SAN JOSE, CA - October 18, 2000 - Cisco Systems, the worldwide leader in networking for the Internet, today announced its involvement in a new industry alliance Internet Home Alliance dedicated to enhancing consumers' understanding, appreciation and adoption of the Internet lifestyle. Through its relationship with the Alliance, Cisco will work to fuel the market by promoting industry collaboration and assisting in the development of the entire ecosystem, from device manufacturers to retailers.
As a founding member of Internet Home Alliance, Cisco will be able to build on its vision to provide consumers anywhere, anytime Internet access in the home. The Internet Home Alliance is the ecosystem enabler that will help to make the Internet lifestyle a reality. As Internet lifestyle solutions become mainstream and the availability of broadband increases, Cisco will benefit from the need to distribute broadband throughout the home to connect computers, telephones, home subsystems, such as HVAC and security, and smart appliances.
"Cisco initiated the Internet Home Alliance in order to build the ecosystem necessary to support the Internet lifestyle," said Mike Moone, group vice president and general manager, Cisco's Consumer Line of Business. "The Alliance will work with all members of the industry, from service and content providers to home integrators and developers, to acclerate parallel industry growth. This will allow the industry to quickly deliver Internet lifestyle solutions that add value to consumers' lives."
Cisco believes the Internet is the next essential home utility where high-speed, always-on Internet access is available throughout the home. And, as the worldwide leader in networking for the Internet, Cisco plays an important role in bringing Internet access to the home. Cisco's core routers and switches are the heart of the Internet. Cisco is also a market leader in DSL, cable, ISDN and dial access technologies. Cisco is proud to be working in close partnership with other members of the Internet Home Alliance to make the promise of the Internet home a reality.
Internet Home Alliance members include 3Com, Best Buy, Cisco Systems, CompUSA, General Motors, Honeywell, Invensys, Motorola, New Power Company, Panasonic, Reliant Energy, Sears, Roebuck and Co., Sun Microsystems and Texas Instruments. This group of well-established consumer and high-technology companies will work together to define critical industry building blocks and minimize barriers currently inhibiting the mass adoption of Internet lifestyle solutions.
The Alliance recognizes the following issues currently affecting the adoption rate of Internet lifestyle solutions: market fragmentation, consumer and industry confusion, and availability and complexity of home technology solutions. Internet Home Alliance will work with industry associations and ecosystem partners to further enable the creation, distribution and adoption of Internet solutions that add value to consumers' lives.
The Internet Lifestyle
An Internet lifestyle is about adopting Internet solutions that enhance the quality of life. Technology has enabled a new generation of Internet lifestyle solutions that include streaming audio/video for entertainment and learning, energy and security monitoring, remote diagnostics, personal and family communication, and simultaneous Internet access from multiple personal computers or Internet appliances. These enhanced services will bring new levels of comfort, convenience and security to consumers, and are the foundation of the new Internet lifestyle.
