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

To: Stoctrash who wrote (41200)	5/17/1999 3:26:00 PM
From: JEFF K	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 50808

From Forbes Digital News-AT&T is investing into it's cable structure using new vendors. Somehow Cube is going to benefit from this. NEW YORK. 02:10PM EDT—AT&T (nyse: T) recently acquired the nation's second largest cable operator, Tele-Communications Inc. (TCI), for $61 billion and won the battle to acquire the number three cable operator, MediaOne (nyse: UMX), for an additional $54 billion. Now, having become a major player in the cable industry, it is preparing to spend even more money to upgrade both its new and existing fiber optic networks. On May 14 the telecommunications giant announced that it had placed an order with Nortel Networks (nyse: NT) to provide switching equipment for packet-switched technology. The order was for 33 of Nortel's DMS-500 switches, which would update its cable systems for telephone, television and Internet service. Although no financial terms were disclosed, the order is rumored to be about $300 million. The importance of the announcement was twofold: first, and most important, it showed that AT&T, which has been coy about its need to modernize its networks, is tacitly acknowledging the fact that it's existing plant cannot handle the digital, two-way transmission of voice, video and data. Second, it revealed that AT&T, which has traditionally worked with Lucent Technologies (nyse: LU), the communications equipment maker that was spun off from AT&T in 1995, is ready to work with other suppliers. The majority of AT&T's fiber optic network was laid in the 1970s and is not the modern hybrid fiber coaxial cable (HFC) cable necessary for high-speed broadband connections. The company has been slow to upgrade its systems because of the costs involved and the need to justify the expense of the upgrade to its shareholders. Until now broadband was not seen as vital to its bottom line. However, competition from other cable companies and the telephone companies, using DSL (digital subscriber line) technology, combined with a growing demand and the ability to get back into the lucrative local calling markets have now spurred on AT&T to begin the upgrade. "I think this is a sign that the telco supply market in general is going to really heat up for both the traditional switch and packet-switch areas," according to Cynthia Brumfield of Broadband Intelligence in Bethesda, Md. "This is not to say that Lucent has lost out to Nortel. Lucent already has a major relationship with AT&T. It's just a way for AT&T to spread itself around more so it doesn't become dependent on one supplier." Besides Nortel and Lucent, the other companies expected to benefit are General Instrument (nyse: GIC), Scientific-Atlanta (nyse: SFA), Cisco Systems (nasdaq: CSCO), Ericsson (nasdaq: ERICY) and Alcatel (nyse: ALA). Dave Johnson of AT&T confirms this. By working with other suppliers, AT&T is able to get "better products, faster delivery and better prices. It's Economics 1-A." Johnson also says that the Nortel switches will be used primarily to expand AT&T Local Services, which provides local telephone and business services in 83 of the largest markets in the U.S. "As we expand our footprint, we need more switching capacity and Nortel's switches allows us to offer competitive local services as well as long distance." In addition to its deals with TCI and MediaOne, AT&T is also exploring partnerships with the nation's largest cable company Time Warner (nyse: TWX) as well as Philadelphia-based Comcast (nasdaq: CMCSA). AT&T is expected to begin its upgrade in Fremont, Calif., but the company would not comment on which markets it would be initially focusing on.

To: Stoctrash who wrote (41200)	5/17/1999 4:01:00 PM
From: C. Niebucc	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 50808

Don't you think that's a little inconsiderate. I usually don't like doing it with CUBE, since it doesn't last long enough or can't get up enough to be any real fun Usually is get's a bit of head on it and then simply goes limp before the real action everytime in the past when this has repeated itself, I've managed to capitalize on it

To: Stoctrash who wrote (41200)	5/17/1999 6:02:00 PM
From: John Rieman	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 50808

Rupert is being fickle again.......................... mediacentral.com 05-16-99 15:15 EDT Headlines BSkyB will not reopen Canal merger talks LONDON, May 16 (Reuters) - British pay-TV giant BSkyB said on Sunday merger talks with its French counterpart Canal Plus were not being reopened, denying a report in the Observer newspaper. "There is no basis for this story," said a spokesman for Sky, which is 40 percent owned by Rupert Murdoch's News Corp through its UK News International unit. He also said News International was not reducing its stake in BSkyB. The Observer said merger talks with Canal Plus were set to reopen as part of a rethink by media tycoon Murdoch about his involvement in European multi-channel TV. Citing sources close to Murdoch's TV firm, the Observer newspaper said News International might seek to reduce or sell its 40 percent stake in BSkyB even if regulators block a merger with Canal Plus. The paper said moves to resume the merger talks followed the appointment on Friday of Tony Ball as chief executive at BSkyB. When the talks stalled in March, a key issue was over who should control the merged group. Murdoch is believed to have offered the job to Canal Plus Chief Executive Pierre Lescure, which caused a row with the then BSkyB chief Mark Booth and contributed to Booth's departure, the paper said. Booth is to head a new media company, e*partners, founded by News Corp.