Cox Signs New IPG Deal with Gemstar-TV Guide

Cable Operator’s Agreement Includes Existing Passport IPGs, OCAP Version, My TV Guide Features

By Glen Dickson -- Broadcasting & Cable, 12/19/2007 1:27:00 PM

Cable operator Cox Communications and navigation giant Gemstar-TV Guide International expanded their relationship relating to interactive-program-guide products, services and technology.

Much of Gemstar-TV Guide's new multiyear deal with Cox covers guide technology the vendor added to its portfolio with its $16 million acquisition of Aptiv Digital in March.

Gemstar-TV Guide -- which itself is in the process of being acquired for $2.8 billion by content-protection firm Macrovision -- got Aptiv's Passport, Passport DCT and Passport Echo IPGs, which run on both Motorola and Scientific Atlanta set-tops and are used by operators including Time Warner Cable, RCN and Cox, in that deal.

The expanded agreement with Cox covers existing Passport IPGs used by Cox, as well as an OpenCable Application Platform version of Passport and certain features and services of My TV Guide, including remote record. In addition, Gemstar-TV Guide granted Cox an IPG-patent license.

Passport is currently used in Cox’s Motorola systems, and Cox expects to begin deploying Passport to its SA boxes in early 2008.

“We are happy to extend our long relationship with Cox through this new agreement," said Tom Carson, president of the North American IPG group for Gemstar-TV Guide, in a statement. "The Passport IPG solution makes sense for Cox as it will allow them a seamless transition to a single-source IPG solution throughout their systems. We’re also happy that our new agreement includes select My TV Guide features and services, like remote record, which Cox may begin to deploy in the months ahead.”