AT&T expands U-verse-Disney relationship; Ericsson beefs up Telus' Optik IPTV

More news bytes from around the World Wide Web:

@FierceIPTV RT ADVAOptical via @broadbandtrends: A Video Conversation with my Future Self. Article | Follow @FierceIPTV

> AT&T U-verse customers can now access three Disney-branded products on iOS and Kindle Fire devices, as well as online. Press release

> Ericsson has provided MPEG-4 AVC HD compression technology to Telus' Optik TV IPTV service. Story

> Consolidation is expected to continue in the TV middleware market, according to data compiled by ABI Research. Press release

> ZTE will construct, operate and maintain a low bitrate IPTV network for Telkom Indonesia as part of a four-year construction deal the two companies signed. Story

> Russian telecom Rostelecom doubled its IPTV subscriber base in the last year and now stands a 1.4 million subs. Story

> Thomson Video Networks has integrated Zixi to help transport high quality video over unmanaged IP links. Press release

Online Video News

> TV viewers with second-screen capabilities are not especially keen on using the devices to interact directly with apps that accompany TV programs they're watching, research indicates. Article

Cable News

> News Corp. has threatened to turn the Fox broadcast network into a pay cable TV network rather than see its signal continue to be tapped by Aereo. Article

And finally … Asian markets are leading the way as managed IPTV services continue to add subscribers in the face of all competition. Story.