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Time Warner Cable Selects BigBand Networks for Robust End-to-End Digital Television Deployment in Houston

Posted on: Wednesday, 3 December 2003, 06:00 CST

ANAHEIM, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 3, 2003--

Gigabit Networking and Media Processing Capabilities Combined

to Maximize Efficiency and Reliability of Services

BigBand Networks, Inc., a leading provider of broadband multimedia platform solutions for broadcast television and on-demand services, today announced that Time Warner Cable is completing an end-to-end deployment of digital television services based on the BigBand BMR(R) (Broadband Multimedia-Service Router) in its Houston system with more than 1.5 million homes passed and more than 25 hub sites. This deployment leverages the superior economics, efficiency and functionality of Gigabit Ethernet to maximize offerings to subscribers, at enhanced reliability.

"Time Warner Cable Houston aims to provide all of our subscribers with high quality video programming, with particular emphasis on reliability because any problems encountered can impact large service areas," said Allan Hudz, vice president of engineering for Time Warner Cable Houston. "Our work with BigBand Networks and its professional services organization addresses these needs through an end-to-end BMR deployment covering all of our headend and hub facilities. Use of BigBand Networks' RateShaping with Gigabit Ethernet transport economically drives an extensive line-up of high quality programming to our widespread subscriber base. The BMR's platform intelligence and functionality assure maintenance of service to this large base whenever problems with particular programs or resources are encountered."

BigBand Networks' professional services organization is collaborating with Time Warner Cable to define and implement the Houston deployment. It uses BigBand Grooming and BigBand HDTV to determine channel placement of each standard definition and high definition video program, with RateShaping(R) applied to control bandwidth efficiency and video quality. The BigBand Ad Splicing Gateway detects insertion points in the groomed programs for local digital advertising according to the SCTE 35 standard, and advertisements are spliced from servers with continuing video quality and bandwidth efficiency control.

Programming and advertising content is distributed among Time Warner Cable Houston facilities by the BigBand Transport Gateway, that utilizes economical and scalable Gigabit Ethernet with video quality assured by de-jitter at hub destinations. The BigBand BMR's platform intelligence allows any hub location to automatically switch to a redundant source by Gigabit Ethernet transport should its primary source prove problematic. These problems can range from network resource outages to video quality issues for a single program feed. At the hubs, BigBand Broadcast Edge performs high density QAM modulation and RF upconversion of the content.

"Time Warner Houston is achieving a forward-looking digital video services deployment that assures its revenue growth at low capital expenditures and operating costs," said Jamie Howard, chief operating officer of BigBand Networks. "This exciting project leverages BigBand Networks' professional services and platform capabilities to provide wide-ranging cable subscribers with the highest quality and most reliable digital video services. BigBand Networks is proud of our extensive work with Time Warner Cable nationwide, and of the Houston deployment as a particular example of our impact on maximizing the value of digital cable networks."

Services used on the BigBand BMR by Time Warner Cable in Houston include:

-- BigBand Grooming - Drag-and-drop management of digital

broadcast line-up, with RateShaping over video quality and

bandwidth efficiency;

-- BigBand HDTV - Complete HDTV services over cable including

RateShaping, adjustment to broadcaster changes, and support

for PSIP programming data;

-- BigBand Ad Splicing Gateway - Seamless splicing of digital ads

into live programs, with capability to direct specific ads by

zone;

-- BigBand Transport Gateway - Standards-based transport of high

quality video including Gigabit Ethernet support and

self-healing service assurance; and

-- BigBand Broadcast Edge - Transport network termination to high

density QAM modulation and RF upconversion of live

programming.

ABOUT BIGBAND NETWORKS

BigBand Networks, Inc. designs, manufactures, sells and supports platforms for broadband multimedia services. These platforms are built on the company's NativeMedia(TM) technology uniquely capable of communicating and processing video, audio and data in their native formats. The field-upgradeable architecture combines advanced hardware and software technologies for high performance with agility to optimize for each service supported. This enables network operators to cost-effectively expand revenue-generating offerings of broadcast-quality content and advanced, interactive services. Services supported by BigBand Networks' platforms include digital broadcast television, HDTV, transport of high quality video, ad insertion, VOD and iTV. The company's customers include Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Cox Communications, Adelphia Communications, Mediacom Communications and Rogers Cable. BigBand Networks is based in Redwood City, CA. For more information on BigBand Networks, please visit www.bigbandnet.com.

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