Greetings!

Happy June! I hope this newsletter finds everyone ready to embrace another beautiful summer. This month, our main article is about IPTV. This increasingly popular technology adds to the already tremendous growth in television following satellite service, the rise of digital cable, and the birth of HDTV. While this is not a technology we provide, we thought you might appreciate learning more about it as Deloitte names it one of the "Top Technologies of 2009" that will make significant economic impact over the next three years. In addition, we look at a few easy ways to make your coworkers and employees happier. Enjoy the warm weather!

Doreen Gebbia

Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) is a technology that is in the process of being written at this very moment. Its delivered via broadband to subscribers TVs, and its currently provided by major telephone companies (Telcos) around the world, especially in China, the US, and several Eastern European companies. Multimedia Research Group estimates that IPTV subscribers will grow from 3.7 million in 2005 to nearly 40 million worldwide by 2009, with the industrys revenues potentially reaching $10 billion.

How does it work?

The first thing needed to receive IPTV is a set-top box which connects to the home DSL line. The box acts as a web browser with the TV as the monitor. The box is responsible for reassembling the IP packets into a coherent video stream and then decoding the contents. The box pulls its picture from the Telcos national headend, which receives network feeds from satellites. The video stream, once broken up into IP packets, is put into the Telcos core network, which handles data and voice traffic in addition to the video. A local office receives these video streams and adds local content (including TV stations and advertising) before getting them out to homes or offices. All the channels in the lineup are multicast to the local offices from the national headend at the same time, but a bottleneck becomes apparent at the local office. This is the local DSL loop, which has nowhere near the capacity to stream all of the channels at once, as oppose to cable systems, whose bandwidth can be around 4.5Gbps. The biggest difference between IPTV and cable is that with IPTV, the subscriber is not receiving hundreds of channels at a time; rather, only a few are sent. When a user changes the channel on their set-top box, the box switches channels by using the IP Group Membership Protocol to join a new multicast group instead of tuning a channel as is the case with a cable system. When the local office receives the channel change request it directs the routers in the local office to add that particular user to the channels distribution list. Thus, only signals that are currently being watched are actually being sent from the local office.

What are the problems with IPTV?

IPTV is still undeniably in its infancy when looking at the big picture. Hence, there are a few problems that have yet to be worked out. One is that IPTV design requirements are fragmented. Also, the IPTV market is geographically fragmented by deployment type (satellite, cable, or terrestrial) and by regional differences in digital TV requirements. For example, standard-definition TV may be sufficient for some regions, while others require high-definition. Another problem is that available bandwidth and data rates also vary among DSL infrastructures. In order to be a success, Telcos must be prepared to forge relationships and share content. Global Digital Broadcast is at the front of this concept, seeking Telco network partners and being able to broadcast content to a set-top box anywhere in the broadband world.

How will IPTV shape the future?

In the short term, IPTV services are more likely to complement todays TV delivery rather than replace it. However, Telcos are putting billions of dollars into this new technology. Last year, AT&T signed a $400 million deal for Microsofts IPTV Edition software. With a triple play of voice, data, and video in mind, Telcos are seeing that IPTV is a major part of the strategy to become households sole communications link.

Global Digital Broadcast: The IPTV Network

Voltaire once said, "Appreciation is a wonderful thing. It makes what is excellent in others belong to us as well." This is especially true in the workplace, where teamwork is often essential. One easy way to make an office or business a better place is by showing coworkers and employees how appreciative you are of their efforts.

Here are a few suggestions:

Say "thank you" every time someone does something for you. These words are spoken too seldom. You can express your thanks face-to-face, through emails, over the phone, or with quick handwritten notes.

Be flexible and accommodating where possible. Keep in mind that employees have family, personal, and religious obligations. With flexible scheduling, they will see that you value them enough to bend for them.

Almost every great leader is shown eating with his or her followers. This is a great way to build relationships. Go out to lunch, bring in breakfast, or host an informal dinner.

Create fun traditions that don't put employees out of their way. Special celebrations around the holidays or closing down the office early or for lunch each time the team meets their goal are simple ways to celebrate life and business together.

Ask for ideas and opinions, and use them where appropriate. Be sure to give them credit. Being able to directly contribute to something makes people feel valued and important.

Make a list of attributes you appreciate about each person in your group or office. Look back on them to help the organization grow and succeed. Don't underestimate the importance of appreciating each person for their own set of talents and characteristics.

Click here to read more about coworker and employee appreciation

Heat exhaustion is a form of heat-related illness that is most likely to develop after several days of exposure to high temperatures and inadequate replacement of fluids, which are lost through sweating, thus causing the body to overheat. People working or exercising in a hot environment, elderly, and people with high blood pressure are most prone to heat exhaustion. Signs of this illness are paleness, muscle cramps, tiredness, dizziness, weakness, nausea, and fainting. The person's pulse rate will be fast and weak, with fast and shallow breathing. If heat exhaustion is untreated, it may lead to heat stroke.

If you believe a person may be suffering heat exhaustion, he or she should attempt to cool off with cold beverages, rest, cool shower, or an air- conditioned environment. If symptoms last longer than an hour, medical attention should be sought.

Read more about heat exhaustion and heat stroke