Norcross, Ga. -- Antec Corp. last week formalized the
optical product it initially designed for Tele-Communications Inc. as a way to harness
dense-wave-division multiplexing (DWDM) techniques to shave costs from secondary node
electronics and maintenance.
At this week's National Show in Atlanta, Antec will
officially debut the product, called "Laser Link DWDM."
Emmanuel Vella, vice president of optronics and RF actives
product management for Antec Network Technology, said in a statement that the technology
is now at the point where it is "easily and cost-effectively deployable in large
systems."
Antec's system features an all-optical network, from
the headend to the node, and a hub equipment cabinet that can be placed in a utility
easement or small enclosure, the company said.
S-A Forms Advanced Broadband Unit
Atlanta -- Scientific-Atlanta Inc. last week created a
subsidiary, called Advanced Broadband Services Inc., to provide professional services to
the cable industry.
Tele-Communications Inc. is the first MSO to sign on,
agreeing to use the new S-A unit for help with more than 3,000 miles of system upgrades
for its systems in Michigan and central Illinois.
The new subsidiary will provide full, turnkey projects like
system design, equipment integration and installation and materials management, executives
said.
S-A's move was partly motivated by TCI's decision
last year to pursue turnkey delivery of system upgrades, where plant electronics vendors
were asked to bid not just on gear, but on the installation of that gear.
S-A, Inergy Team on Content
Burlington, Mass. -- Inergy Online, a Web site hosting,
e-mail and business software provider, last week joined Scientific-Atlanta Inc.'s
developers program to bring advanced content to S-A's Explorer 2000 digital set-top
line.
In the arrangement, S-A will support Inergy's suite of
Internet software services "as a value-adding, revenue-generating opportunity for
cable operators."
Inergy's cable-specific plans include
"Communities Online," an initiative that lets cable operators bring localities
together via the Internet, as well as a free, personal Web site to every subscriber using
an Explorer 2000 set-top for Internet access, said Charles Belanger, president and CEO of
Inergy.
Communities Online lets cable subscribers link to each
other, schools, community groups, arts organizations, sports teams and businesses via
S-A's set-top.
Arris Augments RF Phone Gear
Atlanta -- Arris Interactive, a key provider of HFC (hybrid
fiber-coax) systems for broadband networks, said last week that it has bolstered that line
with a next-generation "Cornerstone Voice Port."
Part of Arris' complete cable phone system, the new
voice port is designed for single family homes or small businesses requiring one or two
lines of digital phone service.
Arris will unveil the new addition at this week's NCTA
Show in Atlanta.
Jim Lakin, vice president of Arris, said in a statement
that Arris has proven the technical and business viability of HFC telephony, and can now
focus on the operational characteristics of the technology.
For example, he said, the new Voice Port is 50 percent
smaller and lighter than the first iteration of the product, and power consumption is also
25 percent lower.
More than a dozen U.S. and international cable operators
and over 25,000 of their combined customers are using Arris' cable phone gear,
executives said.
