---

MRG Report Examines New Semiconductors for Global IP TV (TelcoTV) Markets
How Video Compression, DSL and Fiber components illuminate the growth path for the IP TV Market.

BIOCHIP MARKET WILL MORE THAN DOUBLE IN GROWTH BY 2009, ACCORDING TO NEW MRG REPORT

Sunnyvale, CA – June 16, 2005 – The total market for biochips currently hovers around $2 billon, but will rise to over $5 billion within five years, based on the progress of new innovations and greater investment. As the push for cell-based research impacts DNA biochips, lab-on-a-chip systems, and related chip technologies, pharmaceutical companies must have a solid understanding of leading-edge chip manufacturers. Partnerships in drug development and R&D are more critical than ever to retain a competitive time-to-market.

This and other projections are found in a new report by MRG (Multimedia Research Group, Inc.) and Fuji-Keizai. The report, "Worldwide Biochips & Equipments Market 2005 Biochips Business Roadmap: Technology Update, Market, Business Trends and Directions", summarizes the current state of the biochip market in all major markets---the Americas, Europe, and Asia.

To better analyze this emerging market, the forecast model breaks down the biochip market into six distinct sectors: DNA Biochips; DNA Biochip-related instruments, services, and software; Lab-on-a-Chip systems; and Protein Biochips. Each sector outline includes a product overview, a listing of competitors within its segment, application development trends, pricing trends, and a market size forecast.

Pharmaceutical companies seeking biochip partnerships to develop new products or lower R&D costs will find this report invaluable, as it reviews the strategies of 29 firms, and includes over 60 figures and tables to illustrate its findings. Profiled firms include Applied Biosystems, Cepheid, Perkin Elmer, Agilent, Affymetrix, Invitrogen, and others.

“Worldwide Biochips & Equipments Market 2005 Biochips Business Roadmap: Technology Update, Market, Business Trends and Directions” is available in an English or Japanese language edition (printed or PDF) for $1,795.00 US. This 176-page report can be ordered by contacting Rob Smith at 408-524-9767 or info@mrgco.com, or by visiting www.mrgco.com.

---

MRG REPORT TRACKS SUBTLE SHIFTS IN GLOBAL IP TV MARKET LEADERSHIP

Content Protection/DRM Added as Market Sector

Orlando, Fl. - November 16, 2004. While smaller companies continue to enter the IP TV hardware and software business, larger companies are taking aggressive steps to become large-scale system IP TV integrators. The new IP TV Market Leader Report, October 2004 from MRG, Inc, a component of MRG’s IP TV Tracking Service, documents and analyzes the recent competitive position of over 55 companies in six product sectors, based on deployments by over 170 telco TV operators world-wide, serving about 2 million subscribers.

“We’ve been surprised by how fast Alcatel and Motorola originally seized the lead in access equipment and integration services through aggressive acquisition and partnership programs,” states Bob Larribeau, Sr. MRG Analyst. “Now other large multinationals like Thales, Siemens and UTStarcom are using a similar approach.”

Still in its early stage of development, the IP TV (Telco TV) market is prone to quick shifts and unpredictable market dynamics. For example, while Motorola’s position retains its “dominant” rating in the Access, STB (Set-top Box), and Middleware product sectors for North America, Microsoft wins a “participant” status with “upside growth opportunity” for its increased participation in the Middleware sector in Europe and in the U.S. Meantime, leading VOD (Video-on-Demand) vendor Kasenna is seeing increased competition from Bitband in one region; and Optibase, a global leader in the Video Headend sector, is seeing strong competition from Tut and Tandberg in specific regions. All totaled, over 55 hardware/software suppliers are rated for their “market position” and “growth opportunity” in the Asian, European, North American, “ROW” regions in six market sectors.

The newly added product sector, Content Protection and Digital Rights Management (CP/DRM), is included because of the recent upsurge in the demand for content protection. “By adding CP/DRM to the analysis, we’ve tapped into one of the most dynamic elements of the IP TV market,” states Gary Schultz, MRG CEO. “Shifting consumer demand for premium content means operators have increased their need for content security solutions.”

The IP TV Market Leader Report is available for $3,950 (single printed version); or it is included at no cost as part of the IP TV Tracking Service. For pdf pricing or special pricing for existing IPTV04 customers, or for more information, contact rsmith@mrgco.com, or call Connie Lee, 408-524-9767 at MRG (Multimedia Research Group, Inc.) in Sunnyvale, CA.

Table Of Contents and Executive Overview
Order Form

---

MRG FORECAST REVEALS IP/TV MARKET AT 26 MILLION IN 2008

North America & Europe Register New Growth

Sunnyvale, CA - September 9, 2004 A new market forecast report on Telco TV (IP/TV) from MRG, Inc, reveals that new competition, trials and deployment in Europe, Asia and North America have resulted in accelerated growth rates. Part of MRG’s IP/TV Tracking Subscription Service, this new Global Market Forecast reveals how over 2 million subscribers in 2004 will grow to 26 million in 2008, thereby fulfilling the prediction that “2005 will be the year of IP/TV.”

“We’re surprised by the remarkable dynamics of this market,” says Bob Larribeau, MRG Sr. Analyst. “The combined innovation of video program offerings, the attractive ROI of bundled video, data and voice services, and the aggressive global improvement and cost reduction of DSL and IP technologies have much to do with this dynamic growth.” Two surprises revealed in the report include the accelerated growth in North America and Europe; and the announcement that US incumbent Telcos are planning to invest in IPTV through their own infrastructure, not just reselling satellite video.

The forecast update also illustrates how VOD (Video on Demand) has moved from an add-on service in the past to an early deployment service, resulting in a greater emphasis on Content Protection and Digital Rights Management (CP/DRM) to protect content from pirating. “Besides the six IP/TV product segments broken down by four market regions, we’ve added the CP/DRM segment, partially due to the increasing popularity of VOD,” states Gary Schultz, MRG CEO. “As on-demand becomes part of basic video services, content protection will grow along with the rest of the markets in four documented regions of North America, Europe, Asia and Rest of World (ROW).”

Unit and revenue growth tracked by these four regions include Subscribers, VOD, Access, Video Headend, Set-top boxes, Middleware, and CP/DRM software. The 43-page report contains 23 charts and tables and tracks the activities of 169 IP/TV service providers worldwide. Members of MRG’s IP/TV Tracking Service receive the report free.

The report is also available for $5,200 as a standalone report, or for $2,995 for customers of the earlier IP/TV Business Case and Global Forecast – 2004 to 2007 from MRG. For more information about PDF licenses or the Tracking Service, contact info@mrgco.com or call Connie Lee at 408-524-9767.

Table Of Contents
Order Form

Sunnyvale, CA - July 23, 2004 - Since the early 1960’s, popular interest in nanotechnology has translated into both political action and increasing investment, with notable acceleration throughout 2003 and into early 2004. MRG, Inc. along with Fuji-Keizai USA compiled a report titled U.S. Market & Industry Nanotechnology R&D and Marketing: A Guide to Application, Venders, Technology Strategies, Product Directions & Market Development & Focus.

In late 2003, US enacted the 21st Century Nanotechnology Research and Development Act. It wrote into law the “National Nanotechnology Initiative” (NNI), which was announced by President Clinton in 2000 and supported by presidential budgets ever since. The Act included budget authorizations totaling $3.7 billion for nanotechnology R& D through FY 2008.

Since 2000, interest in nanotechnology has accelerated despite the U.S. recession in 2001. In 2003, the value of a publicly traded venture capital firm that specializes in nanotechnology investments rose from less than $3.00 per share to more than $15.00 per share, beating the S&P 500 by some 400% (Harris & Harris NASDAQ:TINY). The year 2003 also saw some $304 million in venture capital funding for nanotechnology, a 42 percent increase over the year 20002.

Another indicator pointing to maturation of the industry (including the financial success of Harris & Harris) is the fact that more than 60% of the nanotechnology deals in 2003 were for expansion and late-stage rounds. Also contributing is Merrill Lynch’s new ‘Nanotech Index” to track the growth of nanotechnology (now quoted on the American Stock Exchange as “NNZ”).

The heightened political and financial activity is also an indicator of Americans’ broad based belief that substantial opportunities exist in nanotechnology. U.S. Market & Industry Nanotechnology R&D and Marketing: A Guide to Application, Venders, Technology Strategies, Products Directions & Market Development and Market Focus is available for US $998.00 (English or Japanese version). To order or request information, contact Connie Lee at 408-524-9767. Email: info@mrgco.com. Visit MRG at http://www.mrgco.com.

About Multimedia Research Group, Inc. (MRG, Inc.)
MRG publishes market analyses of new technologies and provides market intelligence and strategy consulting for client companies Founded in 1990, and is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, with research teams in Tokyo, New York, Silicon Valley and San Diego.

MRG Report Evaluates Cable and Telco Strategies in the War of “Triple-Play" Bundled Services

Attractive Cable Bundles Gain the Early Advantage as RBOCs Unleash Fiber and Satellite to Stem Subscriber Loss

SUNNYVALE, CA – May 26, 2004 - “Triple-Play" bundled services will drive new service development in the North American and international Cable and Telco markets, marking the beginning of a protracted war for the home, according to a new report from MRG, Inc. (Multimedia Research Group, Inc). This report compares the “Triple Play” strategies of North American Cable MSOs (Cable Multi-System Operators) and RBOCs (Regional Bell Operating Companies). While Triple Play (Voice, Video, and Data) is the mainstay of the cable industry, a “Home Run” strategy, adding mobile wireless, has now become a fourth component to the RBOC strategy.

“It’s a war for subscribers between Cable and the Telcos,“ remarks Bob Larribeau, MRG Sr. Analyst. “The early campaign strategies and special alliances with video programmers are key parts of bundling tactics in this important competitive battle for global markets.”

The report provides a background of technical, regulatory, and business strategies for North American services. It describes in detail the major MSO strategies for expanded video, voice, and high-speed-data services; plans for FTTH and FTTP by North American RBOCs; and a bundling opportunity analysis for both Cable and RBOCs. It also includes overall strategy analysis of opportunities, risks, possible initiatives, and projected winners and losers.

“With the globalization of standards, technologies, and carrier ownership, local U.S. markets have much more competition than before,” states Gary Schultz, MRG Principal Analyst. “The resulting speed-up of service deployment by MSOs creates a competitive response by large Telcos (RBOCs), including fiber deployment and new satellite video partnerships.” Meantime, MSOs have launched their own pre-emptive technology initiatives that accelerate the deployment of all-digital and all-IP in their networks to lower costs and increase bandwidth.

Profiled carriers include BellSouth, Qwest, SBC, Verizon, Comcast, Time Warner, Cablevision, Charter, and Cox. Profiled services, including pricing, are broken down by carrier and include Voice (VOIP and Switched Telephony), High-Speed-Data (HSD), Video (Broadcast & VOD), and Mobile/Handheld sectors.

This 105-page report, Triple Play vs. Home Run/Telco vs. Cable: The Battle for the Multi-Services Market, is available for $1,995.00 (printed); a PDF (read-only) version is also available. For more information, contact Rob Smith at 408-524-9767 or rsmith@mrgco.com.

Table of Contents
Order Form

(Definitions: TelcoTV = Video Offered over Telco Residential Networks; VOD = Video on Demand; DVR=Digital Video Recorder; HDTV= High Definition TV; Multi-channel = Multiple-channel Video Service; FTTH = Fiber to the Home; FTTP= Fiber to the Premises; PayTV= Multi-channel Cable or Satellite Video Service in Europe; RBOC=Regional Bell Operating Company.)

MRG Launches New Global IP-TV and Telco-TV Tracking Service

SUNNYVALE, CA – May 10, 2004 – MRG, Inc. has launched a new subscription service that will help Telco-TV and IP-TV (Internet Protocol TV) executives stay ahead of the fast-changing IP-TV market. Telephone companies have discovered that high speed data, video, and voice (Triple Play) can be delivered over a DSL or fiber network at increasingly lower costs, and that Triple Play strategies increase revenues and improve the return on investment in broadband networks.

The result has been a rush by many suppliers to take advantage of this opportunity and to capture market share quickly. “This market is maturing quickly,” comments Bob Larribeau, MRG Sr. Analyst. “The Tracking Service provides the timely, practical, and in-depth intelligence and analysis required to be successful in a dynamic market.” Promising to exceed $13 billion in 2007 in equipment and services, the global Telco-TV market provides new revenue opportunities to large and small manufacturers and service providers that were unattainable just two years ago.

“Because of global standardization and use of commodity broadband infrastructure, the IP-TV markets are maturing faster than traditional video distribution markets,” states Gary Schultz, MRG President. “Today’s suppliers need eyes and ears in all the major markets –Asia, Europe, North America and others–to capture opportunities and fine tune both marketing and engineering programs. That’s why this service provides a critical strategy partnership to executives.”

The new tracking service monitors service providers such as FastWeb, France Telecom, PCCW, Chunghwa Telecom, Softbank, and KDDI, and numerous U.S. and Canadian Telcos. The suppliers that are being tracked include Alcatel, Motorola Next Level, ECI, Tandberg, Tut, Optibase, Minerva, SkyStream, Envivio, Kasenna, Myrio, Orca, and many others.

Included in the annual IP-TV Market Tracking Service are twelve monthly bulletins, two semi-annual Forecasts, two semi-annual Market Leader Reports, two Conference Calls, and four Technology & Content Updates. Market Leader and Forecast Reports are each broken into six product categories and a global and four regional categories.

The IP-TV Market Tracking Service includes the MRG reports IP-TV Business Case and Global Forecast 2004 – 2007 Volume I and II.


Overview: IP/Broadband Video Market Tracking Service
Order Form

LAS VEGAS, NV – April 19, 2004 – The next year will see significant growth in the DSL sector, as Asia and Europe push forward with new broadband infrastructures, including IP-TV (Internet Protocol TV) services. Improvements in MPEG-2 compression, the introduction of MPEG-4, newer Windows Media technologies, and the prominent role of ADSL2+ and FTTP (Fiber to the Premise) technologies will driving service revenue alone to over $10.2 billion by 2007, up from $398 million in 2003.

With Asian and European regions in buildup mode, North American telecommunications and data providers are now working towards similar plans for IP TV. The new report by MRG, IP TV Business Case and Global Forecast 2004 – 2007, examines the current and future global and domestic trends in the IP-based video services market.

At the start of 2004, worldwide DSL penetration has surpassed 64 million subscribers, creating several layers of opportunity for IP TV providers and related hardware vendors. This report identifies and forecasts current subscribers for existing IP services in Asia, Europe, and North America, and also provides global macro forecasts for IP TV subscriber and revenue growth.

“IPTV is the digital cable of Asia,” states Gary Schultz, MRG Research Director. “Telco TV is not a flash in the pan, but is quickly becoming a prime mover of telecom strategy.”

“Telcos are using a wide variety of aggressive IP TV business models to meet their objectives,” states Bob Larribeau, Sr. Analyst. “It now looks like 2005 will be the ‘Year of IP TV’ if current trends persist.”

Profiled inside the report are global telecom providers and their specific IP TV strategies, including France Telecom; Softbank Corporation (Japan); Kingston Communications (UK); and BellSouth, Qwest, SBC, and Verizon (U.S.). Other service providers profiled include All West Communications, FastWeb, KDDI, MTS Communications, and SureWest Communications, among several others. The report details each company’s specific services or content offerings, strategic partnerships, and deployment strategies.

Another section profiles access system and set-top box manufacturers with IP TV strategies, including Alcatel, Allied Telesyn, ECI, Kasenna, Marconi, Optibase, Pace Micro Technology, Minerva Networks, and SkyStream Networks.

Alongside these profiles and forecasts is an examination of specific enabler technologies for IP TV, including Europe’s prominent ADSL2+ standard and Microsoft’s Windows Media 9.

IP TV Business Case and Global Forecast 2004 – 2007 comes in Volume I (220 pages) and Volume II (120 pages); and the cost for both is $3,995.00. To order or request information, contact MRG at 408-524-9767, or send an email to Rob Smith at rsmith@mrgco.com.

Report Description
Table of Contents
Order Form

Sunnyvale, CA - February 25, 2004 - Plugging homeland security gaps is only one of many drivers behind the new wave of R&D and product development within the industry known as Wireless Sensing Networks. While digital video systems have long been central to (remotely controlled) security and monitoring systems, the new developments in sensor networks are being integrated with smart video camera networks through IP (Internet protocol) networks, and are emerging as a whole new form of multi-sensory wireless sensing systems. Because new digital video cameras—all Internet-based—are smaller and have greater processing power than before, each can accommodate up to 10 sensor plug-ins for different kinds of motion, environmental, chemical and color changes (to name a few) that, once sensed, can guide and zoom cameras to capture only the most crucial information and transmit it and the sensor data via IP to central analysis and archiving points.

Based on profiles of over 30 U.S. companies and 20 U.S. research labs, U.S. Wireless Sensing Networks: R&D and Commercialization Activities analyzes applications research and products including Alzheimer’s monitoring, food safety, environmental monitoring, diagnostic medicine, building control, home automation and transportation.

Besides describing U.S. market segmentation and size (including sensors, wireless sensors, and monitoring and control systems), the new report examines market drivers and demand levels for the more promising sectors. Also examined are the enabling technologies, including wireless LANs, PANs and WANs; power management technologies; as well as emerging and established standards.

Companies profiled include Honeywell, Motorola, Rockwell, SchlumbergerSema, and many smaller firms. Profiles include products, partnerships, and target applications. Research Labs profiled include Intel Research, UCLA Networked & Embedded Sensing Lab (NESL), Berkeley Wireless Research Center, Motorola Labs, MIT, Microsoft Research and numerous other research labs. Based on both secondary research and primary research (using telephone interviews), the report is 190 pages in length.

Table of Contents
Order Form

Developed by publishing partner Fuji-Keizai, U.S. Wireless Sensing Networks: R&D and Commercialization Activities is available in English or Japanese at the price of $1,495. For ordering or more information, contact Rob Smith (rsmith@mrgco.com) or call MRG, Inc. at 408-453-5553.

MRG Study Shows Cable has Limited Window of Opportunity for VOIP and Telephony Services

Telco Giants Eyeing the Threat