CableLabs Certifies Terayon Modem, Re-Certifies Thomson and Toshiba.

LOUISVILLE, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 2, 1999--

In its continuing effort to assist in the widespread deployment of high speed cable modems, Cable Television Laboratories, Inc., (CableLabs(R)) has awarded CableLabs(R) Certified(TM) status to an eleventh high-speed, always-connected DOCSIS 1.0 cable modem for retail sale. This certification has been provided to Terayon Communications Systems.

In addition, CableLabs certified new versions of DOCSIS modems from Thomson Consumer Electronics and Toshiba Corporation, vendors whose high-speed cable modems were previously certified. These devices have new, improved features that enable wider distribution of lower cost cable modems. Further broadening the pool of available cable modems, several new vendors also have expanded the market as original equipment manufacturers (OEM) providing certified cable modems under new brand names.

Modem suppliers whose products previously have been certified include 3Com, Arris Interactive, Askey Computer Corp., Cisco Systems, General Instrument, Philips Electronics, Samsung Information Systems of America, Sony Corp., Thomson Consumer Electronics, and Toshiba. In addition, CableLabs has qualified CMTS (headend equipment) from Arris Interactive, Cisco Systems, and Motorola for compliance with the CableLabs specification.

Said Rouzbeh Yassini, senior executive consultant to CableLabs and the head of the CableLabs modem certification effort: "The cable modem re-certification program has added a new dimension to the CableLabs(R) Certified(TM) initiative. We are now seeing new companies that are adopting modems from other manufacturers in an OEM relationship. That is a great industry success because it adds a tremendous amount of retail market capability."

The next wave of certification testing is scheduled to begin October 18, 1999, and suppliers that wish to participate must have their documentation in to CableLabs by October 15, 1999.

The certified modems are identifiable by a "CableLabs(R) Certified(TM)" seal. This seal will inform consumers and cable operators that a modem complies with the CableLabs' cable modem specification. It also assures that it will communicate (interoperate) with qualified cable system headends, which soon will be deployed in a substantial number of systems worldwide.

There are more than 60 different deployments by cable operators on their broadband networks using cable modem products from the more than one dozen companies seeking CableLabs(R) Certified(TM) status for the modems. The cable industry has created a complete retail certification standard in its data modem program after beginning with a clean slate about 3-1/2 years ago.

A Certification Review Committee, comprised of representatives of CableLabs member companies, grants certification status to DOCSIS-compliant modems and qualified status on headend equipment based on lab tests done by CableLabs as well as on field data.

Cable modems are used to provide high-speed Internet and data access over cable's broadband networks. Cable modems are always connected and, unlike telephone industry modems, do not require re-dialing to a service provider. In addition, consumers do not tie up their telephone line for Internet surfing when using a cable modem because the connection is via two-way cable. The certified cable modems can coexist in cable systems with existing, proprietary cable modems.

Manufacturers who receive CableLabs certification for their high-speed cable modems have successfully completed an extensive series of interoperability tests supported by CableLabs membership. Modems were tested against CableLabs qualified headend equipment supplied by different manufacturers.

As part of the certification test process, suppliers were asked to work in CableLabs facilities in pre-market, pre-competitive testing and evaluation in order to prove their compliance with the industry-supported program and technology. As part of the certification process, suppliers do self-testing of their products at their own facilities prior to submission to CableLabs.

CableLabs certification focuses on how well suppliers' cable modem and headend equipment adheres to CableLabs-defined interface specifications. The existing DOCSIS cable modem architecture is enriched with high-speed data capability of up to 38 million bits per second throughput per standard cable channel, with the flexibility of enabling each broadband service provider to customize multiple service tiers. In addition to the unprecedented speed, cable modems also offer ease of installation, robust reliability, and data encryption of all information conveyed by the certified modems.

The effort has achieved widespread cable and vendor consensus on a series of definitions of key interconnection points in a cable data distribution network. It also has achieved North American (by the Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers) and international (by the International Telecommunications Union) standardization using key elements of DOCSIS.

CableLabs is a research and development consortium of cable television system operators representing the continents of North America and South America. CableLabs plans and funds research and development projects that will help cable companies take advantage of future opportunities and meet future challenges in provision of television, data, and Internet services to consumers.

It also transfers relevant technologies to member companies and to the industry. In addition, CableLabs acts as a clearinghouse to provide information on current and prospective technological developments that are of interest to the cable industry. CableLabs maintains web sites at www.cablelabs.com; www.cablemodem.com; www.cablenet.org; www.opencable.com; and www.packetcable.com.