CableLabs Qualifies Cisco Systems High-Speed Data Headend Gear.

LOUISVILLE, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 22, 1999--Cable Television Laboratories, Inc. (CableLabs(R)) has qualified headend gear needed for interoperable high-speed data distribution from Cisco Systems.

The announcement follows by a few weeks the CableLabs certification of high-speed cable modems from Thomson Consumer Electronics and from Toshiba. The next wave of certification and qualification testing for cable modems and headend gear will begin today (March 22) at CableLabs.

Cable modems are "certified" interoperable while headend devices called cable modem termination systems (CMTS) are qualified. Certification provides the retail customer with assurance that the cable modem complies with the DOCSIS specification and will work on cable systems using DOCSIS equipment.

The qualification process provides the cable operator or broadband service provider with information on how the headend equipment will interoperate with certified cable modems.

Qualification is based on the following factors: (1) Vendors provide a signed affidavit affirming that their CMTS meets the published specification and will interoperate with all CableLabs(R) Certified(TM) cable modems. (2) The CMTS has exhibited satisfactory performance in various cable operator field trials. (3) The CMTS has passed CableLabs' audit tests in the areas of interoperability, stability, and specification conformance. The qualification program will continue allowing more vendors' CMTS units to be qualified. Qualification does not constitute a CableLabs endorsement or recommendation to purchase. And, CableLabs member companies may purchase any CMTS they choose.

"The qualification of cable headend equipment for this standard cable modem interoperability program is another big milestone for our industry," said CableLabs President and CEO Dr. Richard R. Green. "We in the industry will continue to move ahead on this program and we look forward to more certifications of modems and qualifications of headends as time goes by."

Said David Fellows, chair of the industry's Certification Review Committee, which recommended the qualification action: "My congratulations to Cisco Systems. Because of their strong support and continuous technical assistance we have not only been able to qualify their headend equipment but we have also been able to meet our timetable for certification of modems. Both programs are necessary to enable the cable industry to compete in the evolving communications market."

Susan Marshall, senior vice president, advanced product deployment, AT&T Broadband and Internet Services, added: "Each of the four CMTS vendors who applied for qualification have been working with various cable operators in field trials and commercial deployments. Whether or not qualified, each has had success interoperating with a variety of DOCSIS modems. We anticipate that, based on field experiences, additional CMTS vendors will be qualified in future certification waves."

"The availability of qualified headends is a critical milestone in the evolution of the standard cable modem business," said Robert F. Cruickshank III, vice president, technology, Road Runner. "We've been installing DOCSIS headends for the past several months and our affiliates have already begun rolling-out certified modems. With qualified headends and certified modems, our customer growth, already running ahead of projections, will gain even more momentum."

"We are excited to see a migration from proprietary platforms towards DOCSIS interoperable platforms, and this is yet another milestone in achieving that goal," said Adam Grosser, VP of Engineering for @Home Network. "Interoperability will help further drive wide-scale deployments, as well as help drive down costs."

Rouzbeh Yassini, executive consultant to CableLabs and head of the CMTS qualification program, said, "Cable operators now will be confident of having an end-to-end, qualified, interoperable high-speed solution that will enable the fast growth of data deployment."

"Cisco is thrilled to receive DOCSIS qualification for our CMTS solutions," said Kevin Kennedy, senior vice president of Cisco's Service Provider Line of Business. "With this qualification we now begin mass rollout of DOCSIS systems worldwide. Our customers continue to request acceleration of new DOCSIS-based broadband multiservice solutions delivering data, voice, and video services to set-top boxes, personal computers, telephones, and other digital appliances. We're thrilled to be part of this standards-based revolution."

"Interoperability is a critical factor in enabling broad deployment of cable access technology," said Levent Gun, vice president and general manager of 3Com's Cable Access Business Unit. "3Com has historically been an advocate of industry standards, and is committed to CableLabs and its open processes. The recent certification of cable modems and qualification of CMTS equipment underlines the success of this approach, which we will continue to support."

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.