BigBand Networks Unveils its New Broadband Multimedia-Service Router, Showing First-Ever Public Demonstrations of Large-Scale Delivery of Integrated Video, Audio and Data TV Services.

Business/High-Tech Editors

The Western Show 2000

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 29, 2000

Several Industry Firsts Achieved in Collaboration with

Applications from Microsoft, PowerTV, Concurrent Computer and

SeaChange International at Western Cable Show

BigBand Networks, Inc. is unveiling here at the Western Cable Show its new Broadband Multimedia-Service Router (BMR)(TM), showing publicly for the first time a solution designed for the large-scale delivery of advanced services to the television, such as video-on-demand (VOD), e-commerce, e-mail and Web browsing.

The company is showcasing the unique capabilities of the BMR, including the ability to route multiple media in their native formats, the delivery of integrated broadcast-quality video, audio and data applications, and the dynamic allocation of bandwidth across multiple services. The company is demonstrating the BMR and its capabilities in BigBand Networks' booth, number 4409 in the West Hall of the Los Angeles Convention Center, from November 29 to December 1.

"BigBand Networks is demonstrating unprecedented functionality, efficiency and control for cable operators with several industry firsts at the Western Cable Show. We are doing this through the BMR's support of commercial applications from leading interactive television and VOD vendors, delivered to televisions connected through today's most popular digital set-top boxes," said Amir Bassan-Eskenazi, president and CEO of BigBand Networks. "The key is our NativeMedia(TM) technology, which allows the entire digital spectrum to behave as an open packet-switched network, without replacing existing equipment or techniques, or the need to move all services toward exclusively MPEG transport or IP transport."

The BMR products were developed in close collaboration with multiple system operators (MSOs) and application vendors to address current cable industry needs. Gartner Dataquest senior industry analyst Pattie A. Reali said, "As cable moves increasingly toward integrated video, data, entertainment and on-demand services, a new class of equipment is called for to route and synchronize these multiple media offerings from a single platform. Companies such as BigBand Networks are breaking new ground with solutions that combine the ability to dynamically allocate bandwidth for different services, and carry MPEG and IP content together."

The demonstrations of BigBand Networks' BMR product line include new functionality and several capabilities never publicly shown before in a single scalable platform:

First Dynamic Allocation of Bandwidth to IP Data and MPEG Video

Traffic

BigBand Networks is demonstrating the BMR's ability to multiplex and synchronize MPEG and IP content together. Using NativeMedia, bandwidth can be dynamically allocated across different services carrying different media for the first time to combine MPEG (as in VOD and digital broadcast) with IP (as in e-mail, Web browsing and instant messaging) within the same 6 MHz channel of spectrum. This gives MSOs greater bandwidth efficiency, more economic utilization of resources deployed in their plants, and new functionality for advanced services combining different media and content sources. At the Western Show, the BMR dynamically allocates bandwidth to a variety of commercial applications, including VOD from SeaChange and Concurrent, Microsoft interactive MPEG applications to set-top boxes, and PowerTV in-band IP data to set-top boxes. These applications serve the Motorola DCT-2000 and Scientific-Atlanta Explorer 2000, which are the leading digital set-top boxes currently deployed in cable networks.

First Scalable In-Band Data Traffic to Set-Top Box

BigBand Networks is showing the missing link between the IP network and the cable MPEG network. The efficient integration of the two is achieved through encapsulation and routing of IP traffic through an in-band QAM modulator to standard set-top boxes, instead of delivering data through much more bandwidth-restricted out-of-band QPSK modulation. Such capabilities are shown in conjunction with PowerTV's SofaSurf Web browser on the Explorer 2000. In cooperation with SeaChange, BigBand Networks is also demonstrating a VOD navigation service using an in-band path to the DCT-2000. Through its in-band delivery of IP, the BMR is the first viable solution for large-scale provision of such services.

First VOD Rate Adaptation Solution

BMR applications for digital video boost simultaneous video sessions per QAM modulator by over 50%, while maintaining the quality of the content. The BMR statistically multiplexes and adapts video bit-rates on the fly. Using constant bit-rate MPEG streams, today's VOD systems put approximately ten VOD streams in each QAM256 channel. BigBand Networks is demonstrating that its NativeMedia Processing Engine increases QAM capacity to sixteen streams with minimal quality loss to any particular stream. This is accomplished at unprecedented density, with capability to process thousands of video sessions through a massively scalable solution. Moreover, using dynamic bandwidth allocation, the more efficient video traffic can be synchronized with IP data for new personalized, multimedia applications.

First Video over Ethernet to Cable Solution

Further demonstrating the BMR's ability to operate with both MPEG and IP transport networks, BigBand Networks is taking high quality video streams fed from an IP network through a gigabit Ethernet interface, and outputting them on an MPEG network through a DVB-ASI interface. This opens new capabilities and revenue generating opportunities for MSOs by expanding the efficiency and flexibility of transporting content onto cable networks.

About the BMR

The BMR enables the next generation cable network, based on packet switching across a variety of broadcast-quality multimedia content sources and advanced, interactive services. The BMR routes and integrates together multiple media formats, including both MPEG video and IP data. In a scalable platform, it can support thousands of concurrent sessions of services such as broadcast video, the Web, video on demand (VOD), audio and data to a full range of customer devices.

BigBand Networks is displaying both the high capacity BMR1200(TM) and space-efficient BMR100(TM). These systems feature the modular and patented NativeMedia Operating System that runs inside the BMR and uniquely routes, manipulates and synchronizes the delivery of multiple media types in their native formats. This technology is the foundation of the product line's NativeMedia Routing Engine and NativeMedia Processing Engine, which enable several unprecedented product capabilities that are being demonstrated.

With applications running through the BMR, higher effective capacity, greater operator control and more multimedia functionality can be achieved over cable networks. MSOs can realize opportunities to increase revenues and reduce costs associated with both new and existing services and content over their networks.

About Big Band Networks

BigBand Networks, Inc. designs, manufactures, sells and supports Broadband Multimedia-Service Routers, a new class of router that uniquely routes and integrates video, audio and data in their native formats and enables service providers to deliver broadcast-quality content and advanced, interactive services to the mass market. The company is funded by Redpoint Ventures, Pilot House Ventures, Cedar Fund and Evergreen Investments and is based in Fremont, California. Additional information can be found at www.bigbandnet.com.