Adelphia Selects BigBand Digital Simulcast in Los Angeles

Adelphia Selects BigBand Digital Simulcast in Los Angeles

All-digital benefits leveraged for network transport and local advertising, with continuing support for existing analog subscribers

REDWOOD CITY, Calif., July 18 /PRNewswire/ -- BigBand Networks, Inc., a leading provider of network platforms for video, voice and data services, today announced that Adelphia Communications Corporation has selected BigBand Digital Simulcast for its Los Angeles system. This solution utilizes BigBand platforms to convert all programming to digital formats at sourcing; leverage the advantages of digital ad insertion and Gigabit Ethernet transport; and assure service to all subscribers by providing a completely digital line-up from the network edge, while also maintaining existing analog video offerings. Adelphia is practicing digital simulcasting for a manageable and economical migration towards all-digital cable services, further augmenting the Los Angeles site, which utilizes BigBand Networks solutions for high-speed data, digital television, HDTV and VOD.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050330/NYW056LOGO )

"Adelphia and BigBand Networks have a long-standing partnership, highlighted by extensive collaboration in our Los Angeles system, which is expanding to implementation of digital simulcasting," said Adelphia CTO Marwan Fawaz. "Digital technologies maximize service functionality, reliability and efficiency, and these goals are being pursued in the Adelphia Los Angeles system with use of the BigBand platforms for digital simulcasting."

Digital simulcasting is a rising initiative among the nation's top cable operators to gradually phase out analog services and subscriber devices by offering all programming digitally. Digital video achieves better than 10x bandwidth efficiency versus analog, freeing capacity for more broadcast programming, HDTV, VOD, VoIP and other emerging services. Additionally, all-digital content improves video quality, enhances content security, and enables deployment of more economical subscriber equipment. Because all programming is digital between headend and edge facilities, digital simulcasting also provides immediate benefits in consolidation to singular and efficient infrastructures for network transport and local advertising insertion.

"By utilizing BigBand Digital Simulcast, the Adelphia Los Angeles system is realizing immediate benefits, extending high-quality services to its subscribers and advertising customers, while maximizing operating efficiencies," said Amir Bassan-Eskenazi, president and CEO of BigBand Networks. "Adelphia has long been a vital customer for BigBand Networks, spanning all of our offerings, and this deployment further positions our collaboration at the forefront of cable industry activities."

In digital simulcasting, analog source programming is converted to digital by real-time encoding at cable headends, which can be performed by the BigBand BRE(TM) (Broadband Real-Time Encoder). This content, combined with programming from digital sources, is groomed into operator-defined channel lineups which can be performed by the BigBand BMR(R) (Broadband Multimedia-Service Router). Gigabit Ethernet transport then delivers to edge locations, with service-level redundancy available for reliability. At hub or headend locations, advertisements can be digitally spliced into the various video programs, including directed delivery towards specific ad zones. At hub locations, basic and enhanced basic programming is decoded for the analog tier, and simultaneously QAM modulated for the digital subscriber base. BigBand Networks also provides platforms for the edge processing in digital simulcasting.

The result of simulcasting is that digital efficiencies and functionality are leveraged for all programming within the cable network, distribution to existing analog subscriber devices is maintained, and over time, an economical transition of all subscribers to digital access can be effected.

About BigBand Networks

BigBand Networks, Inc. designs, manufactures, sells and supports platforms for broadband multimedia services. These platforms are built on open technologies uniquely capable of communicating and processing video, voice and data for best delivery throughout networks. As a result, network operators can cost-effectively expand revenue-generating offerings of rich content and advanced, interactive services. Services supported by BigBand Networks' platforms include high-speed data, voice over IP, digital broadcast television, HDTV, transport of high quality video, local advertising, VOD and iTV. The company's customers include seven of the top ten North American cable operators. BigBand Networks is based in Redwood City, Calif. For more information on BigBand Networks, please visit www.bigbandnet.com.

About Adelphia

Adelphia Communications Corporation is the fifth-largest cable television company in the country. It serves customers in 31 states and Puerto Rico, and offers analog and digital video services, high-speed Internet access and other advanced services over Adelphia's broadband networks.

BigBand Networks, BRE, BMR and other 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.

Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050330/NYW056LOGO Source: BigBand Networks, Inc.

CONTACT: Seth Kenvin of BigBand Networks, +1-650-995-5000, or seth.kenvin@bigbandnet.com; or Brian Baumley of Euro RSCG Magnet, +1-212-367-6828, or brian.baumley@eurorscg.com

Web site: http://www.bigbandnet.com/

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