BigBand Networks' Switched Digital Video Solution Deployed By Cox Communications

Redwood City, CA - BigBand Networks, Inc., the pioneer and deployment leader in switched digital video (SDV), recently announced that Cox Communications has selected BigBand's SDV solution for use in multiple cable systems — including both Motorola and Scientific Atlanta set-top box environments — and has begun to deploy the solution in its Northern Virginia market. Cox, the third-largest U.S. cable operator, plans to use BigBand's solution to make the most of its bandwidth, allowing for the significant expansion of its HDTV lineups in markets across the country.

"BigBand's switched digital video solution gives us the ability to dramatically expand programming — particularly high-definition channels — at a low cost-per-subscriber," said James Kelso, vice president of video engineering for Cox Communications. "We're pleased with our tests of the BigBand SDV solution, particularly with the ease with which we've been able to integrate it with other components. We're eager to begin leveraging this technology for the benefit of our customers by delivering even more programming choices."

BigBand's open SDV solution can substantially reduce capacity limits that constrain HDTV delivery on existing cable networks, making it possible to offer a virtually unlimited amount of HDTV and other programming with a finite amount of capacity. Cox is the third U.S. cable operator to deploy BigBand's SDV solution.

"Cox has a stellar record for customer service and satisfaction — winning this operator's trust to deploy switched digital video is particularly meaningful to us," said Amir Bassan-Eskenazi, president and chief executive officer of BigBand Networks. "Cox is benefiting from our years of field deployment experience with switched digital video. Our SDV solution continues to be a great equalizer for cable operators in the competition to add more HDTV and develop more personalized services for subscribers."

BigBand Networks began deploying switched digital video commercially in 2005. BigBand's next-generation switched video technology is designed to enable new capabilities that are not possible on traditional television networks, giving operators the ability to support a virtually infinite amount of programming and personalize content for subscribers. BigBand's switched digital video technology is also designed to create sustainable networks capable of leveraging existing equipment to add or support multiple new services without requiring additional capacity or expensive network upgrades.

SOURCE: BigBand Networks