Broadband Bob Report


04/05/02


1. FCC Defines Data over Cable as Information Service
2. More Modems DOCSIS 1.1 Certified
3. AOL & EarthLink Launch over More TW Systems
4. Comcast, Adelphia, Grande, and Altrio Choose Arris
5. Com21 Releases Enhanced Network Management
6. Terayon to Use Certicom for Security
7. Sunrise Introduces Modem Installation Meter
8. US Cable to Deploy Terayon's Gear
9. Blonder Tongue to Distribute 3rd Millennium
10. Motorola to Bundle Zone Alarm
11. Time Warner to Deploy Thomson's RCA Modems
12. Comcast Launches Cable Modem Service in D.C.
13. Modem Vendors Embedding Motive's Diagnostics
14. Linksys Introduces DOCSIS Cable Modem
15. Solectron to Manufacture CMTS for Juniper
16. Hanaro Reports 1.14 Million Cable Modem Subs
17. ViaCaboCom to Use Core for Provisioning

1. FCC Defines Data over Cable as Information Service
The FCC has voted 3 to 1 in favor of defining data over cable as an information service rather than a telecommunications service. The ruling frees cable operators from regulations placed on telecommunications services, most importantly one that would require them to allow competing ISPs to offer data services over their cable networks. The decision is less significant in current times, since the major MSOs have already agreed to negotiated access as a concession to gaining government approval for mergers.

Most recently, AT&T has signed a deal with EarthLink that will allow the ISP to offer cable modem services over its cable networks. The arrangement will be similar to the deal EarthLink has with AOL Time Warner in which EarthLink will market the service and AT&T will provide the service and bill for it.

Despite being one of few traditional ISPs to land access deals with multiple major MSOs, EarthLink is critical of the FCC ruling and has filed a lawsuit challenging the decision. Verizon Communications and Media Access Project, a group of three consumer groups, have also filed suits. EarthLink already offers cable modem services over more than 25 AOL Time Warner systems.

FCC
http://www.fcc.gov

EarthLink
http://www.earthlink.net

AT&T Broadband
http://www.attbroadband.com


2. More Modems DOCSIS 1.1 Certified
CableLabs has certified 12 new DOCSIS 1.1 modems, 7 DOCSIS 1.0 modems, and has qualified 2 DOCSIS 1.1 headends. The newest 1.1 certs from the third testing wave include products submitted by Accton, Arris, Askey, Conexant, Quanta, Samsung, Scientific Atlanta, Tellabs, Terayon, Thomson, and Xrosstech. 1.1 Headends were qualified for products submitted by Arris and Riverstone. To date, 21 1.1 modems have been certified and 4 headends qualified.

Vendors with products certified or re-certified as DOCSIS 1.0 in the latest testing include Aastra, Asutek, Linksys, Motorola, and Thomson. To date, 203 modems have been DOCSIS 1.0 certified and 26 headends have been qualified.

Broadcom's cable modem chips were used in ten of the cable modems that have been DOCSIS 1.1 certified including two that used the company's new BCM3351, a single chip VoIP residential cable modem IC.

Imedia has also recently released a DOCSIS 1.1 chip dubbed the IM6030. The technology integrates an A-TDMA and S-CDMA PHY; a MAC supported by a dedicated 110 MIPS ARM9 RISC processor; and a communications processor consisting of an ARM9 processor, 10/100 Ethernet, USB, various GPIOs, and serial and host bus support, and an interface to VoIP subsystems. The communications processor can be used to run software for various applications such as firewall, NAT, DHCP, PacketCable and CableHome. Imedia is also offering a cable modem reference design that includes hardware and a software package that includes device drivers, RTOS, DOCSIS layer, security library, and an API layer to port key third party applications.

The IM6030 is available in volume production at $15 per chip in volume quantities.

CableLabs
http://www.cablelabs.com
http://www.cablemodem.com

Broadcom
http://www.broadcom.com

Imedia
http://www.imedia.com


3. AOL & EarthLink Launch over More TW Systems
AOL and EarthLink have launched their respective cable modem services over AOL Time Warner cable systems in Lincoln, Nebraska (150,000 HHP); Waco, Texas (184,000 HHP); El Paso, Texas (220,000 HHP); and Bakersfield, California (157,000 HHP).

AOL Time Warner
http://www.timewarner.com

AOL
http://www.aol.com

EarthLink
http://www.earthlink.net


4. Comcast, Adelphia, Grande, and Altrio Choose Arris
Arris has announced a collection of customer wins for its Cadant C4 CMTS including Comcast, Adelphia, Grande, and Altrio. Comcast will deploy the headend for its VoIP over cable trial in Detroit. TollBridge will be supplying the voice gateway for the trial. Adelphia will deploying 7 headends and 80 cable access modules in Ohio, New York, and the Great Lakes region. Altrio will deploy Arris in Southern California and Grande will use the technology in San Antonio, San Marcos, and Austin.

Arris
http://www.arrisi.com

Comcast
http://www.comcast.com

Adelphia
http://www.adelphia.com

Grande Communications
http://www.grandecom.com

Altrio
http://www.altrio.net


5. Com21 Releases Enhanced Network Management
Com21 has released an enhanced version of its network management system for both its proprietary and DOCSIS cable modem systems. NMAPS 5 includes an element management system, a sub self provisioning system and a statistics collection system. When used with the company's DOXcontroller XB system, NMAPS provides spectrum management and VLAN support.

Com21
http://www.com21.com


6. Terayon to Use Certicom for Security
Terayon will use Certicom's encryption and PKI technology to provide security for its TJ 615 and TJ 715 DOCSIS 1.1 cable modems. Security Builder and Trustpoint provide cryptographic software libraries, certification, and signature handling for DOCSIS implementations.

Certicom
http://www.certicom.com

Terayon
http://www.terayon.com


7. Sunrise Introduces Modem Installation Meter
Sunrise Telecom has introduced CM500IP Install Profiler, a handheld meter for installing DOCSIS/EuroDOCSIS cable modems, and digital video. The technology provides a suite of analog and digital measurement capabilities automatically switching between analog and digital mode to measure QAM and digital signal impairments. The unit has a signal level mode that can span a set of measurements. The meter's sub band option provides an upstream spectrum display and the ability to measure bursty TDMA upstream signals, ingress, noise, and CPD.

Sunrise Telecom
http://www.sunrisetelecom.com


8. US Cable to Deploy Terayon's Gear
US Cable has chosen Terayon as a primary supplier and will be deploying the vendor's BE 2000 CMTS and DOCSIS cable modems over multiple systems. The MSO is already deploying Terayon in the Minneapolis suburbs, where US Cable serves more than 18,000 video subs.

Terayon
http://www.terayon.com

US Cable
http://www.uscablegroup.com


9. Blonder Tongue to Distribute 3rd Millennium
Blonder Tongue has said that it will be the exclusive distributor for Third Millennium in an agreement good through January of 2003. Third Millennium's supplies a data over cable solution for MDUs that consists of a media access switch and intelligent outlets. The technology is compatible with DOCSIS, DSL and T1 technologies.

Blonder Tongue
http://www.blondertongue.com

Third Millennium Technologies
http://www.tmt3.com


10. Motorola to Bundle Zone Alarm
Motorola will provide its SURFboard cable modems with a CD-ROM that includes a free version of Zone Labs' ZoneAlarm security software and a 90-day free trail of the newly released ZoneAlarm Pro 3.0. The 3.0 version provides a firewall, ad blocking, cookie control, and enhanced support for LANs including wireless networks.

Motorola
http://www.motorola.com/broadband

Zone Labs
http://www.zonelabs.com


11. Time Warner to Deploy Thomson's RCA Modems
Thomson Multimedia has said that it will supply Time Warner with its DOCSIS RCA cable modems. The modems feature USB and Ethernet connectivity, built-in diagnostics, data on/off button, support of up to 32 PCs, and home network management software.

Thomson has shipped more than 2 million cable modems.

Thomson Multimedia
http://www.thmulti.com

Time Warner
http://www.timewarner.com


12. Comcast Launches Cable Modem Service in D.C.
Comcast has launched cable modem service in Washington D.C.

Comcast
http://www.comcast.com


13. Modem Vendors Embedding Motive's Diagnostics
Motive Communications' diagnostics technology is being embedded in cable modems developed by Motorola, Toshiba, Terayon, and Com21. The technology pinpoints the root causes of connectivity and installation problems.

Motive Communications
http://www.motive.com


14. Linksys Introduces DOCSIS Cable Modem
Linksys has introduced EtherFast BEFCMU10, a DOCSIS 1.0 cable modem with USB and Ethernet connectivity. The modem supports up to 32 PCs. EtherFast is compatible with Windows 95 [Ethernet connection only], 98, ME, 2000, NT 4.0 [Ethernet connection only], and XP. The retail price is expected to be $129.99

Linksys
http://www.linksys.com


15. Solectron to Manufacture CMTS for Juniper
Solectron will manufacture Juniper's G10 CMTS, providing new product introduction, printed circuit board assembly, full-systems build, fulfillment, and repair services. The G10 features a custom ASIC that digitizes the entire return spectrum.

Solectron
http://www.solectron.com

Juniper Networks
http://www.junipernetworks.com


16. Hanaro Reports 1.14 Million Cable Modem Subs
Hanaro Telecom, a South Korea based broadband telecom provider, has reported ending February with 1,140,185 cable modem subscribers.

Hanaro Telecom
http://www.hanaro.com


17. ViaCaboCom to Use Core for Provisioning
ViaCaboCom, an Adelphia subsidiary serving Macae, Brazil, will deploy Core Networks' CoreOS for subscriber management and billing for data services.

In other Core Networks news, the company reports layoffs and the departure of its founder and CEO, Jeff Campbell.

Core Networks
http://www.corenetworks.com




© Copyright 2000 Gecko Research & Publishing

The Broadband Bob Report is a weekly take of the latest news regarding data over cable, 2-way HFC networks and related applications and services. Subscribers to Broadband Bob’s Cable Modem Mailing List receive the Broadband Bob Report via E-Mail each Monday. For info on joining the mailing list, visit http://www.hfc.net/mailinglist

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