Scientific Atlanta Debuts New Open System with Switched Digital Video Capabilities

Scientific Atlanta Debuts New Open System with Switched Digital Video Capabilities

- Switched digital video system enhances competitive position, while priming site operations for IP Next Generation Architectures -

ATLANTA, April 10 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- THE NATIONAL SHOW, NCTA/April 9-11, 2006, Georgia World Congress Center, Booth #2251 -- Scientific Atlanta, a Cisco company, today announced its latest advancements with switched digital video (SDV). An evolutionary step toward next generation architecture, Scientific Atlanta's SDV system gives cable operators the flexibility of an open, Internet protocol-based (IP-based) SDV system; gigabit quadrature amplitude modulation (GQAM) sharing between multiple services and advanced bulk encryption support.

Designed to operate over existing HFC infrastructures, Scientific Atlanta's open architecture SDV opens new doors for cable operators by enabling the delivery of switched video services on the existing installed base of tens of millions MPEG set-tops that cannot decode a DOCSIS or Internet protocol (IP) stream. This gives operators a significant scale advantage in the introduction of new video services.

The new IP-based SDV fundamentally changes the model for bandwidth consumption from a linear model based on the program offering to one based on program viewership, reclaiming some of the bandwidth required for simulcast and advanced interactive services.

"The latest innovations in our open SDV system are designed to help cable operators remain competitive in the market," said Michael Harney, president of Subscriber Network Systems, Scientific Atlanta, a Cisco company. "With our IP- based solution, our customers can leverage the existing MPEG set-top infrastructure, take advantage of open, standard interfaces throughout the network elements, experience significant benefits through QAM sharing, and take an important step in the evolution toward an IP-based, next generation architecture."

Transparent to consumers, SDV enables operators to offer an extensive lineup of niche content ranging from local and other premium sports packages to ethnic programming, leveraging the "long tail" phenomenon in an effort to improve customer satisfaction, reduce churn and generate new revenue streams from premium tiers.

Key differentiators of Scientific Atlanta's SDV system solution are its bulk encryption capability, the ability to share QAM bandwidth on a per-stream basis between SDV and VOD services within a single RF QAM carrier, and the generation of detailed viewership data. QAM sharing reduces overall QAM capacity and RF bandwidth requirements and simplifies capacity planning, thereby adding bandwidth savings and decreasing both capital and operational expense. With detailed viewership data available, cable operators have unprecedented, direct access to consumer viewing choices, while maintaining the privacy of individual customers. The data can then be used to improve program offerings, maximize the return on investment for each program offered and drive targeted ad revenue growth.

Scientific Atlanta will be demonstrating its latest open architecture SDV initiatives at NCTA 2006, The National Show in Atlanta, Georgia, April 9-11, Booth #2251.

About Scientific Atlanta

Scientific Atlanta, a Cisco Company, is a leading supplier of digital content contribution and distribution systems, transmission networks for broadband access to the home, digital interactive set-tops and subscriber systems designed for video, high-speed Internet and Voice over IP (VoIP) networks, and worldwide customer service and support. Scientific-Atlanta, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Cisco Systems. More information about Scientific Atlanta is available at http://www.scientificatlanta.com/.

About Cisco Systems

Cisco Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:CSCO) is the worldwide leader in networking for the Internet. Information on Cisco can be found at http://www.cisco.com/. For ongoing news, please go to http://newsroom.cisco.com/.

Scientific Atlanta is a registered trademark of Scientific-Atlanta, Inc.

Source: Scientific Atlanta, A Cisco Company

CONTACT: Sara Stutzenstein, +1-770-236-2181, or
sara.stutzenstein@sciatl.com, or Peggy Ballard, +1-770-236-7871, or
peggy.ballard@sciatl.com, both of Scientific Atlanta, A Cisco Company, fax,
+1-770-236-3088

Web site: http://www.scientificatlanta.com/
http://www.cisco.com/
http://newsroom.cisco.com/

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