Another version of the same release.
This one details the ATHM deals done with AKAM and Microcast as well. IBEM is in exclusive company with the likes of those two companies. Glad ATHM chose IBEM and not Cidera. I guess today's 17% surge was ATHM buying IBEM shares (Note that ATHM stated that they "had" taken an equity stake in IBEM...I assume this was done on the open market).
Excite@Home Expands Commercial Use of Its Broadband Network With Content Distribution Strategy and Services
biz.yahoo.com
iBEAM, Akamai and Microcast Are First Content Distribution Networks To Distribute Content Over Excite@Home's Network
REDWOOD CITY, Calif., May 31 /PRNewswire/ -- Excite@Home (Nasdaq: ATHM - news), the leader in broadband, today announced a commercial strategy and services to allow content distribution networks (CDNs) to distribute media via Excite@Home's broadband network infrastructure, expanding the Company's commercial use of its Internet backbone. Excite@Home will begin deploying these services with three leading CDNs: iBEAM (Nasdaq: IBEM - news), Akamai (Nasdaq: AKAM - news) and Microcast. The new services mark the continued and rapid growth of Excite@Home Business Solutions (EBS), the Company's commercial services division, and highlight the expansion of the Company's business model. Excite@Home is the only company offering CDNs a distribution method to reach its ever-growing base of broadband subscribers.
CDNs, providers of high-performance Internet content delivery services, need to run their content over a high-speed network such as Excite@Home's to reliably deliver broadband media -- high-quality images, audio and video -- to consumers who already have a broadband connection. Through direct access and network data services, CDNs will be able to connect directly to and distribute through Excite@Home's dual OC-48 Internet backbone. These new content distribution services offer CDNs a cost-effective, time saving method to improve the end-user experience. Excite@Home's backbone is an asset that makes content distribution services a natural next step in the company's corporate strategy to deploy broadband services for residential and commercial use worldwide.
``We will continue to expand the commercial uses of our broadband network to take advantage of the next phase of commercial growth today and post-2002 as it becomes an ever more significant piece of our business,'' said Mark O'Leary, executive vice president, EBS. ``The content distribution networks such as iBEAM, Akamai and Microcast have recognized the need to deliver superior content to broadband subscribers.''
Through its new commercial services, Excite@Home will offer CDNs flexible business-class services that will enable them to directly connect to Excite@Home's broadband network, based upon their service needs. Types of services offered will include:
-- Custom Access Services: Companies may connect with large capacity
directly from their facilities or from a carrier-neutral co-location
such as Equinix to one of the Excite@Home's Core POPs (points of
presence). Through these arrangements, Excite@Home can offer high
capacity carrier-class performance, reliability and scalability.
-- Network Data Center Services: Companies will be able to connect to the
Excite@Home backbone through Excite@Home's own network data centers,
slated for deployment later this year.
Partnerships with Leading Content Distribution Networks
Excite@Home is announcing today that three leading CDNs, iBEAM, Akamai and Microcast, will be the first partners to begin utilizing the Content Distribution Services.
iBEAM, an Internet broadcast network provider, will be the first customer to benefit from Excite@Home's relationship with Equinix, where iBEAM will locate equipment and connect to Excite@Home's network within the Equinix Neutral Internet Business Exchange(TM) (IBX(TM)), a carrier-neutral facility that provides business-to-business connectivity and managed services nationwide. iBEAM will also be the first company to be placed within Excite@Home's network data centers and will deploy its equipment in several locations within the company's network later this year.
``iBEAM is pleased to be the first to place advanced streaming servers in Excite@Home's network centers. The result of this agreement will be better quality streaming media for end-users and for content providers,'' said Peter B. Desnoes, president and CEO at iBEAM. ``The broadband services that Excite@Home provides combined with iBEAM's streaming technology will result in a first-rate Internet broadcast experience.''
Akamai, a leading content, streaming media and application delivery company, will gain direct access to the Excite@Home network in diverse locations geographically distributed throughout the company's network. Geographic distribution improves the performance, scalability and reliability of rich dynamic content, and applications for broadband users.
``Akamai became the largest content and streaming delivery company by solving the Internet backbone and peering problem for over 1,000 content provider customers, and Excite@Home has the most valuable broadband network based on its large subscriber base,'' said Avi Freedman, vice president of network architecture at Akamai. ``This partnership supports our commitment to maintaining the world's largest distributed delivery network and gives Excite@Home users an enhanced end-to-end broadband experience for Akamai customers' world-class content and streaming media.''
Microcast, which is currently co-located in many of the same central office facilities as Excite@Home, will leverage this unique condition to directly connect to Excite@Home's network. The core points-of-presence that are directly connected to the Excite@Home network incorporate the latest routing technology and are specifically architected to meet the bandwidth, performance, services, and reliability requirements for today's large capacity pipes.
``Microcast is building out one of the world's largest video streaming network which will achieve its full potential by reaching Internet users throughout the nation,'' said Paul Nash, chairman, CEO and co-founder of Microcast, Inc. ``Because of their impressive backbone capabilities, partnering with Excite@Home will help us provide content owners with the foremost streaming services available while also reaching the greatest number of consumers.''
About Excite@Home
Excite@Home is the leading broadband online service provider, offering residential and commercial broadband services, with a global footprint of 87 million homes under long-term cable and DSL contract. Excite@Home offers consumers broadband services over cable-modem, DSL and other ``last-mile'' connections and businesses high-speed commercial services. Excite@Home has approximately 13.5 million cable franchise homes under contract outside of North America and localized versions of the Excite service in 10 leading international markets.
NOTE: Excite@Home, @Home, Excite and the ``@'' stylized logo are trademarks of At Home Corporation and may be registered in certain jurisdictions
SOURCE: Excite@Home |
