Charter Communications Sends Phone Calls Over Cable-TV Lines
Bloomberg News
June 22, 1999, 8:12 a.m. PT
Charter Communications Sends Phone Calls Over Cable-TV Lines
St. Louis, June 22 (Bloomberg) -- Charter Communications
Inc., the cable-television company owned by Microsoft Corp. co-
founder Paul Allen, said it sent phone calls over its network in
Fitchburg, Wisconsin, using Internet technology from Cisco
Systems Inc.
The calls were placed over cable lines as data packets,
using a technology called Internet Protocol. It's less expensive,
though also less reliable, than circuit switching, the older
technology used by conventional phone companies. Cable companies
are counting on packet switching to beef up their services.
Cable companies are racing to develop technologies that
broaden their voice, video and data services. They want to
compete with phone companies.
Closely held Charter Communications, based in St. Louis, is
the fourth-largest U.S. cable-TV provider, with about 5.5 million
residential customers for its video and high-speed Internet
access services. San Jose, California-based Cisco fell 1/8 to 61
1/2 in late morning trading.
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