RE: Bell Canada Selects PixStream Technology To Trial New Television Services Over Existing Phone Lines
September 30, 1999
WATERLOO, Ontario--(BUSINESS WIRE) via
NewsEdge Corporation -- Incumbent
telephone company to send Bell ExpressVu
direct broadcast satellite signals over
existing copper telephone lines to
customer homes using VDSL technology
PixStream Incorporated, a leading developer
of video networking solutions, today
announced that Bell Canada, Canada's
largest communications company, has
selected PixStream video networking systems
to offer broadband services to trial
participants in a residential multi unit dwelling
over existing copper telephone lines using
VDSL (Very high data rate Digital Subscriber
Line).
PixStream video networking systems enable
Bell Canada to redistribute TV and music
channels from Bell ExpressVu, Canada's
leading and fastest growing DBS satellite TV
company. Advanced digital Set Top Boxes
will receive up to three switched digital video
channels simultaneously and present these
signals to up to three different TVs in the
home. Trial participants will be able to
choose from up to 140 TV and music
channels, access the Internet through the
Sympatico High Speed Edition and use their
regular telephony service simultaneously on
their existing single copper pair. A "no new
wiring " objective is key to both the
homeowners and to Bell Canada.
The PixStream video networking systems will
be located at Bell Canada's local central
office, where Bell ExpressVu's signals will be
received, demodulated, descrambled and
demultiplexed to make them compatible with
Bell Canada's VDSL network and Set Top
Boxes.
Bell Canada will be able to manage all
PixStream equipment remotely using
PixStream VDSmanager video networking
management software. The software will
integrate with Bell Canada's current
management system, HP OpenView, ensuring
complete control of all systems. "We chose
the PixStream VDS5000 due to its design
flexibility, video processing efficiency and
consolidation of head-end functions," said
Clayton Mangione, Director of Technology
Development at Bell Canada. "Performance
monitoring and alarms allow us to be
instantly aware of changing video signal
quality and technical difficulties.
Troubleshooting is immediate as PixStream
systems can be accessed and managed
remotely via any web browser. PixStream has
helped open up the future direction of
services that Bell Canada will be able to offer
its customers."
"The telecommunications industry is
becoming increasingly competitive. As
technology provides opportunities for new
entrants, service providers are going to have
to find a way to keep their current
subscribers," said Bruce Leichtman, Director
of Media & Entertainment Strategies, The
Yankee Group. "With most cable companies
planning to introduce voice services to
consumers, Telcos are more seriously than
ever looking into options to deploy video
services."
"This is one of the first trials in the world
whereby a telco is redistributing direct
broadcast satellite services over their
existing networks using VDSL technology,"
said Dave Caputo, Vice President of
Marketing, PixStream. "PixStream is an
integral part of this project, providing the
solution at the head-end to interface
between the direct broadcast satellite
content and Bell Canada's network
requirements."
PixStream has recently announced two other
customers, NBTel in Canada and Kingston
Vision in the UK, and is currently involved in
many unannounced trials in North America
and Europe.
PixStream Incorporated
PixStream develops, manufactures and
globally markets hardware and software
solutions that enable network service
providers and enterprises to reliably
distribute and manage digital video. Using
PixStream solutions, high quality video and
audio can be transported efficiently over
broadband networks, optimizing bandwidth
and enabling customers to introduce leading
edge video services and applications.
Founded in 1996, PixStream is based in
Waterloo, Ontario, Canada and has offices in
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada and Newport,
South Wales, United Kingdom. More
information is available at
www.pixstream.com.
Bell Canada
Bell Canada, the largest Canadian
telecommunications operating company,
markets a full range of state-of-the-art
products and services to more than seven
million business and residential customers in
Ontario and Quebec. Bell Canada's Internet
Web site is located at: bell.ca.
News releases, speeches and background
information are in the Newsroom under the
About Bell main menu. Our e-mail address is
forum@bell.ca.
Bell ExpressVu LP
Bell ExpressVu currently has more than
300,000 subscribers, making it the sixth
largest broadcast distributor in Canada, and
is adding 30,000 new customers per month.
By 2002, the company expects to reach over
one million subscribers. Launched in
September 1997, Bell ExpressVu has become
the largest and fastest growing DBS
company in Canada. The company is a limited
partnership, owned by BCE Inc.
All company and/or product names are
trademarks and/or registered trademarks of
their respective owners.
<<Business Wire, 09-29-99, 08:27 Eastern>>
CONTACT: PixStream Incorporated | Media
Contacts: Dave Caputo, 519/884-4196 |
dcaputo@pixstream.com | or | Jacqui
Murphy, 519/884-4196 |
jmurphy@pixstream.com | or | Investor
Relations Contact: Tim Jackson,
519/884-4196 | tjackson@pixstream.com |
www.pixstream.com
[Copyright 1999, Business Wire] |
