8 Technology Leaders Form Multimedia Over Coax Alliance To Enable Entertainment Devices to Interconnect Throughout the Home Via Coax Cabling.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

SAN RAMON, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 5, 2004

High Speed Network Uses Existing Cable to Deliver

DVD/HDTV-Quality Video

Eight leading consumer electronics, cable and satellite providers, technology providers, and retailers, have formed the Multimedia Over Coax Alliance (MoCA) to enable consumer entertainment devices such as TVs, digital settop boxes, digital video recorders (DVRs) DVDs, digital VHSs, CD/MP3 players, and PCs to seamlessly interconnect throughout the home using its existing coax cabling. The founders of the new Alliance include Cisco Systems, Comcast, EchoStar, Entropic Communications, Matsushita Electric (Panasonic), Motorola, RadioShack Corporation, and Toshiba.

The goal of MoCA is to develop specifications and certify products that will tap into the vast amounts of unused bandwidth available on the in-home coax without the need for new connections, wiring, point of entry devices or truck rolls. It is anticipated that the first MoCA enabled products will be released within the next year.

The technology underlying MoCA provides the vital elements necessary to distribute DVD quality entertainment throughout the home -- high speed (270 mbps), high quality of service (QoS), and the innate security of a shielded, wired connection combined with state of the art packet-level encryption. Coax is designed for carrying high bandwidth video. Today, coax reliably and securely delivers millions of dollars of pay per view and premium video content on a daily basis. The MoCA network also can also be used as a backbone for multiple wireless access points, extending the reach of wireless throughout a consumer's home.

"MoCA is an important step in delivering a home network that can securely connect the most advanced entertainment, wireless and computer devices in the home without the need for new wiring or connections," said Ladd Wardani, President of MoCA. "The companies founding MoCA represent the commitment of industry leaders at each key level of the value chain to simultaneously distribute high quality digital video and broadband data throughout the home."

Installation is simple: a MoCA enabled device connects to the network with a standard coax F connector (TV connector). This allows the consumer to connect video devices without new connectors and in the manner and location to which they are accustomed. The MoCA network extends and coexists with terrestrial, cable and satellite provider services on the same home coax cabling, and supports a retail product roll out.

The simplicity of installation and ease-of-use, QoS, high speed, and security features combine to provide unprecedented sharing of entertainment and digital content throughout the home. For more information, please visit: www.mocalliance.org.

Founder's Quotes

Comcast:

"MoCA will specify a multimedia technology allowing customer choice of where to receive their high quality content, and will give service providers greater reach in the home, more efficient installations and increased value of their offerings," said Mark Francisco, Comcast New Media Development.

EchoStar:

"MoCA enables people to distribute high bandwidth video and audio at their convenience, over the coax wiring already in their home," said Dave Kummer, Senior Vice President of Engineering and Manufacturing at EchoStar Communications Corp. "MoCA devices will provide for secure distribution and let our DISH Network customers take advantage of the digital revolution and home networking."

Entropic Communications:

"MoCA supports Entropic's goal to enable the next generation of connected consumer electronics devices and make digital entertainment any time and any where in the home a reality," said Patrick Henry, President and CEO of Entropic Communications. "Entropic is committed to providing leading edge silicon solutions that meet industry standards. MoCA is good for our customers and good for consumers, and we are excited to be working with industry leaders to enable this."

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd (Panasonic).:

"Working with the MoCA alliance, Panasonic will be able to bring customers into the home networking age with high-speed transmission of multiple diverse HDTV video content, data, and voice communications throughout the home," said Mr. Fujio Nakajima, Senior Vice President Panasonic AVC networks Company. "Most importantly, this user-friendly network will operate over existing coaxial connections in the home, requiring 'no new wiring' for installation."

Motorola:

"The MoCA alliance supports Motorola's mission of delivering on the promise of the 'connected home' vision -- in which broadband-enabled devices empower end-users with new ways to communicate and stay informed, entertained and connected anywhere throughout their home," said Mark DePietro, Motorola Vice President of Marketing and Systems Engineering, Digital Core Gateways. "The MoCA alliance's focus on developing simple solutions for the coaxial connections already found in the home will help ignite demand for smart entertainment devices that are easy to connect to each other as well as to a broadband network."

Toshiba:

"Toshiba has always been in the forefront of development of new consumer products, and the use of MoCA's technology as the home network solution will provide innovative home environment to the users with our products," said Mr. Hiroki Zenda, Senior Manager, Core Technology Center of Toshiba's Digital Media Network Company.