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BigBand Networks, Inc., (NASDAQ: BBND), today announced that its commercial deployments of switched broadcast have now passed more than five million households in the U.S. Three of the top five U.S. cable operators have selected BigBand's switched broadcast solution. Two of those operators have deployed BigBand's solution commercially, and are using it to switch digital broadcast programs on more than 1 million tuners.
"BigBand Networks pioneered switched digital broadcast and is ramping up commercial deployments at just the right time for the industry," said Gerry Kaufhold, principal analyst for In-Stat. "Switched digital can allow operators to significantly increase HDTV programming and meet subscriber demand for new services."
Switched broadcast, sometimes referred to as switched digital video, has generated widespread interest due to its ability to allow operators to expand programming and add new, high-bandwidth services such as HDTV at a relatively low cost per subscriber. In a research report published in January by ABI research, titled "Assessing CATV Bandwidth-Expansion Solutions," switched digital video is estimated to cost $5-10 per household passed (HHP), far less than the report's estimated cost of a PON Overlay ($1,000 per HHP) or HFC bandwidth expansion to 1 GHz ($50 per HHP).
By directing live programming only where it is requested by viewers, instead of delivering all programming to all subscribers all the time, BigBand's switched broadcast is designed to make it easier for cable operators to add more VOD and more "long tail" content traditionally associated with the Internet. BigBand's solution also actively switches bandwidth-intensive HDTV channels, designed to make HDTV delivery as efficient as possible. BigBand Networks is now deploying its fourth-generation product based on open protocols designed to enable multi-vendor environments and integrate with existing cable networks.
"Our field experience with switched broadcast, and the research and development effort we've put into the technology has begun to translate into increased commercial deployment," said Biren Sood, vice president and manager of cable video Americas for BigBand Networks. "Our switched broadcast solution is mature and stable. Operators are now able to deploy the technology with much greater ease and confidence, and that is one of the reasons why subscriber numbers have grown so rapidly in the last 6-12 months."
How switched broadcast works
BigBand's switched broadcast is designed to free up bandwidth for new services and programming while providing a seamless experience for television viewers, who are able to engage in normal program surfing and use of electronic program guides in the switched environment. When a subscriber selects a switched program, a management server system determines whether the program is already being watched in the subscriber's neighborhood. If the program is already being watched, the subscriber joins the existing session or "stream," but if not, the program is dynamically switched to that subscriber's area. As a result of this method, programs do not consume bandwidth in the areas where they are not being watched.
BigBand Networks will present key findings from its switched broadcast deployments as part of the technology program at the NCTA's Cable Show in Las Vegas, May 7-9. Live demonstrations of switched broadcast in action will be available for viewing in BigBand's booth at the conference. For additional information about those events, please send email to info@bigbandnet.com. For more information about switched broadcast, please visit http://www.bigbandnet.com/products/sol_switch_broadcast.php.
About BigBand Networks
BigBand Networks, Inc., (NASDAQ: BBND), is a leading provider of broadband multimedia infrastructure for video, voice and data. The company's solutions are designed to process, optimize, and deliver services such as broadband Internet, VoIP, digital broadcast television, HDTV, transport of high quality video, local advertising, VOD, interactive TV and IPTV across coaxial cable, fiber or copper. Service providers use BigBand Networks' platforms to cost-effectively expand revenue-generating offerings of rich content and advanced interactive services. Customers include six of the ten largest service providers in the U.S., and leading service providers in North America, Asia, Europe and Latin America. Founded in 1998, BigBand Networks is based in Redwood City, Calif., with offices worldwide. For more information, please call 650-995-5000, email info@bigbandnet.com or visit www.bigbandnet.com.
BigBand Networks brand and product names are service marks, trademarks or registered trademarks of BigBand Networks, Inc. in the United States and other countries. All other marks are the property of their respective owners.
This release contains "forward-looking statements" as defined under the U.S. Federal Securities Laws, including the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and is subject to the safe harbors created by such laws. Forward-looking statements may relate to, but are not limited to, the features available in, and the potential benefits to be derived from, BigBand Networks' switched broadcast solution, market acceptance of switched broadcast, and estimates of the cost of deploying switched broadcast, PON overlay and HFC expansion. Such forward-looking statements are based on current expectations that involve a number of uncertainties and risks that may cause actual events or results to differ materially. Factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially include, among others, the following: rapid technological change that can adversely affect the demand for BigBand's products, shifts in customer demand, shifts in strategic relationships, delays in BigBand's ability to deliver its products and services, or announcements by competitors. These and other risks may be detailed from time to time in BigBand's periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, copies of which may be obtained from www.sec.gov. BigBand Networks is under no obligation to (and expressly disclaims any such obligation to) update or alter its forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Information contained in our website is not incorporated by reference in, or made part of this press release.
