less than 3% in 2000.Telephony accounted for 16.5% of revenues in Europe and up 12% from 2000
· At year-end 2001 there was a total of 62.7m cable subscribers in Europe, 47.7m being in the European Union
· At year-end 2001 cable Internet subscribers in the European Union reached 1.7m and 5.6m cable telephony subscribers
· Digital cable subscribers totalled 3.3m in Europe at the end of 2001
WORD COUNT: 755
EDITORSÂ? NOTES
The third annual European cable yearbook 2002, written and published by Screen Digest, presents a unique insight into the European cable market and provides an analysis of 23 countries and the state of their cable market. An executive summary of the report is available to press only on request. The report contains over 170 pages of text, and 300 charts and tables. Interviews with the author of this report can be arranged on request. The report costs £995 / $ �1595 and can be ordered by emailing sales@screendigest.com or visit our website at http://www.screendigest.com
ABOUT SCREEN DIGEST
Screen Digest is the leading market research company covering global and European markets in the entertainment media. Its monthly magazine, launched in 1971, is read by senior executives in over 40 countries. Screen Digest publishes a growing list of major reports on television, video, DVD, film, cinema, computer games, the Internet, the content markets and other aspects of the digital and interactive media. Screen Digest undertakes private client research for major international media companies, financial institutions and trade associations. A series of major online services with advanced search facilities deliver data, forecasts and analysis on all entertainment industries.
For more information on Screen DigestÂ?s products and services please visit http://www.screendigest.com or contact sales@screendigest.com
ABOUT THE ECCA
The European Cable Communications Association is the trade grouping the European cable operators and their national trade associations. ECCA has 30 members in 17 countries. It also has three associate members in Central Eastern Europe. For more details visit http://www.ecca.be
MEDIA & PRESS CONTACT
For further information contact:
Elizabeth Phillipson,
Tel. 020 7424 2820 (London, UK) or
Tel. 416 815 0341 (North America, edt)
e-mail: elizabeth.phillipson@screendigest.com
©Copyright 1997-
, Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Research and Markets : Quantification of Global VoIP-Enabled Lines from 2005-2019
Research and Markets : Quantification of Global VoIP-Enabled Lines from 2005-2019
Dublin (PRWEB) April 18, 2005
Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c15773) has announced the addition of Carrier NGN Migration Strategies Set VoIP Timing to their offering.
The mass migration to VoIP is dependent on carriers migrating to next-generation network architectures such as IMS. This report profiles selected carriers, worldwide, to illustrate alternative network migration strategies. The business and market factors driving these various strategies are examined. Network migration strategies are forecasted for each incumbent operator, worldwide, leading to the quantification of global VoIP-enabled lines from 2005-2019. Based on this forecast, observations and conclusions of the VoIP market are presented.
List of contents inside this report include:
Executive Summary
Methodology
Introduction
Evolution to IMS
Current Network Architectures
IMS structure
Migration Phases
Phase 1: Optimization
Phase 2: Capacity/Service Expansion
Phase 3: Convergence
Factors Impacting Network Migration
PSTN costs
Investment
Technology
Regulatory Environment
Pricing
Competition
NGN Carrier Profiles
PSTN Replacement – British Telecom (BT)
Background
Network Overview
21Century Network
Regional Network
Analysis
Greenfield Â? FastWeb (Italy)
Background
Network Overview
Analysis
NGN Overlay – China Telecom
Background
Network Overview
Analysis
Partial PSTN Replacement and Overlay – Slovak Telekom
Background
Network Overview
Analysis
In-Region Replacement with Out-of-Region Expansion Â? Verizon
Background
Network Overview
Analysis
NGN Migration and VoIP Forecast
Glossary
Appendix A
For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c15773
Laura Wood
Senior Manager
Research and Markets
press@researchandmarkets.com
Fax: +353 1 4100 980
###
©Copyright 1997-
, Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Find More Fastweb Press Releases
CONCERNED ABOUT THE HIGH COST OF A COLLEGE EDUCATION? ‘INFORMATION ON FINANCIAL AID IS AVAILABLE,’ SAYS HOUGHTON COLLEGE ADMINISTRATOR
CONCERNED ABOUT THE HIGH COST OF A COLLEGE EDUCATION? ‘INFORMATION ON FINANCIAL AID IS AVAILABLE,’ SAYS HOUGHTON COLLEGE ADMINISTRATOR
(PRWEB) June 15, 2001
HOUGHTON, N.Y. – Going to college is a dream for many U.S. high school students, but the high cost of a college education is often the number one obstacle standing in the way of that dream.
There are ways around that obstacle, says Troy Martin, director of student financial services at Houghton College.
“Many families and students don’t think college, particularly a private college, is attainable because of the cost,” says Martin. “But it’s important for them to know that financial aid is often available to help offset that cost. I’d hate for any student to give up their dream due to cost.”
Martin, who has 17 yearsÂ? experience in college financial aid, provides information to students and parents at financial aid nights at local high schools every fall. Â?I think it is important and helpful for families to hear from someone who works in a college financial aid office on how the process works and the variety of resources available to help meet the costs of higher education.Â?
“The financial aid process tends to be complicated, so people are confused about what they need to be doing. Through the financial aid nights we want to help make the process easier for families, or at least make it easier for them to understand the process.”
Houghton College has been at the forefront of schools concerned about rising costs, especially for students from the local area. The college initiated the Neighborhood Scholar program to help local high school students afford a Houghton education. Honor students in the 16 schools in and around Allegany County receive a $ 5,000 renewable scholarship, while all other students from the area are eligible to receive a $ 3,000 renewable scholarship.
For parents or students concerned about how they are going to pay for college, Martin has provided answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about financial aid.
· How do I apply for financial aid? A student should complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to apply for all federal aid. Most states and colleges use this information to determine eligibility for state and institutional aid as well.
· Where do I get a FAFSA? The applications are available through local high school guidance and college financial aid offices. A student may also submit the application through FAFSA on the web at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov.
· When do I apply for financial aid? Students should apply for aid in January or February of their senior year in high school. The FAFSA may be completed after January 1st prior to the fall semester. Many colleges also have their own institutional financial aid application with a specific deadline for completion.
· Where does financial aid come from? Financial aid is awarded in the form of need-based grants, merit-based scholarships, on-campus jobs, and loans. Aid is available from the federal and state governments, private foundations and organizations, employers, and the colleges and universities.
· Any ideas on the best way to save for college expenses for younger children? Many states are establishing college savings plans, which provide some tax advantages. One of the best-rated plans is the “NY Saves” program. Information is available at http://www.nysaves.org. There also are new Education IRAs to consider. It is probably best to consult a tax expert to determine the best plan for your specific circumstances.
· How can I afford to attend college if I’m from a middle-income family? This question assumes that the family earns too much to qualify for federal and state need-based grants, but does not earn enough to completely pay for college expenses. Please keep in mind that a large share of financial aid is provided directly through the colleges in the form of merit-based aid. Also, there are many private sources of aid. It is important to research for outside or local scholarships. One free scholarship search on the internet is at http://www.fastweb.com. You may also want to check out the Financial Aid Information page at http://www.finaid.org. Loans are available for students and parents, which allow educational costs to be spread out over a number of years in the future. There also are the new Hope Scholarship and Lifetime Learning Tax Credits specifically for families who pay for college tuition.
· Can I “declare” myself independent from my parents to qualify for more aid? The federal financial aid formula assumes that the family will contribute to the cost of education for dependent children. Any student who is less than 24 years of age is automatically considered dependent on parents unless they meet one of the automatic criteria for independence. These automatic criteria for independence include being married, being an orphan or ward of the court, being a veteran, having a dependent other than a spouse, or having a bachelor’s degree. So, the federal financial aid regulations prohibit a student from “declaring independence.” Financial independence for financial aid is not based on the same criteria as tax dependency.
If you have more questions, contact Troy Martin at Houghton College. Call 1-800-777-2556.
Houghton is a Christian liberal arts college of 1,200 students located in Western New York. Houghton’s vision as it begins the 21st century is to be a model in Christian liberal arts education, developing servant-leaders in an environment of a world-class learning community, building people of Christian character to solve real-world problems.
©Copyright 1997-
, Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Related Fastweb Press Releases
In the UK, NTL May Well be First European Player to Enter Fray, Following its Takeover of Virgin Mobile – Bundles of Services, Double, Triple, Quadruple Play?
In the UK, NTL May Well be First European Player to Enter Fray, Following its Takeover of Virgin Mobile – Bundles of Services, Double, Triple, Quadruple Play?
Dublin, Ireland (PRWEB) February 17, 2006
Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c32971) has announced the addition of Bundles of Services, Double, Triple, Quadruple Play? to their offering.
At a time when new offers are being launched close on the heels of their announcement, this market report provides in-depth analysis of the services being rolled out by operators – incumbents, cablecos and ISPs – and the way that they are positioning bundles within their strategies.
Overwhelming trend of a move towards triple play, and eventually quadruple play bundles
The need for operators to design a distinctive service line, with bundled services as a key to their success.
Offers that are complicated to implement: product lines that are both broad and deep, with services associated with each component of the triple play (telephony, TV, internet access).
Increasingly ubiquitous triple play…
At a time of increasing competition, operators – whether incumbents telcos, cablecos or ISPs – are all actively seeking new growth paths to compensate for lost revenues in their core business area. All of the players have chosen to forge themselves a position in new markets: internet access, Voice over IP, and later IPTV for incumbents, VoIP and IPTV for ISPs, voice and internet access for cablecos. This means that in the consumer market now, telcos, ISPs and cablecos are likely to be going head to head on all three elements that make up triple play bundles: telephony, internet access and TV. The strategy that an operator adopts depends on a range of factors, notably their market positioning and their marketing objectives. Regardless of their background, however, players across the board are now entering into triple play strategies: virtually all of the players have already launched or are planning to launch an offer, whether in a bid to gain market share with an innovative offering, or in response to the competition’s existing offer.
…but market demand currently focused on the double play
As it stands, triple and quadruple play offers are part of an emerging market, and the marketplace is not yet mature enough for this type of offer. The bulk of current demand is for double play offers that include access: TV + internet access or telephony + internet access. The broadband market’s growth potential is undoubtedly fuelling this phenomenon since it is relatively easy for an operator to market internet access along with its core offer. Plus, the internet market is still quite new, and consumers do not yet associate the service with a particular type of player, like they do with television or telephony. Operators will therefore need to make major efforts on the marketing end of things to educate and convert users to the triple, and later quadruple play.
Significance of national situations
The state of competition in a given market will naturally have an impact on operators’ commercial strategies. The most highly competitive markets are the ones where bundles are enjoying the healthiest growth momentum. In the US, in the Telecom Act environment which was marked by the reintegration of long distance services, the RBOCs have been able to handle the swift decline in their landline telephone base by adopting a proactive stance on bundling over the past three years. In the residential market, SBC reports that at the end of the first half of 2005, 66% of its residential customers were subscribing to an additional service (long distance calling, DSL, wireless/Cingular or video) on top of their basic subscription – compared to only 54% one year earlier. ARPU too was up: by 4.6% on the year.
Two bundling strategies
Bundling strategies can be broken down into two distinct approaches:
Horizontal bundles (double, triple and quadruple play), which aim to combine different services within a unified package (internet access, TV and telephony), as part of a broad line strategy;
Vertical bundles, which involve developing value-added services around a core service (internet access, TV or telephony), as part of a deep line strategy.
Advent of the quadruple play?
In a bid to create a distinctive offer and keep subscriber churn to a minimum, a growing number of operators are now examining the possibility of developing quadruple play offers, which will add mobile services to their existing triple play bundle. American operators are pioneering the trend. Baby Bells, SBC, Verizon, BellSouth, Qwest and Sprint have already rolled out quadruple play offers which are marketed either under their own brand or in partnership with satellite or mobile operators. In the UK, NTL may well be the first European player to enter the fray, following its takeover of Virgin Mobile. After having merged with its top rival, Telewest, NTL was already poised to become the UK’s top cableco, and a major player in the bundles market (internet, TV and fixed telephony). Its takeover of Virgin Mobile adds mobile calling to the mix, and so the possibility of unveiling a singular offer.
Contents Include:
Executive Summary
Introduction
1. Panorama of bundle offerings in Europe, Asia and the USA
2. Detailed players strategies
Auna
BT
Cegetel
Comcast
Fastweb
France Télécom
Free
Hanaro
NTT East
Ono
Plala Networks
SBC
Skylife
Telecom Italia
Telefónica de Espana
Telewest
Time Warner Cable
Tiscali
Verizon
Yahoo! Japan
3. Factors determining bundle strategy
4. Analysis of operators’ marketing mix
List of tables
List of figures
For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c32971
Laura Wood
Senior Manager
Research and Markets
Fax: +353 1 4100 980
# # #
©Copyright 1997-
, Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
The Art Institute of California – San Francisco Offers High School Students Tips on Finding College Scholarships in Art and Design
The Art Institute of California – San Francisco Offers High School Students Tips on Finding College Scholarships in Art and Design
San Francisco, CA (PRWEB) March 28, 2005
ThereÂ?s a wealth of information on the Internet about college scholarships for every conceivable field of study. Still, many artistically inclined high school students in California donÂ?t realize the opportunities to earn scholarships for education in the visual arts and design.
The Art Institute of California Â? San Francisco offers the following tips to students and parents looking to get a head start in funding a college education in these fields:
1. Meet with a Guidance Counselor. Make sure your high school guidance counselor knows about your interest in scholarships, since schools regularly receive notices about all kinds of scholarships.
2. Hit the Web. Try sites such as http://www.Artschools.com, http://www.Finaid.com, http://www.Scholarships.com and http://www.Fastweb.com to find scholarship information, links and searchable databases. You can also try searching the Internet for Â?Art ScholarshipsÂ? or other keywords to narrow down your search. Beware of Web sites that charge a fee Â? most information is free, you just have to find it.
3. Research Local Arts, Festival and Community Organizations. The Yellow Pages, City Hall and the local convention and visitorÂ?s bureau will have a list of arts organizations in your area, and many of these arts groups offer scholarships to encourage college education in the art and design.
4. Check out Professional Associations. Local chapters of the American Institute of Graphic Arts ( http://www.aiga.org ), the American Society of Interior Designers ( http://www.asid.org ) and other professional associations in your region often have scholarships to support students entering the field.
5. Explore Foundation Scholarships. While there are many high-profile national foundations offering scholarships, students may have a better shot with a local or regional foundation. These local chapters may have fewer applicants and are focused on one part of the country.
6. Apply for Scholarships from The Art Institutes. The Art Institutes ( http://www.aii.edu ), a system of 31 schools in North America, offers a variety of scholarships for art and design students. The closest location in Northern California is The Art Institute of California Â? San Francisco, which also offers scholarships for prospective students. Elsewhere throughout the state, The Art Institutes operates schools in Los Angeles, Orange County and San Diego.
7. Make a List, Check it Twice. With all of the scholarships available, itÂ?s important to prioritize. Keep a notebook filled with scholarship opportunities and make note of the deadlines and requirements. Remember, deadlines for many scholarships are a year in advance, so itÂ?s crucial to plan early.
The Art Institute of California Â? San Francisco, located at 1170 Market Street in San FranciscoÂ?s Civic Center, attracts a diverse mix of students from throughout the Bay Area and the world. The school offers career-focused degree programs in Advertising, Graphic Design, Media Arts & Animation, Game Art & Design, Visual & Game Programming, Multimedia & Web Design, Fashion Design, Fashion Marketing & Management and Interior Design. For more information, visit http://www.aicasf.aii.edu or call (888) 493-3261.
# # #
©Copyright 1997-
, Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Publication on Retail VoIP in Western Europe Outlines Forecasts From 2005-2010
Publication on Retail VoIP in Western Europe Outlines Forecasts From 2005-2010
Dublin (PRWEB) March 6, 2006
Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c24573) has announced the addition of Retail VoIP in Western Europe: Forecasts 2005-2010 to their offering.
“Retail VoIP in Western Europe: Forecasts 2005-2010″ provides analysis of the drivers and barriers to adoption rates of VoIP in 16 European markets. The report provides a taxonomy of VoIP services in order to explain the relative positioning of types of retail VoIP; gives a snapshot of retail VoIP (as of July 2005) in order to explain current trends and the evolution of the market in the last 18 months. The report analyses the complex set of factors which has encouraged or inhibited the growth of retail VoIP in different country markets across Europe and provides individual overviews of the following markets:
Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK.
“Retail VoIP in Western Europe: Forecasts 2005-2010″ answers your key questions:
How large is the VoIP opportunity in the residential and small business segments of the telecoms market?
How will the market for VoIP evolve in Western Europe over the next five years?
What are the key drivers to VoIP adoption?
What barriers may slow VoIP adoption?
How do VoIP adoption rates vary among country markets in Western Europe, and what are the causes of this variance?
How many residential homes may choose a VoIP solution and when?
How many small businesses may choose a VoIP solution and when?
The report contains forecasts of the retail VoIP market for 16 countries in Western Europe: The forecasts are broken down by subscribers, spend and minutes. The forecasts are then further broken down by segment (residential/small business) and business models (direct access, indirect access and private voice application).
Who should read this report?
Incumbent telecoms operators who are seeking to defend their PBX businesses against disruptive technologies can understand how the VoIP market is evolving
VoIP providers who want to understand the market size, opportunity and drivers within the industry
Mobile operators who are looking to develop VoIP over mobile offerings for the retail market
Vendors of telecoms equipment who produce IP infrastructure or VoIP-capable handsets
Software developers who are creating mass-market messaging services
Investors and analysts who need to understand the longer-term implications of VoIP for investment decisions in the communications sector.
The following companies are featured in the report:
AOL
Catch/Bluecom
B2
BT
com hem
cablecom
Cegetel
CyberCity
Eircom
FASTWEB
France Telecom
Google
Freenet
Iliad (Free)
Inode
KPN
MSN
NextGenTel
Neuf Telecom
NTL
Portugal Telecom
Skype
Swisscom
Tele2
Telefonica
Telekom Austria
Telenor
TeliaSonera Sweden
Telio
Tiscali
UGCY
Yahoo!
Wengo
For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c24573
Laura Wood
Senior Manager
Research and Markets
press@researchandmarkets.com
Fax: +353 1 4100 980
# # #
©Copyright 1997-
, Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Global Student Experiences: Dispelling the Myths About Studying Abroad
Global Student Experiences: Dispelling the Myths About Studying Abroad
Newport Beach, CA (PRWEB) November 11, 2005
Studying abroad is an amazing experience that benefits university students in many ways such as enriching their view of the world, expanding their cultural horizons, and providing them with a valuable resume builder. Yet, despite the numerous benefits of studying abroad, only a small proportion of US undergraduates study abroad. Many students are dissuaded from participating in programs because of several myths about the requirements, costs, and difficulties of studying abroad. The following is a list of the most common myths about study abroad followed by the real facts.
1. Myth: My GPA is not high enough to study abroad.
Fact: Many programs available have GPA requirements as low as 2.5. While some programs and universities may have higher GPA requirements than others, your GPA should in no way keep you from studying abroad.
2. Myth: I have to be a junior to study abroad.
Fact: As long as your home institution has no requirements against it, you can study abroad at any time. There are study abroad programs available for students at all stages in their undergraduate career, from freshman to senior. Class level may be a determinant for certain programs and host universities, but there is a wide range of programs that you can attend as early as your freshman year. Many college students choose to study abroad as early as summer of their freshman year.
3. Myth: Studying Abroad is only for language majors.
Fact: Whatever your major, there is a program out there that is right for you. From architecture to zoology, there are many programs out there designed specifically for your major. Additionally, all majors have general education requirements that can usually be fulfilled while studying abroad. While at first chance it may seem that all programs are for language studies, an increasing number of programs offer students the opportunity to study a wide array of subjects.
4. Myth: I have to know a foreign language to study abroad.
Fact: Even if you have no foreign language experience, you are still eligible for a number of programs in a variety of locations. For starters, there are many English speaking destinations such as England, Australia, and Ireland where you can take courses in your major. Additionally there are many programs in non-English speaking countries where you can take classes in English.
5. Myth: I can’t take classes in my major while studying abroad.
Fact: There are study abroad programs available for nearly every field, though not every destination may offer all fields. Many students take courses for their general education requirements while abroad and take a course in their major at their home university. However, there is an increasing number of courses for a wide spectrum of majors available. Ultimately, it is up to your advisors at your host university how courses will transfer and whether you will receive credit for your major from credits earned while abroad.
6. Myth: I will fall behind if I study abroad.
Fact: If you make the necessary arrangements with your advisors at your home university, you should still be able to graduate on time after studying abroad. Make sure to get all your courses pre-approved for credit transfer towards your degree. To do this you will need to obtain the syllabi or course descriptions for the courses you plan to take while abroad, get them approved by your advisor at your home university, and get the pre-approval confirmed in writing. Must universities have a formal agreement called a credit transfer pre-approval contract that you will need to get filled out. If you still can not attend your desired program during the regular school year, they are countless opportunities to study abroad on short term or summer programs. Often times a summer program can speed up your study of a foreign language through offering intensive language study programs.
7. Myth: I have to go for a full year if I want to study abroad.
Fact: It is up to your discretion how long of a program you attend. There are many different short term program options available ranging from intersession programs to summer programs of varying lengths. Many students attend summer programs when they can not get away from their studies during the regular school year. Not wanting to go on a program during the year should never be an obstacle for studying abroad.
8. Myth: It is much more costly to study abroad than to stay at my current university.
Fact: Attending a study abroad program is not necessarily anymore expensive than staying at your current university, and in some cases (such as if you attend a private university or are paying out-of-state tuition) you may actually save money by studying abroad. In other cases, students pay the same tuition as their home university while studying abroad at their host university.
9. Myth: I can’t afford to study abroad.
Fact: By planning around your budget in advance you can find a program within your financial means. In addition there are many forms of aid available to help pay for the costs of studying abroad. If you are not eligible for FAFSA student aid there are still numerous options to help finance the costs of your program. These include Federal loans, private student loans, grantsc and scholarships (such as the Gilman International Scholarship). You can find more information about financing your study abroad program at the following websites:
http://www.fastweb.com – Free scholarship search engine offering over $ 1 billion through over 600,000 scholarships.
http://www.collegenet.com – Search a $ 1.6 billion database for scholarships.
http://www.scholarships.com –Search college scholarships and financial aid information including Federal Stafford loans, Federal PLUS loans, and Federal Consolidation loans.
http://www.iefa.org – Resource for financial aid, college scholarships, and grants.
http://www.studentaid.ed.gov – U.S. Department of Education information about federal student aid.
10. Myth: I can not use my financial aid to pay for the costs of studying abroad.
Fact: According to the Higher Education Act (HEA) of 1992, you can use financial aid you are currently receiving to help pay for the costs of your study abroad program as long as the credits you plan on taking abroad are approved by your home institution. Upon applying to a study abroad program you should contact your home university’s study abroad and financial aid offices for more information about your school’s particular policies and procedures on transferring your financial aid. If you are not currently receiving financial aid or have never applied for financial aid through a FAFSA then you should apply for a FAFSA as soon as possible. For more complete information on how to complete a FAFSA visit http://www.fafsa.ed.gov . An important note to keep in mind is that each state has a separate deadline date to have your FAFSA complete for the next academic year. Contact your financial aid office to see if you are close to a deadline date for your FAFSA application. Bring all information that you received after completing the FAFSA to your financial aid office. Your FAFSA information will help your home institution guide you through the possible financial aid options. Depending on your particular financial needs, you may be able to use federal aid, loans, grants, and scholarships to fully finance your study abroad program.
For more information, please visit http://www.gseabroad.com
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Monster Reveals Findings from Its First Annual Survey of High School Graduates: More Than 2,000 High School Seniors Reveal College, Career and
Lifestyle Plans
Despite Current Trend toward Boomeranging, Few Students Anticipate
Moving Home After College Graduation
Monster Reveals Findings from Its First Annual Survey of High School Graduates: More Than 2,000 High School Seniors Reveal College, Career and
Lifestyle Plans
Despite Current Trend toward Boomeranging, Few Students Anticipate
Moving Home After College Graduation
MAYNARD, Mass. (PRWEB) May 23, 2007
”Monster’s inaugural High School Graduate Survey shows that seniors are not passively waiting for opportunity to knock on their door – they have strategic post-graduation plans and they realize it is never too early to consider their long-term career path,” said Diana Nicholson, senior vice president and general manager of Monster Youth. “Many students already have an intended major and are aggressively preparing for their future now.”
College Choices and Financing
The Monster survey reveals that for students choosing college as their post-high school course:
— Most plan to call a public, medium-sized university in an urban location home for the next four years.
— Eighty-three percent view the availability of their intended major as the most important factor in choosing their future university, with the availability of financial aid packages a close second.
— Interestingly, the presence of fraternities and sororities was cited as the least important factor in attracting incoming freshmen.
To finance higher education, 80 percent of students surveyed plan to utilize scholarships, 48 percent will rely on their parents and 46 percent will use their own income as the primary means for footing the bill. Additionally, nearly 75 percent of students responding plan to rely upon Federal financial aid assistance, while 34 percent will take advantage of private student loans in order to close the gap between available Federal assistance and the rapidly-increasing cost of higher education.
Career Plans and Future Aspirations
Forty-one percent of seniors headed straight into the workforce have already secured employment. Additionally, three-fourths of students continuing on to college plan to work while they pursue their studies and nearly half plan to volunteer. Although only 44 percent plan to complete an internship during college, students should note that relevant work experience and personal characteristics are cited as the most important factors in hiring recent college graduates, according to an earlier 2007 survey of entry-level hiring managers by MonsterTRAK, the student division of Monster.
However, high schoolers are serious about their long-term career goals and do not expect to job hop upon entering the workforce. This is evidenced by the 63 percent of seniors who report they plan to hold only one or two jobs within their first 10 years of employment. When looking for their first job, students cite growth opportunities, job fulfillment and work environment as the most important factors, and view retirement plans and occupation title as the least important.
According to the survey, the top anticipated majors for incoming college freshmen are healthcare, education and social services, engineering and science/bio-pharmaceutical, suggesting a talented pipeline of future candidates in these respective growth fields. This is especially encouraging news for the healthcare and education sectors, given the current skills shortage within these industries.
Lifestyle Perceptions and Communication Preferences
While only seven percent of high school students plan to “boomerang” home after college, their perception may not be entirely realistic; nearly half of this year’s college graduates anticipate spending at least some time living at home after graduation, according to MonsterTRAK’s 2007 survey of college students.
The survey also revealed that while high school students generally communicate through multiple channels – including social networking sites, email, text messaging and instant messaging – the preferred means of communication for the “Internet Generation” is, surprisingly, talking on the telephone. Not to be discounted, social networking is also extremely popular among high school students – three-in-four maintain an online profile.
“Students need to realize the importance of portraying a positive image online, as the general public, including college administrators and future employers, have access to the information,” added Nicholson. “A startling statistic from Monster’s survey of graduating high school seniors shows that only 30 percent of students plan to modify their online profile when looking for a job.”
Survey Methodology
Monster’s 2007 High School Graduate Survey was conducted via its Making It Count and FastWeb sites, where students were invited to participate in the survey, which was completed by more than 2,000 high school students nationwide.
About Monster Worldwide
Monster Worldwide, Inc. (NASDAQ: MNST), parent company of Monster(R), the premier global online employment solution for more than a decade, strives to bring people together to advance their lives. With a local presence in key markets in North America, Europe, and Asia, Monster works for everyone by connecting employers with quality job seekers at all levels and by providing personalized career advice to consumers globally. Through online media sites and services, Monster delivers vast, highly targeted audiences to advertisers. Monster Worldwide is a member of the S&P 500 Index and the NASDAQ 100. To learn more about Monster’s industry-leading products and services, visit http://www.monster.com. More information about Monster Worldwide is available at http://www.monsterworldwide.com.
Special Note: Safe Harbor Statement Under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: Except for historical information contained herein, the statements made in this release constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Such forward-looking statements involve certain risks and uncertainties, including statements regarding Monster Worldwide, Inc.’s strategic direction, prospects and future results. Certain factors, including factors outside of Monster Worldwide’s control, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward- looking statements, including economic and other conditions in the markets in which Monster Worldwide operates, risks associated with acquisitions, competition, seasonality and the other risks discussed in Monster Worldwide’s Form 10-K and other filings made with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
©Copyright 1997-
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Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Worldwide iPTV Service Revenues to Cross US$42.6 Billion by 2014, According to a New Report by Global Industry Analysts, Inc.
Worldwide iPTV Service Revenues to Cross US$ 42.6 Billion by 2014, According to a New Report by Global Industry Analysts, Inc.
San Jose, CA (PRWEB) March 12, 2008
Worldwide Internet Protocol Television (iPTV) service revenues are forecast to cross US$ 42.6 billion by 2014, reflecting a CAGR of 60.2% over the analysis period 2004-2014. Currently, United States and Europe are generating substantial service revenues, when compared to Asia-Pacific because of higher ARPU (average revenue per user) in these regions. The number of iPTV subscribers in worldwide market is projected to exceed 248 million by the end of 2014.
Currently, iPTV is regarded as an application that enables the triple-play combination of services. Telcos have grabbed the opportunity to move beyond the traditional markets of communication industry. Telcos and media companies together evolved what is known as the ICE market, a mix of information, communication, and entertainment. However, iPTV is yet to take off. There is also inadequate knowledge about the prevailing consumer experience with iPTV. Therefore iPTV, which is expected to be huge success across the world, is experiencing hurdles in its commercialization. iPTV services do not solely depend on the bandwidth availability, but, rather operators need to integrate end-to-end solutions for offering high-class video services through streaming technology.
Despite the odds, there are indications of a fast growth in iPTV infrastructure. It is anticipated that the capital expenditure on iPTV is set to increase more than 14 times by the end of 2010. Telcos are expanding with iPTV offerings as the technology is capable of offering never before interactive experience to viewers.
European market for iPTV is growing at a significant rate over the years. The upward trend is largely attributed to severe competition and rising customer demand. However, strong demand for iPTV in Asia and North America is likely to take some of the thunder of European iPTV services market in the coming years. Notwithstanding Asian competition, Europe is likely to continue its dominance on the global iPTV market through 2009, with Asia rapidly closing the gap.
China is emerging as the leading iPTV market owing to economic development, rapid urbanization, and growing middle-income group. In the years to come, the US is expected to be the most challenging market for iPTV because of high pay-TV penetration, intense competition among telcos, and rising service competition among satellite and cable operators. Although consumer awareness about iPTV is still low, market for iPTV services is growing at a significant rate driven by increasing preference from young adults. Cost is the major barrier for consumers to adopt iPTV in all the countries across the globe.
Despite several challenges, the global iPTV market is growing at a healthy rate and is likely to sustain similar growth in the years to come. Even though the rate of subscription growth is slow, the low incremental investments to deliver iPTV are making iPTV an attractive offering for conventional telephone companies. In the coming years, the development of service differentiation is likely to speed up the market penetration of iPTV and offer growth opportunities to service providers.
Major iPTV carriers/operators in the market include AT&T Inc, Belgacom, Bell Canada Enterprise Inc, British Telecom, China Telecom Corporation Ltd, Comcast Corporation, Deutsche Telekom AG, FastWeb TV, France Telecom SA, PCCW Limited, Qwest Communications International Inc., Telecom Italia SpA, and Verizon Communications Inc. Key iPTV vendors/system providers include Alcatel-Lucent SA, Cisco Systems Inc, ECI Telecom Ltd, Entone Inc, Envivio Inc, Microsoft Corporation, Motorola Inc, NEC Corporation, Orca Interactive Ltd., Sprint Nextel Corporation, Widevine Technologies, Inc., and Viaccess S.A.
“Internet Protocol Television (iPTV): A Global Strategic Business Report”, published by Global Industry Analysts, Inc., provides a comprehensive review of market trends, recent developments, mergers, acquisitions, profiles of major players and other strategic industry activities. Analysis is presented for major geographic markets such as US, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, the UK, Spain, Russia, and Asia-Pacific. Analytics for the period 2004 through 2014 are provided in terms of number of subscribers, and annual service revenues.
For more details about this research report, please visit http://www.strategyr.com/Internet_Protocol_Television_iPTV_Market_Report.asp
About Global Industry Analysts, Inc.
Global Industry Analysts, Inc., (GIA) is a reputed publisher of off-the-shelf market research. Founded in 1987, the company is globally recognized as one of the world’s largest market research publishers. The company employs over 700 people worldwide and publishes more than 880 full-scale research reports each year. Additionally, the company also offers a range of over 60,000 smaller research products including company reports, market trend reports, and industry reports encompassing all major industries worldwide.
Global Industry Analysts, Inc.
Telephone 408-528-9966
Fax 408-528-9977
Email press @ StrategyR.com
Web Site http://www.StrategyR.com
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Worldwide iPTV Market to Reach US$78.9 Billion in Service Revenues by 2015, According to a New Report by Global Industry Analysts, Inc.
Worldwide iPTV Market to Reach US$ 78.9 Billion in Service Revenues by 2015, According to a New Report by Global Industry Analysts, Inc.
San Jose, CA (Vocus/PRWEB) February 08, 2011
Flouting the recession, the world iPTV market posted encouraging growth at a time when most other industry sectors were preoccupied with paranoid risk aversion and sensitivity over declining consumer spends. As the change in consumer TV viewing habits continue unabated, with the average time spent on watching TV shows over the Internet increasing by the year, iPTV market has successfully emerged into a recession buster. Value of iPTV subscriptions and volume of subscribers continued to grow during the period 2007 through 2010. Sturdy demand for iPTV services not surprisingly translated into sturdier gains in the iPTV systems market with sales of Set-Top Boxes, Access Systems, Video Headend Equipment, and Middleware, among others posting gains. Few of the factors widely opined to have shielded the iPTV market from the downturn is the level of broadband penetration and the scale of innovative yet affordable service bundling strategies, creative service offerings including on-demand services and channel diversity. Broadband penetration especially has helped the market sustain its growth despite the recession, which ironically pushed up broadband penetration rates, especially in the United States.
Reduction in household wealth, falling incomes, and reduced ability to spend, interestingly, has resulted in people spending precious dollars on cheaper at home entertainment, which is now a consumer staple. From virtual employment opportunities to social networking and streamed Internet television services, financial hardships have encouraged greater appreciation of returns on investments on broadband at the household level. A key beneficiary of this change in consumer behavior has been the iPTV market, which posted strong increases in real numbers as against the growth rates, since internet protocol television services are the cheapest forms of home entertainment and the most desirable option during a credit crunch. Nevertheless, although resilient, the iPTV market is not completely recession proof and the temporary deceleration in growth momentum is undeniable. Although healthy with double-digit year on year gains, growth momentum in iPTV service adoption rates weakened during the year 2008, as reflected by the sagging growth in new subscriptions, and service revenues. The deceleration was especially pronounced in North America, and Western Europe, and largely attributable to the recession induced cost cutting by households faced with shrinking disposable incomes.
The youngest of the pay-TV technologies, iPTV will continue to witness growth stabilizing, with year on year gains being smaller than the peak, which occurred during the years 2006 and 2007. This is largely because of advancing market maturity as developed markets hit the early maturity phase. Future growth hinges onto greater penetration of telcos into video business. Future growth in the iPTV market hinges onto greater penetration of telcos into video business. Growing craze for low-cost yet creative bundled packages, combining iPTV with telephony and data communications will contribute to growth in the iPTV market. The combination of competitively priced and compelling triple-play offerings, including VOD, is expected to win market share for these operators, despite unresolved content and technical issues. Increasing broadband penetration across the globe and greater bandwidth speeds will only help drive iPTV adoption further in emerging markets in the years to come. Adoption of broadband will be especially driven by the promise of greater bandwidth speeds and faster access, and accelerated pace of new fiber deployments. Deployment of new fiber lines in particular will favor iPTV providers.
Developments in power management, greater acceptance of open software platforms, and growing support for new video technologies will additionally boost IPTV service adoption over the next few years. Advancements in WiMAX deployments and mobile broadband also augurs well for the future of this market. Growing craze for low-cost yet creative bundled packages, combining iPTV with telephony and data communications will contribute to growth in the iPTV market. The combination of competitively priced and compelling triple-play offerings, including VOD, is expected to win market share for these operators, despite unresolved content and technical issues. Increasing broadband penetration across the globe and greater bandwidth speeds will only help drive iPTV adoption further in emerging markets in the years to come. Adoption of broadband will be especially driven by the promise of greater bandwidth speeds and faster access, and accelerated pace of new fiber deployments. Deployment of new fiber lines, which has already increased to over 50 million across the globe by 2008, in particular will favor iPTV providers. Developments in power management, greater acceptance of open software platforms, and growing support for new video technologies will additionally boost IPTV service adoption over the next few years. Advancements in WiMAX deployments and mobile broadband also augurs well for the future of this market.
As stated by the new market research report, Set-Top Boxes (STB) market continues to remain the largest segment within the global iPTV systems market. Availability of low-cost retail STBs has and will continue to drive demand for STB market. Access Systems market is another prominent segment within the iPTV systems market, with sales growing at a CAGR of about 30.1% over the analysis period.
Major players in the marketplace include Key iPTV Carriers/Operators such as AT&T Inc, Belgacom, Bell Canada Enterprise Inc, BT Group plc, China Telecom Corporation Limited, Comcast Corporation, Deutsche Telekom AG, FastWeb TV, France Telecom SA, PCCW Limited, Qwest Communications International Inc., Telecom Italia SpA, Verizon Communications Inc and Key iPTV Vendors/System Providers such as Alcatel-Lucent SA, Cisco Systems, Inc, ECI Telecom Ltd, Entone, Inc, Envivio, Inc, Microsoft Corporation, Motorola Inc., NEC Corporation, Orca Interactive Ltd., Sprint Nextel Corporation, Widevine Technologies, Inc., Viaccess S.A., among others.
The research report titled “Internet Protocol Television (iPTV): A Global Strategic Business Report” announced by Global Industry Analysts, Inc., provides a comprehensive review of market trends, recent developments, mergers, acquisitions, profiles of major players and other strategic industry activities. Analysis is presented for major geographic markets such as US, Canada, Europe (France, Germany, Italy, the UK, Spain, Russia, and Rest of Europe), and Asia-Pacific (China and Rest of Asia-Pacific) and Rest of World. Data is analyzed in both in terms of number of subscribers and annual service revenues. The report also analyzes global iPTV market by systems, such as, Set-Top Boxes, Access Systems, Video Headend Equipment, Video-on-Demand, Middleware, Content Protection and System Integration.
For more details about this comprehensive market research report, please visit – http://www.strategyr.com/Internet_Protocol_Television_iPTV_Market_Report.asp
About Global Industry Analysts, Inc.
Global Industry Analysts, Inc., (GIA) is a reputed publisher of off-the-shelf market research. Founded in 1987, the company is globally recognized as one of the world’s largest market research publishers. The company employs over 800 people worldwide and publishes more than 1200 full-scale research reports each year. Additionally, the company also offers thousands of smaller research products including company reports, market trend reports, and industry reports encompassing all major industries worldwide.
Global Industry Analysts, Inc.
Telephone: 408-528-9966
Fax: 408-528-9977
Email: press(at)StrategyR(dot)com
Web Site: http://www.StrategyR.com/
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