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Bright House Networks Converges Its Network With the Evolutionary Fujitsu Flashwave

Posted on: Tuesday, 15 June 2004, 06:00 CDT

Fujitsu Network Communications Inc., a leading supplier of IT and networking solutions, today announced that Bright House Networks selected and deployed the FLASHWAVE(R) 7500 high-capacity, all-optical, metro Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) platform for cable television systems in and around Tampa Bay and Central Florida. Bright House Networks, with over 2 million subscribers, will use the system as a converged platform to transport Video on Demand (VOD), High Definition Television (HDTV), broadcast video, digital telephony and high-speed data to its customers over a single core network.

"The goal at Bright House Networks is to reduce cost, create value and offer more high quality services for our subscribers, such as VOD, high-speed cable Internet services, and new VoIP telephony services," said Jeff Chen, vice president of advanced engineering at Advance/Newhouse. "The FLASHWAVE 7500 platform, which we regard as being in the premier class of DWDM systems with its optical switch fabric, will help us accelerate the deployment of broadband and VOD services to more users and expand our reach throughout our major markets, at a lower operational cost."

Bright House Networks is building a next-generation metro DWDM network with the FLASHWAVE 7500 system. This new network will support the convergence of traditional cable services plus VOD, Wide Area Network (WAN), and Local Area Network (LAN) data protocols with up to 10 Gbps per wavelength.

"The FLASHWAVE 7500 platform allows Bright House Networks to offer an advanced offering of communications services: digital voice, high definition video, and high-speed data across a single platform," said George Chase, group president and chief operating officer of Fujitsu Network Communications. "The robust features and scalability of the FLASHWAVE 7500 system will allow Bright House Networks to build a very reliable and competitive core network that supports high quality services today and well into the future."

A centralized VOD architecture requires a huge number of Gigabit Ethernet signals to be transported from the core to the edge of a cable operators network. The eight-to-one (8:1) multiplexed Gigabit Ethernet optical line cards of the FLASHWAVE 7500 platform, which are being deployed today, accommodate this requirement easily.

Bright House Networks will also be using a powerful, new tool for local management of FLASHWAVE 7500 nodes that expedites initial turn-up and remote provisioning. Step-by-step graphical interfaces will guide network operators through all types of system operations, including service provisioning, software download and fiber cabling, to allow a single technician to perform the same tasks that ordinarily require an entire team. Management of their entire network of FLASHWAVE 7500 nodes will be handled by the NETSMART(R) 1500 Element Management System (EMS), which shares the same Graphical User Interface (GUI) as the local NETSMART 500 provisioning tool, to simplify local and remote provisioning.

About Fujitsu Network Communications Inc.

Fujitsu Network Communications Inc., a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Fujitsu Limited (TSE:6702), is a leading provider of customer-focused IT and carrier-class telecommunications solutions for the wireline, wireless and cable TV service provider market in North America. Supported by smart innovation and deep-rooted research from Fujitsu Labs, Fujitsu is uniquely positioned to deliver fully integrated IT/Telecom solutions for its customers. The company's comprehensive consulting and customer services offer support at any network design, development, deployment and maintenance stage. For more news and information, please visit http://www.fujitsu.com/us/telecom.

About Bright House Networks

Bright House Networks is a leading provider of home entertainment and serves more than 750,000 customers in Orange, Seminole, Osceola, Brevard, Volusia, Flagler, Marion, Sumter, and Lake counties. The company's fiber-optic network offers Digital Cable, HDTV, Digital Video Recorders, iCONTROL Video On Demand and Premium On Demand, and multiple high-speed Internet services. The company also exclusively provides News 13, a highly popular 24-hour local news station. In addition to its advanced technology and strong customer service, Bright House Networks is committed to the communities in which it operates. The company received a top award for Corporate Support of the Arts from United Arts of Central Florida in 2003 for the fourth year in a row. The company was selected as a Business Partner Recognition Award winner by the Orange/Osceola/Valencia School-To-Work Partnership. Bright House Networks is managed by Advance/Newhouse Communications.

FLASHWAVE(R) and NETSMART(R) are trademarks of Fujitsu Network Communications Inc. (USA). All rights reserved. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

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