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Technology Stocks : C-Cube -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: BillyG who wrote (35675)	9/3/1998 9:55:00 AM
From: Don Dorsey	Read Replies (5) \| Respond to of 50808

NTL SIGNS DIVICOM FOR INTERACTIVITY Sep. 02, 1998 (CABLE EUROPE, Vol. 3, No. 18 via COMTEX) -- NTL/CableTel will launch a nationwide interactive service next spring, removing another potential buyer of British Interactive Broadcasting's service. NTL has ordered DiviCom's compression system for its own franchises which includes DiviCom's InterSect, described by the company as "an interactive set-top box controller." It is understood Sony is in the lead to supply actual set-top boxes, but has yet to conclude an agreement with NTL. Nokia is known to be in discussion with NTL about supplying set-top boxes for the scheme. DiviCom is a subsidiary of C-Cube Microsystems, of Milpitas, California. InterSect's technology gives cable operators the ability to deliver Internet Protocol traffic to set-top boxes using out-of- band DVB/DAVIC specifications. The end result is that NTL will be able to deliver normal video and handle additional data traffic at the same time. Earlier this year NTL acquired Netchannel, intending to use the internet-to-TV set company as the backbone of its own service. It is understood that phase one of NTL's launch will include Internet web-browsing and e-mail as well as a wide range of interactive options from a number of data partners. These partners have not been named but an NTL demo tape includes United News & Media's Anglia Interactive service, which helps schoolchildren cope with the national teaching curriculum, plus Railtrack information and data. Other services could come from existing NTL clients such as Virgin (music/CD/videos-by-mail and airline/rail ticketing) and Which? (Consumers' Association) who both use NTL to host their own Internet sites. Games and home-shopping services will follow in phase two of the NTL scheme. Two weeks ago Cable & Wireless Communications announced its own plans to launch an independent interactive Internet-based platform. CWC revealed that data partners signed up so far for its proposed 'TV Mall' included Barclays Bank, British Airways, Littlewoods Home Shopping/ Granada Media Group, Associated New Media and ITN. CWC also said it was in discussion with other potential partners. CWC recently ordered boxes from Pace Micro Technology, incorporating MCNS-compliant cable modems, for its services. Pace has formed an alliance with Cisco Systems under which it will license Cisco's NetWorks Internet technologies. Pace has also said the products it will develop with Cisco will include one providing voice telephony over IP. It is also understood that British Airways, which has already signed with CWC, is also in discussion with NTL, as are leading High Street banks and retailers. In briefings last week Andrew Crossley, a senior manager at NTL, said the company had chosen an Internet-based service because there are millions of pages of information out there "and why re-write them all?" NTL reportedly wants at least 15 data partners to be on board in time for its March roll-out, with a target 100 partners later. BIB's service does not include Internet access in any form. Besides DiviCom's technology, other technology partners are understood to be Power TV (STB middleware), Nagra for conditional access technology, ICL (interactive services and applications), Digital Equipment for Video-on-Demand file servers and Lysis (master scheduler). Allied to the launch will be a national terrestrial scheme using bandwidth from S4C Digital Networks on digital Multiplex "A". United News & Media is also involved in packaging channels with NTL and S4C. The national system is understood to involve an upgraded set-top box incorporating extra functionality, greater memory and a faster modem than is currently being contemplated by ONdigital. The national "super box" would almost certainly incorporate Netchannel-type Web-access. The fact that two of the UK's 'big three' MSOs have now decided to develop their own interactive platforms, both based on Internet technology, which will allow data partners to develop services for both, is further bad news for BIB, which in addition to being the digital satellite interactive services platform is also the vehicle by which BSkyB hopes to subsidise the retail price of its digital decoders.

To: BillyG who wrote (35675)	9/3/1998 11:52:00 AM
From: Rarebird	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 50808

Yes, Billy, your right that C-Cube and Divicom look good and appear to have a bright future. I am prepared to also buy at $8. The major problem is that their is a lack of buyers, investors unwilling to step up to the plate and take a position. The UNCERTAINTY in Emerging Markets around the Globe is killing the Share Price here. The only thing that will prevent my target from being met is for C-Cube to make a statement that it will Buy Back its Shares right here and now. Investors need to be coddled and assured about the long term future in a Bear Market. MO made a statement by raising the dividend 10%. C-Cube's Management needs to make a Reassuring Statement. But that has always been C-Cube's biggest problem.