MediaOne, Philips may target U.S. set-top market
news.com
By Bloomberg News
Special to CNET News.com
February 8, 1999, 6:20 a.m. PT
MediaOne Group, the third-largest U.S. cable-television company, plans to develop digital set-top boxes with Philips Electronics NV, a move aimed at lowering prices and giving television viewers more choice, according to reports.
The plan is also aimed at opening the U.S. equipment market for set-tops, which for years has been dominated by General Instruments and Scientific- Atlanta, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing Bud Wonsiewicz, MediaOne's chief technical officer. MediaOne expects to begin selling digital set-tops this summer, well ahead of the U.S. government deadline for making the boxes available to customers on a retail basis, now set for July 2000, the newspaper said.
MediaOne indicated on December 17 its cable-TV cash flow will be below the industry average for another year before reaching above-average levels in 2000.
Copyright 1999, Bloomberg L.P. All Rights Reserved.
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