Please be aware that neither of those items was connected to the Y2K freeze at AT&T.
The first item refers to the trend at all MSOs, not just AT&T, to move away from traditional power supplies and amplifiers and fiber nodes into new generation equipment that was just announced by ANTEC during the 4th quarter. Believe me, if they could have pinned it on an equipment freeze at a major supplier, they would have. Not worded it like they did. In fact, ANTEC did blame a large revenue shortfall in 1996 on then TCI's cancelling of orders.
As I have explained to several people, the equipment freeze was on only new types of equipment and new software releases. Any equipment type that was already in the network could continue to be installed throughout December, it just had to have the software load that was in service on that equipment type prior to Dec. 1. I stand by my statement that the AT&T Y2K freeze did not affect actual hardware or software installs in December. In fact, I witnessed several pieces of Cornerstone gear going in this month. No problem with that.
Secondly, the shift from HDT to Voice Port and software orders was unforeseen as AT&T felt they had enough HDT on line ready for launch and not enough Voice Ports to launch markets with so they shifted emphasis. But those Voice Port installations continued non-stop throughout December, further lending credence to the notion there was no AT&T Y2K hardware install freeze in place.
As long as it was not a new "type" of equipment being put in the network, it was allowed to continue at full speed. Only new "types" of equipment that had never been in the network before were frozen from introduction to AT&T's network during that interval.
Hope that distinction explains my previous rebuttal and makes sense. Let me know if you have any further questions about it. |
