1-09-98
MediaOne Taps ADC & Tellabs for Telephony Systems
European Cable Ops May Be Forced to Split Video & Telephony Services
UK Cable Ops Claim More Than 3 Million Line Installations
GAD Line Introduces Multi-Mode Voice, Video and Data System
Cox Reports Status of Telephony Services
MediaOne has announced that it will purchase up to $200 million worth of
telephony systems from ADC and Tellabs. The MSO plans to deploy Tellabs'
Cablespan 2300 Universal Telephony system and ADC's Homeworx system,
awarding each vendor with a deal up to $100 million each.
Commercial services using the Homeworx platform are planned for the
operator's Atlanta system in '98. The system has been testing ADC's
technology for several months. Once fully deployed, MediaOne's telephony
service will pass nearly one million Atlanta households.
MediaOne has also been testing data at its system in the Boston suburbs and
in Plantation, Florida.
MediaOne
http://www.mediaone.com
ADC
http://www.adc.com
Tellabs
http://www.tellabs.com
European Cable Ops May Be Forced to Split Video & Telephony Services
The European Commission is threatening to ratify a law, which is currently
under draft that would require cable operators with market dominant
services to split their video and telephony operations. The law would be
enacted for the purpose of avoiding the emergence of monopolizing
telecommunications companies. Considering that many operators financially
support video services through telephony revenue, the law could cause some
operators to entirely drop video services.
Comments on the draft directive are due within the next 6 weeks.
Deutsche Telekom has already announced that it will spin-off its telephony
service as a separate operation in Germany.
European Union
http://www.eurunion.org
Deutsche Telekom
http://www.dtag.de/index.htm
UK Cable Ops Claim More Than 3 Million Line Installations
According to the Independent TV Commission, U.K cable operators have
installed more than 3 million telephone lines. Cable telephony service
passes 10 million homes, yielding a penetration rate of 30%. Video service
has achieved a 22% penetration rate.
GAD Line Introduces Multi-Mode Voice, Video and Data System
GAD Line has introduced a Telephony/Data system that utilizes
multi-function network interface units [NIU]. The subscriber unit can
support two of three modes including a cable modem, a V5.2 ISDN modem with
a U or S interface, and a regular phone line.
GAD Line's telephony system employs FDMA utilizing either QAM or QPSK. The
management system includes trunk interface units [TIU] for PSTN interfacing
and Proxi V5.2 for handling the concentration of E1/T1 lines. Management
and maintenance are performed through manager interface units [MIU] and
forward and return path conversions are executed via frequency converter
units [FCU].
GAD Line
http://www.gadline.co.il
Cox Reports Status of Telephony Services
In a meeting with investors last month, Cox Communications reported the
status of its operations including telephony services. The MSO announced
that it had achieved a 5% penetration rate for telephony services in Orange
County. In areas where the service has been offeblack since September and
where marketing has been concentrated, Cox is pulling a 17% penetration
rate. In Orange County, the service passes 19,200 homes.
Cox currently serves a full service voice, video and data package to 6 MDUs
[five in Orange County and one in Phoenix] and has achieved a 95%
penetration rate for telephony at those locations. The smallest complex
includes 250 units. Third-quarter revenues from the first MDU to receive
the service totaled $52,000 while video and data services from the same
complex brought in a combined $32,000.
The success of Cox's telephony service is attributed to pricing. Pacific
Telesis grabs $11.25 a month for the first line and second line. Cox
charges $9.95 for the first line and $4.25 for an additional line. Cox
averages 1.7 lines per home.
Cox estimates that the service is costing $600 per home. The breakdown is:
Nortel switch=$100 per line
Headend interface terminal=$75 per line
Power generator=$21 per home passed
Power passing tap [per 4 homes passed]=$41
By the end of 1998, Cox plans to expand its full-service offering to more
than 100 MDUs. The MSO is also planning to eventually take its telephony
services to nine additional markets [where it has already received approval
to offer telephony]. Seven of the markets already have switching
equipment. In 1998, the MSO plans to expand the service from 400,000 homes
passed to 1.5 millions homes passed, launching additional markets including
San Diego, Hartford, and Phoenix.
Cox currently offers telephony in Orange County, Omaha, and to a single MDU
in Phoenix.
© Copyright 2000 Gecko Research & Publishing
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