Advanced broadband and multimedia service, powered by Cisco's complete content delivery networking solution, gives GCT subscribers high-speed access to high-quality multimedia content
Menlo Park, CA - December 4, 2000 - Global Convergence Technology, Inc. (GCT), a leading satellite-based broadband service provider, today announced that it has launched the world's first two-way broadband and multimedia service using Ka-band satellite technology. This technology operates at frequencies of between 20 and 30 GHz. This advanced Internet connectivity and multimedia service, rolled out in Korea under the brand name PowerSky, is built on an end-to-end content delivery networking (CDN) solution from Cisco Systems. The combination of the GCT satellite based network and the Cisco CDN architecture enables GCT to push content closer to the end user, with blazingly fast, high quality broadband access to high-bandwidth, multimedia content.
GCT also announced today that it has joined the Content Alliance, a standards-based organization initiated by Cisco that seeks to accelerate the market evolution of content delivery services. By joining the Content Alliance, GCT will be part of a major industry movement to create open standards and protocols and deliver key technologies for a number of emerging areas, including content peering.
GCT has targeted its two-way satellite solution at large buildings, including offices, apartments, hotels and schools, rather than at individual subscribers. One satellite dish located on top of a building can service more than 300 users, connected through various LAN solutions. For standard Internet web browsing, GCT will provide broadband service at speeds comparable to or in some cases faster than today's DSL and cable. For connectivity to high-quality multimedia content, such as video on demand (VoD), interactive applications and live events, the GCT network will provide a differentiated and unparalleled quality of service. Additionally, the GCT PowerSky service offering will also enable end users to enjoy enhanced multimedia content and standard web browsing on their TV sets via a set top box.Using Cisco's CDN solution, GCT dynamically positions content closer to the user and overcomes issues such as network bandwidth availability, distance or latency obstacles, origin server scalability and congestion problems during peak usage periods. The GCT network will cache a majority of Internet traffic at each site, saving valuable satellite bandwidth and providing a drastic improvement in speed and performance.
"Our vision is to be a truly global player," said Steve Pergament, Vice President of Technology and Operations at GCT. "We are leading the industry as the first mover in delivering two-way Ka-band services and demonstrating the economic and technical benefits of our unique broadband architecture. The opportunities for broadband expansion throughout the world are tremendous because in many areas, the GCT PowerSky service may be the only reasonable broadband alternative. Our coverage of the Asia-Pacific market will be ubiquitous and our network will have the ability to deploy anywhere at anytime."
"We were looking for a content networking architecture that would enable us to build intelligent CDN services supporting different network and traffic requirements," added Paul Brandinger, Senior Director of Technology and Operations at GCT. "After evaluating solutions from several content network providers and testing them throughout our pilot service phase, we chose Cisco because it is the only vendor that offers an end-to-end CDN solution. In addition to its industry-leading content switching technology, we are benefiting from the world-class, ongoing technical and marketing support that Cisco provides. By capitalizing on Cisco's CDN architecture to multicast content and store it at each site, GCT can save valuable bandwidth and avoid significant expenditures on costly infrastructure."
"There is tremendous, untapped opportunity for two-way broadband satellite services. Cisco is delighted to work with GCT to provide a technology solution that will enable them to offer new interoperable and profitable value-added services without needing to integrate disparate emerging technologies or products," said Cheng Wu, vice president and general manager of Cisco's Content Networking business unit. "By working to deliver an innovative Content Delivery Network, and by joining the Content Alliance, GCT demonstrates its commitment to the widespread adoption of content delivery services."
Cisco's approach to delivering CDNs is to provide a complete product portfolio that addresses multiple network requirements and scenarios. GCT's advanced edge-delivery network architecture is built on Cisco's comprehensive integrated CDN solution including content distribution and management, content routing, content edge delivery, content switching and intelligent network services. Cisco equipment will be deployed both at central hub sites and at individual building sites.
About GCTGCT is a US-based company founded in 1999 and has offices in Menlo Park, CA, Reston, VA, and Seoul, Korea. GCT currently provides satellite-based broadband services in Korea and is in negotiations with key strategic partners in the Asia-Pacific region for expansion of services to Taiwan, China, and Hong Kong. The GCT management team has over 80 years of experience in satellite systems integration and in satellite and telecommunications services. The current investors in GCT include Venture TDF, Parallax Capital Management, Discovery Ventures, Haansoft, WebTech Venture Capital and High Gain Antenna. For more information, please visit the Company's website,www.gconvergence.com.
