Major MSOs Prepare For Full-Scale Rollouts of VoIP Service
Comcast and Cox Shift into Launch Mode, Joining Time Warner and Cablevision
NOVEMBER 2003
cabledatacomnews.com
By Alan Breznick, Editor, Cable Datacom News
Time Warner Cable is not the only major cable operator pitching voice-over-Internet-Protocol (VoIP) service to its residential broadband subscribers anymore.
After years of refining the technology and biding their time, Cablevision Systems, Cox Communications and Comcast Corp. have all joined the IP telephony parade in recent weeks. The three cable multi-system operators (MSOs) are either introducing services commercially now or are gearing up for "soft" market launches or large market trials.
"The market's moving so quickly now," said Mark Dzuban, vice chairman of Cedar Point Communications, a VoIP infrastructure equipment provider working with Comcast. "We'll absolutely see some real commercial deployments next year."
Cablevision officially became the second major MSO to plunge into the VoIP business at the end of September when it started marketing its new OptimumVoice product to its high-speed data subscribers in the New York City suburbs. Plans call for the staged rollout, which started on Long Island, to extend quickly to Cablevision's entire 4.4 million-home territory by the end of the year.
Cablevision, which has more than 920,000 cable-modem customers, is selling OptimumVoice for $34.95 a month. The price covers unlimited local, in-state and long-distance calls, as well as the standard call forwarding, screening and blocking features. The MSO is relying on direct mail, cross-channel cable TV spots and Web postings to promote the service.
The commercial launch came after months of smaller market trials on western Long Island. Few other details are available because Cablevision, as usual, is keeping mum so far. "We'll have more to say in a few weeks," a company spokesman said. |
