SAN JOSE, Calif. - September 18, 1997 - Cisco Systems, Inc., and three majorconsumer-electronics companies today announced their support for an industry standard for cablemodems and advanced subscriber units, and their intent to deliver products based on thatstandard. Joining Cisco were Hayes Microcomputer Products, Samsung Electronics Corp., Ltd., andThomson Consumer Electronics. Discussions with additional companies are underway to join theinitiative.
The announcement means that consumers and cable television system operators will have theassurance of industry standards as they purchase cable modems and similar equipment, or deployadvanced data and multimedia services over cable television systems.
The four companies have announced their intent to build equipment based on the Data Over CableService Interface Specification (DOCSIS), which defines technical specifications for equipmentat both subscriber locations and cable operators' headends. Adoption of DOCSIS by systemoperators and equipment-makers will accelerate deployment of data-over-cable services byensuring that consumers can obtain reasonably priced cable modems at retail outlets or throughservice providers. The standard also will ensure interoperability of equipment throughoutsystem operators' infrastructures, including a range of consumer devices.
Hayes, Samsung and Thomson have announced their intent to build cable modems or advancedsubscriber units based on a DOCSIS-compliant product design from Cisco, which incorporates theMCNS DOCSIS Silicon Platform from Broadcom Corporation. Cisco intends to announce details ofits MCNS Internet cable solution by the end of 1997.
The DOCSIS standard is managed by Multimedia Cable Network System (MCNS) Partners Ltd., anorganization formed by four major cable television system operators - Comcast CableCommunications Inc., Cox Communications, Tele-Communications Inc., and Time Warner Cable. Theeffort also is supported by Rogers Cablesystems Ltd., MediaOne and Cable TelevisionLaboratories Inc. (CableLabs). CableLabs is a research-and-development consortium of cablesystem operators representing more than 85 percent of cable subscribers in the United Statesand 70 percent of subscribers in Canada.
The announcement among the four companies is intended to accelerate availability of datacommunications over hybrid fiber-coaxial networks. DOCSIS-compliant cable modems and advancedsubscriber units will provide cable-subscribing households the ability to access the Internetand other data services at speeds far greater than currently available through analog modems.Cisco will certify subscriber units for interoperability in its San Jose cable facility incoordination with CableLabs.
Dr. Richard R. Green, president and CEO of CableLabs, said, "We greatly appreciate efforts suchas Cisco's, which further the cable industry's goal of achieving interoperable high-speed cablemodems as soon as possible. Cisco is to be commended for its pursuit of interoperability."
"Widespread availability of data services over cable networks will only occur with theexistence of a standard, so DOCSIS is an important step forward for consumers and the cableindustry," said Bob Schack, marketing director of Cisco's Network-to-User business unit. "Thisalliance with these companies will help Cisco deliver advanced network technology to enable arange of multimedia services and provide for Internet-based consumer products delivered by ourpartners."
About Hayes Microcomputer Products
Communications technology pioneer Hayes Microcomputer Products markets its brands of cablemodems, analog modems and remote access servers worldwide. Hayes introduced the PC modem in1981 and has since driven consumer communications technology. Today, with distributors in morethan 45 countries, Hayes is one of the largest manufacturers of modems in the world. For moreinformation about Hayes and the company's award-winning products, visit the Hayes Web site athttp://www.hayes.com.
About Samsung Electronics, Corp. Ltd.
Samsung Electronics, Corp., Ltd., part of the Samsung Group, is recognized worldwide forbringing advanced, high technology consumer electronics to market. Samsung's product andtechnology expertise encompasses digital telecommunications systems, multimedia products andhome appliances. The Samsung cable modems are being developed by Samsung Information Systems(SISA), a Samsung research and development center, located in San Jose, Calif. The SamsungGroup, with worldwide revenues of $87 billion, has 256,000 employees, 340 offices andfacilities in 66 countries worldwide.
About Thomson Consumer Electronics
Thomson Consumer Electronics, as one of the world's leading suppliers of digital decoders,plans to integrate DOCSIS/MCNS-based technology into a wide variety of cable networked productsproviding high-speed Internet access, data services, and video services to a broad spectrum ofconsumer households throughout the Americas. Along with RCA-brand DSS systems and RCA IDS CableSet-tops/Modems, Thomson designs, manufactures and markets RCA, ProScan, and GE brand consumerelectronics products including color TVs, VCRs, camcorders, Network Computers, audio andcommunications products.
Cisco Systems
Cisco Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: CSCO) is theworldwide leader in networking for the Internet. athttp://www.cisco.com.
Cisco IOS is a trademark, and Cisco, Cisco Systems, and the Cisco Systems logo areregistered trademarks of Cisco Systems, Inc. in the U.S. and certain other countries. All othertrademarks mentioned in this document are the property of their respective owners.
