Cogeco First to Market with Comprehensive, DOCSIS-Compliant Internet Access Service in Canada
SAN JOSE, Calif. -- February 3, 1999 -- Cisco Systems, Inc., the worldwide leader in networking for the Internet, today announced that it has been selected by Cogeco Cable Inc., the fourth largest cable system operator in Canada, to supply products that enable them to provide Internet access over cable to its customers. With the Cisco uBR7246 Universal Broadband Router (uBR) and new integrated MC16 modem cards, Cogeco will be the first to market with Data-over-Cable Service Interface Specification (DOCSIS)-compliant Internet access service in Canada.
The Cisco uBR product family provides cable operators with a cost-effective, scaleable interface between subscriber cable modems and the backbone data network. The Cisco uBR7246 will enable Cogeco to deliver high-speed, broadband access to the Internet to their customers and more advanced services in the future. The uBR is based on the carrier-class stability and functionality of the industry leading Cisco IOS. software, maximizing the efficiency of the network bandwidth utilization, and in turn allowing Cogeco to derive higher profits from the same scarce network resources.
The increased port density delivered by the MC16 modem cards allows Cogeco to save equipment costs and conserve precious headend rack space while supporting more customers on a single platform. With the Cisco uBR7246 and new integrated MC16 modem cards, Cogeco can easily provision digital services to as many as 100,000 homes passed using a single compact chassis.
The modular architecture of the Cisco uBR7246 maximizes Cogeco's investment by enabling them to support multiple network services in one platform and avoid headend product obsolescence as subscriber modem products and technologies evolve. The Cisco uBR7246's MC16 modem cards are fully compliant with the International Telecommunications Union (ITU)-J.112/DOCSIS standard. The J.112/DOCSIS standard provides one global standard for computing and consumer electronics manufacturers to develop broadband appliances such as modems, personal computer adapters, networked game players, voice gateways and Web-enabled set-top boxes for cable.
Cogeco is the first to market a DOCSIS-compliant, high-speed cable-modem Internet access service in Canada. The service will initially be available in Burlington, Oakville, Hamilton, Niagara Falls and Peterborough. More than 265,000 basic customers are expected to subscribe to the service immediately.
Cisco's end-to-end cable solutions include a suite of retail targeted modems produced by global consumer electronics leaders, broadband headend and hub equipment such as the Cisco uBR7246, dial access servers and a suite of leading multigigabit, carrier-class, Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) and Internet Protocol (IP) regional and wide-area backbone solutions.
Commenting on the selection of the Cisco solution, Michael P. Foley, vice president, telecommunications, Cogeco Cable, said, "This is a high-growth market and Cogeco is in a highly favorable position to exploit this opportunity, especially using Cisco's state-of-the-art technology. We are taking a leadership role in bringing Internet access via cable to the Canadian market."
"Implementing DOCSIS standards-based modems gives Cogeco a competitive edge," said Araldo Menegon, Cisco's director of Canadian Service Provider Operations. "This technology enables them to offer advanced, multimedia Internet services to their customers."
About Cogeco Cable
Cogeco Cable currently operates cable systems in Canada serving some 804,000 basic subscribers in the aggregate and is the fourth largest cable system operator in Canada based on the number of subscribers. The subordinate voting shares of Cogeco Cable (CCA) are listed on the Toronto and Montreal Stock Exchanges.Cisco Systems
Cisco Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:CSCO) is the worldwide leader in networking for the Internet.Cisco, Cisco IOS, Cisco Systems and the Cisco Systems logo are registered trademarks of Cisco Systems, Inc. in the U.S., Canada and certain other countries. All other trademarks mentioned in this document are the property of their respective owners.
