CED articles from June 2001

CED archives from June 2001

Neat stuff and gizmos.(cable equipment and services)
June 1, 2001... With 2001 now half over, it shouldn't be a whole lot longer before Cable Television Laboratories certifies the first batch of DOCSIS 1.1 modems and cable modem termination systems. For cable operators, it's perhaps the most anticipated event of...

CableLabs forms bandwidth forum, cable B2B program.(business to business)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... CableLabs recently launched a couple of programs aimed at bandwidth management and cable business to business. The Bandwidth Modeling and Management Vendor Forum will establish a venue where CableLabs members can discuss upcoming bandwidth...

Liberate Technologies, Intertainer to offer entertainment-on-demand.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... Liberate Technologies and Intertainer Inc. have signed an agreement in which Intertainer will integrate its VOD application with the Liberate TV Platform software for digital set-top boxes. Intertainer's broadband entertainment-on-demand...

ReplayTV sneaks into set-tops.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... ReplayTV and Motorola recently signed a long-term licensing agreement for Motorola to use ReplayTV's digital video recording technology in high-end cable set-top boxes. Digital video recorders (DVRs) are similar to VCRs, except that...

Cox, EarthLink agree to high-speed Internet trial.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... EarthLink and Cox Communications Inc. recently agreed to conduct a technical trial of EarthLink's Internet services over Cox's broadband cable network. The six-month trial will allow both companies to test the service with the option of...

Cable modem, DSL prices on the rise.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... Verizon and BellSouth are boosting the fees they charge for high-speed Internet access, joining AT&T in a sudden barrage of broadband price hikes made possible by the financial woes crushing their dot-com rivals. Last month, Verizon...

ADC restructures business.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... ADC has restructured its business in an effort to better align the company to meet its strategic, operational, and financial objectives, according to the company. ADC plans to increase its focus on the key growth areas of DSL, IP cable, optics...

Cisco talks up 'Net phone technology.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... Cisco Systems recently jazzed up its Internet-based phone technology with new Web surfing and speech recognition features, the latest effort by the networking giant to make old phone systems obsolete. Cisco competes against 3Com, Nortel...

BroadJump releases consumer preference results.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
June 1, 2001... BroadJump Inc. announced key findings from a recent study measuring subscriber preferences and purchasing behavior for premium broadband services. According to the study, virus protection and firewalls emerged as the most desired services,...

Conexant, Motorola to develop silicon system for broadband devices.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... Conexant Systems Inc. and Motorola Inc. have signed an agreement to develop system silicon technology for broadband communications devices. Conexant will supply standard cable modem chipsets to Motorola's broadband communications sector, and...

Best Buy signs million-dollar contract to work with AT&T.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... Best Buy has signed a three-year, multi-million-dollar contract for an enhanced version of the AT&T Integrated Network Connection Service. Best Buy will use the service at its 419 retail stores in 41 states to enhance its retail store...

Pioneer Passport IPG now deployed in Time Warner system.(Interactive Program Guide)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... Pioneer announced that Time Warner Cable Desert Cities Division, as part of its upgrade to digital service, has integrated Pioneer's Passport Interactive Program Guide (IPG) into its offering. Passport is the interactive interface by which...

iSurfTV announces development deal with NCTC.(National Cable Television Cooperative )(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... iSurfTV has signed a letter of intent with the National Cable Television Cooperative (NCTC) to jointly develop and market a turnkey IPG based on iSurfTV's SurfGuide technology. This nonexclusive initiative will make SurfGuide available to...

Home Director provides communication/entertainment package for home builders.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... Toll Brothers Inc., a builder of luxury homes, and Home Director Inc. have signed an agreement to offer Home Director's home networking systems in Toll Brothers' homes. Toll Brothers is recommending the installation of Home Director's home...

Liberate teams with Concurrent on iTV and VOD solutions.(interactive television)(video on demand)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... Liberate Technologies and Concurrent Computer Corp. have formed a strategic alliance under which they have combined their technologies into an integrated interactive TV and VOD offering for the growing digital video market. The strategic...

Fixed wireless will challenge cable modem, DSL markets.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
June 1, 2001... While the SOHO market is getting wired mainly through cable modems and DSL connections, a strong challenger to this duopoly is emerging from the fixed broadband space, according to a new study from Allied Business Intelligence (ABI). MMDS...

Agreement opens doors for next-generation PVR technology.(personal video recorder)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... Philips Semiconductors' Nexperia Home Entertainment Engines will soon support NDS' advanced personal video recorder (PVR) technology for set-top boxes. The combination of NDS' conditional access software and interactive systems with the...

Grande launches interactive service.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... Liberate Technologies' TV Platform software will be used to deliver interactive services to Grande Communications' subscribers throughout the central Texas corridor. Grande is building a state-of-the-art broadband network that will provide...

Broadband networked households offer new challenges to service providers.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
June 1, 2001... Of the 30 million U.S. households predicted to have broadband service by 2004, 17 million will have a home network, a huge potential market that presents new opportunities, and unique challenges, to service providers. Initial data from...

TAKING THE PLUNGE.(streaming media)(Statistical Data Included)
June 1, 2001... As high-speed access spreads, the days of sending herky-jerky streaming media over the Internet may be numbered, and operators could play a key role in making it a viable, revenue-producing service Everybody's doing it. A friend across...

LIFTING THE GREAT WAIT.(set-top box marketing and policy)
June 1, 2001... While broadcasters struggle to meet a Federal Communications Commission deadline to convert to digital, and consumer electronics manufacturers try to sell digital television receivers, the cable industry has quietly rolled out more than 10...

CTO SUMMIT.(panel interviewed on advanced service strategies from cable operators)(Statistical Data Included)
June 1, 2001... CABLE'S TOP ENGINEERS REVEAL LATEST ADVANCED SERVICE STRATEGIES As the competitive landscape ebbs and flows, the nation's largest broadband service providers fine-tune their plans to upgrade their networks in anticipation of offering new...

Finding the perfect formula.(product launches, cable telecommunications industry)(Product Announcement)(Statistical Data Included)
June 1, 2001... More than 11,800 cable industry technical personnel made the jaunt to Orlando to "Experience the Solutions" at the Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers' annual Cable-Tec Expo, held last month. And on the show floor itself, as well as...

Moving at Wavelet speed.
June 1, 2001... Wavelet modulation can help squeeze more out of existing networks The worldwide cable TV network community is becoming rich in optical fiber as a result of a frenzied schedule of upgrades to their hybrid fiber/coaxial (HFC) plants. However,...

Rising above the spectral fray.(broadband transmission in multi-dwelling units)
June 1, 2001... Advantages of above-900 MHz coax transmission of digital services Evolving, cable network-provided Internet data and digital entertainment service applications are starting to demand much higher and symmetrical transmission rates in...

Ops take multiple aim at businesses.(cable operators)
June 1, 2001... Enabling technologies help extend the reach of HFC nets Courting enterprise customers is increasingly becoming a part of cable operators' game plans, and vendors are responding with technologies to help operators get their foot in the doors...

MPLS: The key to multiservice delivery.(Multiprotocol Label Switching)
June 1, 2001... Efficient switching of IP traffic over metro and core networks As cable operators increasingly unlock the revenue-generating capabilities of broadband access networks, they will most likely turn to Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) as...

Switch or router in a CMTS? Yes.(cable modem termination systems)
June 1, 2001... A new platform is emerging that could provide the best of both approaches Driven by the spectacular growth of the Internet, the demand for bandwidth between clients and servers on the Web continues to rise. This, in turn, has led to the...

Who is Jim Starr?(AT and T engineering executive)
June 1, 2001... AT&T engineering exec has rich history in video The latest round of restructuring over at AT&T Broadband's corporate offices elevated Jim Starr to one of the highest engineering ranks: VP of future technology and of AT&T Broadband Labs,...

No more wires?
June 1, 2001... In recent months, I have been experiencing first-hand the wonders of wireless networking. My laptop, which I take everywhere, now contains a wireless modem. I have installed wireless hubs in my offices in Connecticut and Colorado, as well in my...

Strengthening the supply chain.(cable and telecommunications vendors)
June 1, 2001... Vendors focus on ways to keep their customers happy A cooling economy, mounting inventories and increased competition are pushing traditional cable and telecommunications vendors to more prudent, cost-efficient supply chain management...

NCTA Engineering Committee reflections.
June 1, 2001... The NCTA Engineering Committee has a warm place in my life's memories. I chaired the committee from 1986 to 1990, and I enjoyed that tenure and the friends I made. One memory of a major NCTA Engineering Committee event was a 1980 three-day...

Prepare for the reverse path surge.
June 1, 2001... How to determine if digital reverse will work for you For decades, the cable industry has operated, to a large extent, on a one-way street. Today's primary applications--digital video, cable modem and telemetry--are asymmetrical in nature,...

VPNs give MSOs new revenue opportunities.(virtual private networks )
June 1, 2001... Growing beyond commodity Internet access The cable industry was built on the idea of enhancing a basic service, which created more value for subscribers and earned the multiple system operators (MSOs) incremental revenue. Premium movie...

Mining for new business opportunities.
June 1, 2001... Leveraging HFC to serve business customers Like all businesses, cable system operators are always searching for new ways to increase revenue and profits. Many see next-generation broadband services as the solution, but when they ask what it...

Terayon picks Mega Hertz as distribution partner.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... ENGLEWOOD, Colo.--Terayon has appointed Mega Hertz as its national distribution channel for its line of integrated receiver descramblers for franchised cable applications. Mega Hertz partnered with Terayon because of the DTE-7100 IRD, a...

Alpha marks milestone at Expo.(Alpha Technologies)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... ORLANDO--Alpha Technologies celebrated the shipment of its one-millionth power supply, and formally commemorated the milestone with an awards ceremony at SCTE Cable-Tec Expo to recognize the customer that received it. "A million of...

Cox selects Harmonic for Midwest cable plant upgrades.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... ORLANDO--Cox Communications Inc. has selected a suite of Harmonic fiber optic solutions to support multiple system upgrades throughout Oklahoma and Kansas. The ongoing plant rebuilds will serve more than 800,000 subscribers once completed, and...

Dark Fiber, Galaxy to build broadband IP network.(for)(Southeast Nebraska Distance Learning Consortium )(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... YORK, Neb.--The Southeast Nebraska Distance Learning Consortium (SNDLC) has selected Dark Fiber Solutions and Galaxy Cablevision to build a multi-gigabit broadband IP network for distance learning, Internet access and other high-speed...

Poirier garners engineering honors.(Karl Poirier )(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... MISSISSAUGA, Canada--CableServ Inc.'s Karl Poirier has won the E.R. Jarmain Award for Outstanding Achievement in Engineering, given to an individual who has made a major impact on the Canadian cable television industry. Specifically, Poirier...

CommScope launches resource center.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... ORLANDO--CommScope Inc. has announced the launch of its new digital BroadBand (dB) Resource Center. The dB Center has been designed as a repository of technical experience, services and tools to help broadband service providers deploy...

Fiber node adds bandwidth.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... ATLANTA--Scientific-Atlanta has introduced its GainMaker fiber deep node, designed to take advantage of available bandwidth as operators begin to push fiber deeper into their networks. In particular, the node is targeted to less than...

Splice enclosure.(from Channell)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... TEMECULA, Calif.--Channell has announced the FiberMark1 Fiber Optic Splice Enclosure for larger capacity voice, data and video fiber optic splicing requirements. Typical examples of its use include central office, vault, headend, splice box,...

Web-based project management.(SpanPro Solutions' WebWorx)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
June 1, 2001... ORLANDO--SpanPro Solutions has introduced a new Web-based project management system--WebWorx--which takes traditional wall map data, puts it online and delivers it electronically, via the Web, enabling MSOs and contractors to track, monitor and...

Cable spacers/protection in one.(from Budco)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... ORLANDO--New from Budco is the GatorGuard, which prevents the three-bolt clamp from damaging, or even touching aerial fiber or coaxial cable, according to the company. The guard allows the cable to expand into the loop, rather than into the...

Multi-purpose wallplate.(from)(Thomas & Betts' Cable Communications Division )(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... MEMPHIS, Tenn.--Thomas & Betts' Cable Communications Division has introduced a two-piece, multi-purpose wallplate designed to maintain a safe cable bend radius and provide cable TV installers with easier access to drop cables. The new two-piece...

Customer premise power supply.(Alpha Technologies Inc.'s AlphaPoint UPS Series)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
June 1, 2001... BELLINGHAM, Wash.--Alpha Technologies has expanded its broadband backup power offering to include the AlphaPoint UPS Series, which is designed to provide local power for the Network Interface Unit (NIU) or Multimedia Terminal Adapter (MTA). The...

Power supplies.(Antec)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
June 1, 2001... ORLANDO--Antec has made a number of additions to its family of Total System Power (TSP) supplies. The EG-LP-240 Twin-Cylinder Propane Ground-Mount Enclosure houses two cylinders that can contain up to 40 pounds of propane. It also features an...

Transceiver module.(ISG Broadband Inc.)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
June 1, 2001... MILPITAS, Calif.--ISG Broadband has added a new miniature RFIC-based Transceiver Module to its family of Media Gateway products for cable modems and IP telephony. Designed for both voice and data applications, the ISG4042 serves as the RF...

Mobile computer.(WalkAbout Computers Inc.'s Hammerhead 3)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
June 1, 2001... ORLANDO--WalkAbout Computers Inc. has unveiled its new Hammerhead 3 (HH3) ruggedized mobile computer, designed for operation in demanding environments. Powered by a 400 MHz Pentium, the HH3 combines simplicity of use, high performance, wireless...

Fiber optic cables.(Pirelli Cables and Systems North America's OptiLink products)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
June 1, 2001... ORLANDO--Pirelli Cables and Systems North America is introducing its OptiLink family of high-fiber-count, Bundled-in-Loose-Tube and Armored Bundled-in-Loose-Tube fiber optic cables. OptiLink cables are available with up to 432 optical...

Drop amplifiers.(Electroline Equipment Inc. EDA-UG and EDA-FT)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
June 1, 2001... MONTREAL, Canada--Electroline Equipment Inc. has made two additions to its line of drop amplifiers--the EDA-UG (Unity Gain) and the EDA-FT (Flat-top)--designed to meet the specific requirements of multiple service home applications. The...

1 GHz automatic RF switch.(from Tekron)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
June 1, 2001... ORLANDO--Tekron has introduced a new version of its 1 GHz Automatic RF Switch for Trunk Redundancy in headends. The RSS-3T incorporates three automatic A/B switch modules in a 1 RU chassis, with front-panel switch override control, threshold...

Torque wrench.(Lemco Tool Corp.)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
June 1, 2001... ORLANDO--Lemco Tool Corp. has announced its new TQT-5/16-25 Dual Action Torque Wrench, which ensures that the bolts on tap faceplates are secured to their proper tightness. The handle is fitted with an integrated hex socket to use as a bolt...

CMTS manager.(Core Networks Inc.'s Cable Modem Termination System Manager)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
June 1, 2001... HALIFAX, Nova Scotia--Core Networks Inc. has launched its network intelligence and monitoring tool, the CMTS (Cable Modem Termination System) Manager, which helps cable operators configure, monitor and manage their data transport equipment. ...

Child's remote control.(US Electronics and Fobis Technologies' Weemote 2 television control)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
June 1, 2001... ORLANDO--US Electronics Inc., in partnership with Fobis Technologies, has introduced the Weemote 2, an updated version of the original Weemote child's remote. The updated remote has all of the features of the first model, and adds functions...

Taking the `satellite' out of `mobile satellite'.(satellite communications industry)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... The mobile satellite business has been the most notoriously unsuccessful business in the telecommunications industry. The solution? Junk the satellites and use that spectrum for terrestrial mobile services! The key mobile satellite players...

Jump in, the water's fine.(Broadband communications industry data)(Brief Article)(Industry Overview)(Statistical Data Included)
June 1, 2001... LIKE SPANIARDS in search of the proverbial Fountain of Youth, broadband service providers are desperately seeking a source of new customers. Cable operators need them to recapture some of the marketshare (and walletshare) they've lost to the...

WHAT LIES beneath.(high speed data management)
June 1, 2001... Cable operators are working to bust through competition and outdated perceptions to reach the huge, untapped commercial market for high-speed data and telephony services In the past several years, cable operators have begun to broaden...

branching out.(cable industry trends)(Industry Overview)
June 1, 2001... Cable companies, both large and small, are leveraging their fiber networks to provide business services The recent demise of several CLECs and the explosion of voice, data and Internet usage in the commercial markets are inspiring several...

multi-tenant oppurtunities on the RISE.(for broadband communications)(Industry Overview)
June 1, 2001... The business of delivering broadband to multi-tenant buildings is undergoing a shakeout as companies are forced to sharpen their focus to survive At first glance, it seems like a slamdunk. As broadband services spread throughout both urban...

MTU market in flux.(Multi-tenant unit broadband market)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... Rough going in 2001, but smooth sailing ahead After a promising year in 2000, the multi-tenant unit (MTU) broadband market is encountering rough seas in 2001. This year shapes up as a period of radical transition with significant market...

partnering FOR SUCCESS.(cable television industry trends)(Industry Overview)
June 1, 2001... Cable MSOs have options-and allies-if they want to reach the commercial promised land. Broadband to business: it's the next logical step for the cable TV industry. In fact, it's a must-do, unless cable TV MSOs intend to surrender this...

Business users eyeing cable services.(cable modem industry data)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
June 1, 2001... Study says users prefer DSL, T-1, but cable modems rank a strong third Business customers in the U.S. predictably prefer digital subscriber line and T-1 services to fulfill their broadband communications needs, but a significant number are...