anybody still here--big day
Scientific-Atlanta to Supply Seven More Cable Operators With Two-Way
Digital Networks and Set-Tops for 1998 Deployments in U.S. and Canada
Cox, Adelphia, Marcus, and MediaOne to Join Time Warner and Comcast in
1998 U.S. Deployments of Digital Systems and Explorer 2000 Two-Way
Digital Set-Tops
Rogers, Videotron and Cogeco, Serving 60 Percent of Canada's Cable
Customers, Also to Deploy Two-Way Digital Systems and Explorer Set-Tops
in 1998
ATLANTA, Jan. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Scientific-Atlanta, Inc. (NYSE: SFA -
news) announced today that Cox Communications Inc., Adelphia
Communications, Marcus Cable, MediaOne, and three Canadian cable
operators will be deploying Scientific-Atlanta's end-to-end digital
system featuring Explorer(R) 2000 digital set-tops in 1998. With
previous orders from Time Warner Cable and Comcast Cable, this brings to
nine the number of cable operators with plans to make initial
deployments of Scientific-Atlanta digital systems and Explorer set-tops
this year. The nine operators -- representing six of the 10 largest U.S.
operators and three of the top four Canadian operators -- serve a total
of 33.2 million customers.
The Explorer 2000 set-top is the only two-way digital set-top with
scheduled shipments for 1998 deployment in North America. These set-tops
use open Internet Protocols, HTML and JavaScript(TM), and comply with
expected OpenCable specifications. The set-top will be the first on the
market to include a real-time, open standards reverse-path transmitter,
which allows operators to deploy two-way digital capabilities
immediately.
Cox Communications, the fifth largest cable operator in the U.S. with
some 3.3 million total customers, will purchase digital interactive
networks and Explorer 2000 set-tops to deploy in several of its major
systems. Installation and integration will begin in the first half of
1998 with deployment to customers in July of 1998.
Adelphia Communications, the seventh largest U.S. cable operator, serves
about two million customers. Its first deployment of two-way digital
services is planned for its Buffalo, N.Y., cluster, which has 165,000
customers.
Marcus Cable, ranked the tenth largest cable operator with 1.2 million
customers, plans to introduce two-way digital services in three cities:
Glendale, Calif.; Ft. Worth, Tex.; and Birmingham, Ala. Marcus systems
in these cities have 266,000 customers.
MediaOne, the third largest cable operator in the U.S. with 5.1 million
customers, will purchase a Scientific-Atlanta digital interactive system
with Explorer 2000 set-tops to be installed this year in a major
MediaOne system to test market digital video and interactive services.
In addition to their plans to deploy initial quantities of Explorer set-
tops, all four U.S. operators will also install interactive headend
equipment and digital network control software from Scientific-Atlanta.
Shipments are scheduled to begin in the second quarter of 1998. The
operators can order additional Explorer set-tops for deployment at any
time.
Other U.S. cable operators planning 1998 deployments of Explorer
set-tops include Time Warner Cable in cities to be announced and Comcast
Cable in its Baltimore Metro system.
Three Canadian operators -- Rogers Cablesystems Ltd, Videotron Itee, and
Cogeco Cable -- also plan to deploy Explorer set-tops and
Scientific-Atlanta's digital network this year in their systems, which
serve 4.8 million customers.
''Momentum is growing in the cable industry to start deploying digital
this year. With an 18-month lead in developing and deploying two-way
digital set- tops, Scientific-Atlanta remains in the forefront of
bringing integrated digital technologies to aggressive operators like
Cox, Adelphia, Marcus, and MediaOne,'' said Michael P. Harney,
Scientific-Atlanta's vice president and general manager, digital video
systems.
''The Explorer 2000 set-top and Scientific-Atlanta's digital network are
ideal for Cox because they will work 'hand in glove' with our two-way
hybrid/fiber coax infrastructure,'' said Jim Robbins, president and
chief executive officer of Cox.
''We expect high demand from our subscribers for new digital channels,
Internet access, and other new services. After a few months of offering
digital channels, we plan to introduce two-way interactive services,
such as e-mail and Web browsing, by this summer,'' said James Rigas,
Adelphia's executive vice president of strategic planning.
''Interactive digital services will become a major component in our
efforts to strengthen our platform. This state-of-the-art technology
that Scientific- Atlanta offers will provide more services for our
customers. And customer satisfaction is what it is all about,'' said
John Pietri, Marcus Cable's senior vice president and chief technical
officer.
In addition to being a digital video entertainment device, Explorer 2000
set-top also is designed to act as a TV Web browser or a high-speed
cable modem. Its high performance processor, graphics engine and IP
connectivity enable seamless support for both video applications and
Internet access via TV or PC. Features will include:
Internet compatibility and support for applications based on open
Internet Protocols, HTML, and JavaScript(TM), the interfaces specified
by OpenCable. built-in cable modem and IP addressing for Web browsing,
Webcasting, and high-speed data connections to PCs. the ability for the
operator to add future digital interactive services such as
video-on-demand without requiring any new modules, physical changes, or
swap-outs of the set-top. Web browsing and other advanced
cross-platform applications enabled by the PowerTV(R) operating system.
Powerful 54 MIPS Sun MicroSPARC(TM) II RISC processor core for
application processing. optional Ethernet 10BaseT interface for
connections to a PC, printers, and other peripherals. the PowerKEY(TM)
conditional access system, which is ''Harmony'' compliant, and a
Smartcard slot to assure security and reliability of electronic commerce
transactions by consumers. |
