Greg, maybe this gives you a lead on the question of which telephone gear company will benefit from the AT&T-TCI merger. @Home is partly owned by TCI and its shares are being acquired by T. T probably wants @Home because it is able to provide high speed data and Internet services over cable. In turn, @Home seems to use BAY for its equipment, if the following press release is any indication. I think its a pretty good bet that T is going to use BAY to turn TCI's cable systems into a local telephone network. IMHO
Doug
@Home Network to Integrate Bay Networks DOCSIS-based Product; Companies build on experience with proprietary technology to ready standards-based broadband services
Business Wire - June 23, 1998 09:15
%BAY-NETWORKS BAY ATHM %MASSACHUSETTS %CALIFORNIA %COMED %COMPUTERS
%ELECTRONICS %TELECOMMUNICATIONS V%BW P%BW
SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 23, 1998--Bay Networks(R), Inc. (NYSE:BAY) and @Home Network (NASDAQ:ATHM) today announced that @Home is testing the Bay Networks Versalar Cable Modem Termination System (CMTS) 1000. Testing at @Home's labs is for the deployment of services based on the Data-Over-Cable System Interface Specification(DOCSIS) driven by CableLabs of Louisville, Colorado, the research and development arm of the North and South American cable industries. The Versalar CMTS 1000 is a DOCSIS headend
controller that terminates broadband cable connections to deliver standards-based high speed interactive data services such as Internet access, multimedia, voice and video over the cable infrastructure.
@Home is testing the Versalar CMTS to integrate into the @Home modem provisioning systems. In addition, as part of this testing process @Home will integrate Bay Networks' MCNS/CMTS MIB
variables into the @Home Network Management System. With this testing and integration, Multiple Systems Operators (MSO's) are assured that DOCSIS-based Bay networks products, integrated in to the @Home systems, can be used reliably and interoperate seamlessly in their data ready cable systems. The companies will leverage extensive experience in deploying Bay Networks current generation of LANcity cable modems with @Home affiliates including Cox Communications, Marcus Cable, Rogers, and TCI.
"Integration with @Home provides us with access to a significant subscriber base today and in the future. The mass deployment of DOCSIS-based broadband services brings us one step closer to widespread acceptance of this technology, and the rigorous testing that our products will undergo in @Home's labs will ensure the best quality services for @Home affiliates," said Karl May, vice
president and general manager of the Bay Networks Broadband Technology Division.
The DOCSIS interoperability program is an open effort to design and to specify interconnection points for cable modems that has been actively supported by @Home and Bay Networks since its inception. This endeavor is driven by CableLabs of Louisville, Colorado, the research and development arm of the Multimedia Cable Networks System, LTD (MCNS). MCNS is a consortium of cable television system operators representing the North and South American continents.
"@Home is committed to providing our growing consortium of cable partners with standards-based solutions that will enable the wide-spread deployment of high-speed data services," said Dean A.Gilbert, senior vice president and general manager of @Home Network. "Once Bay's DOCSIS-based products have been certified by @Home, our partners can rest assured that these products can be reliably implemented in their advanced HFC networks."
About @Home Network Based in Redwood City, California, @Home Network (NASDAQ:ATHM) distributes high-speed
interactive services to residences and businesses using its own network architecture and a variety of transport options including the cable industry's hybrid-fiber coaxial infrastructure. The cable
connection provides users significant increases in speed over conventional Internet services. Leveraging the "always on" attributes of cable, @Home allows for unique multimedia applications that go beyond current Web experiences. Individuals seeking additional information about availability and subscription can refer to the @Home Network Web site (www.home.net). Since its founding in 1995, @Home Network has reached affiliate agreements with twelve leading cable companies in North America, including Tele-Communications Inc., Cablevision Systems Corp., Comcast Corporation, Cox Communications, Bresnan Communications Company, Insight Communications, Lenfest Communications, InterMedia Partners, Marcus Cable, Century Communications, Rogers Cablesystems Limited and Shaw Communications.
About Bay Networks Broadband Services
With more than 190,000 cable modems deployed around the world and over 4 million homes passed, Bay Networks is establishing a trend that allows a growing number of companies and individuals to access the Internet more quickly, easily and securely than many other solutions. As MSO's begin to provide their customers with new services such as Internet access, video-conferencing, voice-over-IP and telecommuting applications, Bay Networks' commitment to advancing this industry is evident, having emerged as the market leader in providing access solutions to this technology.
Bay Networks offers MSOs a cable modem that has an open scalable architecture ideal for small, medium and large networks. With a symmetric 10Mbps maximum, Bay Networks' cable modems allows end users to work at a speed 50-100 times faster than conventional dial-access methods including 56K and ISDN, commonly used in networks today.
About Bay Networks
Bay Networks - Where Information Flows(tm). Bay Networks, Inc. (NYSE:BAY) is a leader in the worldwide networking market, providing a complete line of products that serve corporate
enterprises, service providers and telecommunications carriers. The company offers frame and ATM switches, routers, shared media, remote and Internet access solutions, IP services and network management applications, all integrated by Bay Networks' Adaptive Networking strategy.
With headquarters in Santa Clara, California, Bay Networks markets its products and services around the world, providing 7x24 support coverage. For additional information visit the company's
World Wide Web site at baynetworks.com or call 800-8-BAYNET.
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