IPTV related Press Releases

Sigma Designs, Inc. to Acquire CopperGate Communications Ltd.

Mike Dolan — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 08:45:33 -0400

Sigma Designs, Inc. to Acquire CopperGate Communications Ltd.

Creating a Leading Provider of Networked Home Entertainment Semiconductor Solutions

MILPITAS, Calif. and TEL AVIV, ISRAEL - October 13, 2009

Sigma Designs®, Inc. (NASDAQ: SIGM) ("Sigma") and CopperGate Communications Ltd. ("CopperGate") today announced that the companies have entered into a definitive agreement for Sigma to acquire CopperGate in a cash and stock transaction with an agreed value of $160 million, net of CopperGate's cash at the closing of the transaction.

CopperGate is a leading provider of silicon-based modem solutions enabling distribution of broadband digital content over all three types of wires in the home: coax, phone and power. CopperGate solutions are deployed by service providers enabling the delivery of HDTV, VoIP and fast Internet services. CopperGate is headquartered in Tel Aviv, Israel with operations in the U.S. and Taiwan.

The combination of Sigma and CopperGate creates a leading provider of networked home entertainment semiconductor solutions. The companies have highly complementary technology platforms that form a portfolio of end to end solutions. The transaction further strengthens Sigma's position and expands its footprint with key customers, in addition to enabling cross selling opportunities.

"Sigma is committed to offering superior semiconductor solutions for the networked home entertainment market and our acquisition of CopperGate's leading home and MDU solutions further strengthens our opportunities in this market. Having developed three generations of ITU/HomePNA ICs since 2005 with over 12 million ICs shipped, CopperGate has proven itself a leader in the IPTV market." said Thinh Tran, Sigma's Chief Executive Officer. "From Sigma's perspective, we believe that the acquisition of CopperGate provides substantial benefits to our existing business while positioning our combined company to offer superior value solutions for the future. We believe it will enhance the breadth of our technology so that we extend our position as a world-class provider of complete home entertainment chipset solutions for all forms of media processing and communications. By combining forces, we are able to launch a more comprehensive set of solutions and capitalize on a broader range of market opportunities."

"CopperGate is extremely excited to be part of the Sigma team, which will bring together best-in-class product teams, technology, solutions and support to our customers to provide a larger scale of opportunities," said Gabi Hilevitz, CopperGate's Chief Executive Officer. "Both companies share a dedication to excellence in product innovation and have advanced the technology roadmaps in the IPTV market. We believe joining Sigma will allow us to increase our investments in next-generation products and leverage Sigma's manufacturing expertise and RF/Analog skill set."

The combination of Sigma and CopperGate is also expected to yield several potential synergies including synergies from leveraging manufacturing know-how and combined wafer sourcing, further SoC integration and combined research and development.

The estimated amount of cash to be paid by Sigma on the closing date is approximately $92 million, plus the amount of cash and cash equivalents estimated to be held by CopperGate at the closing, net of CopperGate transaction expenses and debt outstanding at the closing. In addition, Sigma will issue shares of its common stock to CopperGate shareholders estimated at the time of signing to equal approximately 4.0 million shares.

Sigma has also agreed to pay up to an aggregate of $5.0 million in cash to specified CopperGate employees; provided that the eligible employee remains employed by Sigma and certain milestones are achieved. Sigma will also assume unvested stock options held by CopperGate employees that will become exercisable for approximately 0.5 million Sigma shares when vested in accordance with their existing vesting schedules.

The definitive agreement and the acquisition have been approved by the board of directors of each company. The closing of the transaction remains subject to closing conditions, including the approval of the shareholders of CopperGate and Israeli securities law matters. The holders of over 95% of the outstanding capital stock of CopperGate have executed the definitive agreement. Certain significant shareholders have also agreed to vote their shares in favor of the transaction. The transaction is expected to close in 45 to 60 days. UBS Securities LLC is acting as Sigma's exclusive financial advisor.

Conference Call and Webcast to Discuss the Proposed Transaction

Sigma and CopperGate will hold a call to discuss this announcement today at 5:30 a.m. Pacific Time. Investors will have the opportunity to listen live to the conference call via the Internet through www.sigmadesigns.com/IR. A set of slides to accompany the discussion will also be available through the website. Institutional investors can access the call via Thomson StreetEvents at www.streetevents.com. To listen to the live call, please go to the website at least 15 minutes early to register and download and install any necessary audio software. For those who cannot listen to the live broadcast, a replay will be available shortly after the call via the internet through www.sigmadesigns.com/IR. The audio replay will be available for one week after the call.

Forward-Looking Statements

Except for the historical information set forth herein, the matters set forth in this press release, including without limitation statements regarding the anticipated benefits for Sigma from the acquisition of CopperGate, including SigmaEs plans, objectives, expectations and intentions, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially, including, but not limited to, the risk that the transaction will not close in when anticipated or at all, difficulties in the integration of acquired businesses, the risk that the benefits from the transaction may not be fully realized or may take longer to realize than expected, or that the transaction will not be accretive to Sigma's earnings, disruption from the transaction making it more difficult to maintain relationships with customers, employees or suppliers, competition and its effect on pricing, third-party relationships and revenues, and the risks detailed in Sigma's Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended August 1, 2009, as filed with the SEC, and in other reports filed with the SEC by Sigma from time to time. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof. Sigma disclaims any obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

About Sigma Designs, Inc.

Sigma Designs is a leading fabless provider of highly integrated SoC solutions that are used to deliver multimedia entertainment throughout the home. Sigma's SoC solutions include media processors and wireless communication devices which combine semiconductors and software as critical components of high-growth consumer applications including IPTV-based set-top boxes, Blu-ray players, HDTVs, entertainment connectivity devices and RF-based home control devices. Headquartered in Milpitas, Calif., Sigma Designs also has design centers or sales offices in Canada, China, Denmark, France, Japan, Korea (third party), Singapore and Taiwan. For more information, please visit Sigma Designs' website at

www.sigmadesigns.com

About CopperGate

CopperGate Communications is the only company whose standards-based chipsets enable carrier-class distribution of broadband digital content over all three types of existing wires in the home: coax, phone, and power. The company sells its technology to OEMs who build solutions for multimedia home networking and multi-dwelling unit (MDU) broadband access markets. CopperGate's chips are used in set-top boxes, residential gateways, optical network terminators and Ethernet bridges. CopperGate is headquartered in Tel Aviv, Israel with offices in the United States, Taiwan, Korea, China, Japan, and Brazil. For more information, please visit CopperGate's website at

www.copper-gate.com

3 Million New North American Broadband Subscribers Added in First Quarter 2009 Despite Economic Downturn

Jim O'Neill — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 08:31:25 -0400

SAN JOSE, Calif., June 16, 2009 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Global IPTV market up to nearly 24 million with 9.77% quarterly growth and strong activity across North America

The Broadband Forum today announced the latest broadband and IPTV statistics, which show impressive growth in the face of the global economic downturn. Its report, prepared for the Forum by industry analysts Point Topic (GBS database at http://point-topic.com/home/gbs/), shows that broadband grew by 16.6 million lines globally in the last quarter alone, with more than three million being added across North America - while IPTV continues to expand strongly.

Broadband lines in the world now top 429.2 million and the last quarter shows growth slightly higher than the previous three month period. Twenty countries grew by 10 percent or more in that time. The biggest growth in the top 20 came from India at 13.4 percent, while the other large gainers were Ukraine (15.2 percent), Egypt (10.6 percent) and Mexico (10.3 percent). Of the total figure, North America grew 3.87 percent to more than 93.5 million.

    Top 10 broadband countries

    Country                   2008 Q1         2009 Q1

    China                    71,034,820      88,088,000
    USA                      72,581,920      83,968,547
    Japan                    28,836,100      30,631,900
    Germany                  21,077,450      24,144,350
    France                   16,186,996      18,009,500
    UK                       16,318,300      17,661,100
    South Korea              14,970,775      15,709,771
    Italy                    11,300,077      12,447,533
    Brazil                    7,949,000      10,065,200
    Canada                    8,859,868       9,533,500
    Global Total            269,115,306     310,259,401

    Source: Data provided for the Broadband Forum by Point
www.point-topic.com

North America was again a major factor in the continued IPTV success story, with impressive growth of more than 15 percent over the last quarter and a huge 94.2 percent year-on-year improvement. There are now nearly 4.5 million lines of IPTV across North America.

    IPTV subscriptions per region

    Region             2008 Q1     2008 Q4     2009 Q1
                        Total       Total       Total     Quarterly    Yearly
                                                           Growth      Growth
    Latin America       11,183      21,495      23,467      9.17%     109.85%
    Eastern Europe     553,394     955,234   1,158,673     21.30%     109.38%
    North America    2,283,601   3,830,507   4,435,102     15.78%      94.22%
    South and East
      Asia           2,086,000   3,618,000   3,990,000     10.28%      91.28%
    Western Europe   7,799,449  10,367,586  11,375,200      9.72%      45.85%
    Asia-Pacific     2,619,035   3,058,182   3,005,015     -1.74%      14.74%
    Middle East
      and Africa        10,000      10,000      10,000      0.00%       0.00%

    Source: Data provided for the Broadband Forum by Point
www.point-topic.com

In terms of technology, DSL continues to be the most popular broadband access technology, although fiber grew by more than three million lines to reflect a 12.4 percent share of the market, while wireless showed a healthy proportionate increase of over one million lines to a total of 5.58 million.

"This report shows that despite the economic situation the world is facing, the demand for both broadband and IPTV continues at pace as people everywhere look to improve the quality and speed of their communications," said George Dobrowski, Chairman and President of the Broadband Forum.

"The Forum continues to drive broadband innovation, and with the release of BroadbandSuite 3.0, which provides new IPTV management and fiber integration tools, we continue to ensure that the industry has all the tools and specifications it needs to optimize networks and to capture the full potential of broadband worldwide. Our capability is enhanced by the recent union with the IP/MPLS Forum, which gives us a much greater end-to-end capability to serve the industry."

For further information about the Broadband Forum and BroadbandSuite 3.0 mentioned here, visit www.broadband-forum.org.

For further information please contact Chrissie Walker or Brian Dolby on +44 (0) 115 948 6901 or by email to chrissie@bcspr.co.uk or brian@bcspr.co.uk.

About the Broadband Forum

The Broadband Forum mission is to develop the full potential of broadband. With the recent union with the IP/MPLS Forum, the Broadband Forum is now the central body for next generation IP network specifications. This organization, comprising around 200 members of most of the world's leading service providers, equipment manufacturers, chip vendors and other key organizations, defines and facilitates next generation networks for local broadband access, mobile backhaul, business services, IPTV, gaming and other applications, and is poised to address further developments as they arise. The Broadband Forum's formal BroadbandSuite(TM) Release Program, Technical Reports and specifications are publicly available at www.broadband-forum.org.

SOURCE The Broadband Forum

2008 Europe - Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband in Central Europe

Jim O'Neill — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 12:07:12 -0400

DUBLIN, Ireland, Aug 28, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Research and Markets ( http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/dad328/2008_europe_tele) has announced the addition of the "2008 Europe - Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband in Central Europe" report to their offering.

This annual publication profiles the CEE countries of Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia. It includes trends and developments in telecommunications, mobile, Internet, Internet economy, broadband, digital TV and converging media including broadband, triple play and IPTV.

Subjects covered include:

- Market and industry analyses, trends and developments;
- Facts, figures, statistics and broadband forecasts to 2018;
- Industry issues and regulatory developments;
- Research, marketing and benchmarking
- Major Players, revenues, subscribers and network deployments
- VoIP, ADSL, ADSL2+, FttH/FttB, WiFi, WiMAX, IPTV, VoD, triple play, digital TV, DTTV, 3G, and HSDPA.

This report profiles the five countries of the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia. While all are EU countries, the market in each one varies significantly, both in size and wealth: Slovenia’s GDP per capita is more than double that of Poland’s although Poland’s population is 19 times that of Slovenia.

Impacting on the telecoms market is EU-mandated competition, decreasing prices and leading to the introduction of new services by competing operators and incumbents alike. This report offers an informative insight into the Central Eastern Europe region, covering regulatory developments, major players in the fixed-line, broadband, convergence and mobile markets, the development of new product offerings for the aforementioned markets, as well as presenting a wide range of industry related statistics in addition to broadband penetration forecasts to the year 2018.

Key highlights:

- Benefits of regulatory measures are becoming evident – the cost of unbundled local loops and shared access loops fell during 2007 in Slovakia and Slovenia while Hungary and Slovenia offer ULLs at prices below the average of the 27 EU member nations.
- FttH/FttB availability is expanding in all five countries, with deployments by all manner of different players in the telecoms market – municipal governments, mobile network operators, fixed-line alternative operators as well as incumbents, a trend that is expected to continue moving into 2009.
- Emerging on the back of growing broadband penetration is the Internet economy, with data showing rises in the proportion of businesses or individuals accessing e-government services as well as businesses and individuals purchasing online. EU funding has improved accessibility to e-government services and broadband Internet in underserved areas, with additional funding until at least 2013.
- IPTV take up is on the rise in all five countries, as incumbents and telecom operators acquire additional content and improve service offerings. In response cable operators continue to poach fixed-line voice subscribers from the incumbent telcos.
- Commercial DVB-T services are well into deployment, with multiplexes launched or about to be launched in all five countries. DVB-H developments/trials are underway in Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland.
- Aggressively priced mobile broadband access with prepaid data bundles are available in all these countries, offered over now widely-available EDGE/WCDMA/HSDPA networks and posing significant challenges for existing wireless broadband (ie, WiMAX) operators.

Data in this report is the latest available at the time of preparation and may not be for the current year.

IPTV is comingÃ¢â‚¬Â¦ More companies join the push to deploy Interactive Personalised TV Ã¢â‚¬â€œ New specifications imminent

Jim O'Neill — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 10:36:27 -0400

Efforts to accelerate the deployment of IPTV by combining the expertise of key telecom operators, consumer electronics manufacturers and network infrastructure providers in the Open IPTV Forum are gathering further momentum, and the first release of the specifications that will allow IPTV to develop into a mass market service is close to completion.

At its meeting at the headquarters of Telefónica in Madrid from 10-13 June, the Open IPTV Forum, the pan-industry initiative that was established to produce the end-to-end solution specification which will open up access to the interactive and personalised services offered by IPTV, significantly expanded its membership. These companies join the founding members – Ericsson, FT Group, Nokia Siemens Networks, Panasonic, Philips, Samsung, Sony and Telecom Italia – and many other major IPTV industry players from the communications and entertainment industries (www.openiptvforum.org/members.html), bringing to 37 the number of companies which are working together in the Forum.

Access Company	Motorola
BeeTV	Opera Software
FastWeb	Thomson
Digital Fountain	Swisscom
Intel	ZyXEL
Intertrust Technologies Corporation

Yun Chao Hu, Chairman of the Forum, commented:
“These new members represent a wide range of interest and broaden the input to the Forum’s activities both technically and geographically; they reinforce the Forum’s presence in the USA, with four new member companies (Digital Fountain, Intel, InterTrust Technology Corporation and Motorola) and establish the Forum's presence in Taiwan (ZyXel).

“Work on the new specifications is progressing fast. The Forum has already produced the first version of a Service and Platform Requirements document and the first architecture specification. We are now working round the clock to meet our target of publishing Release 1 in September this year. Release 1 will solve the problem of fragmentation within the market by standardising an IPTV framework, enabling a ‘plug and play’ experience for the end-user and, by ensuring interoperability, will make IPTV independent of the technology behind it.”

Over the coming months, the Forum will be exhibiting at some of the world’s largest consumer entertainment industry events:

IPTV World Forum North America – Chicago, US, 22-23 July

IFA, the world's largest consumer electronics trade fair – Berlin, Germany, 29 August - 3 September

MPEG Industry Forum – Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 11 September

IBC, the major international event for all involved in the creation, management and delivery of content for the entertainment industry – Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 12-16 September

Members of the Forum will be speaking at these events, and will be delighted to meet potential new members to discuss the work of the Forum and the future of IPTV. Interviews with the press can also be arranged.

Telchemy announces over 30 million units of VQmon shipped

Jim O'Neill — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 22:55:09 -0400

DULUTH, GA. – 27^th June 2008 – Telchemy,^® Incorporated, the global leader in Voice over IP and IPTV fault and performance management technology, today announced that over 100 equipment manufacturers have successfully integrated Telchemy’s VQmon software into a wide range of products, such as IP phones, VoIP Gateways, Routers, Session Border Controllers, Probes and Analyzers. Over 30 million units of VQmon have been shipped, representing an annual growth rate of over 200%. This number does not include an estimated 100 million additional shipments by a number of large ISPs who license VQmon on a subscription model basis.

"Telchemy's market leading position is based on solid technology, a deep understanding of VoIP and IPTV performance and an excellent product." said Olga Yashkova, a leading Industry Analyst with Frost & Sullivan. "They have a clear vision of the future of multimedia performance management and a proven ability to execute this vision."

The VQmon product family incorporates:

- VQmon/EP, ideal for IP Phones and Gateways to provide real-time VoIP performance measurement and reporting. VQmon/EP generated QoE reports can be analyzed using a “collector” such as Telchemy’s SQmediator.

- VQmon/SA, designed for Routers, Probes and Analyzers to provide in depth analysis of VoIP traffic and IP performance

- VQmon/SA-VM and VQmon/HD, integrated into Routers, Probes, Analyzers, and IP Set Top Boxes, providing a rich set of real time IPTV and IP Videoconferencing performance metrics.

VQmon products are compact, reliable, efficient and highly portable software agents that are integrated into a wide range of software and hardware platforms, producing accurate real-time, actionable, performance and QoE metrics for IP voice and video traffic. VQmon is unique in its ability to model the impact of time varying impairments on user perceived quality, which has been shown to materially improve the accuracy of QoE metrics.

“We are pleased that VQmon has achieved such a strong market position, deployed through our OEM customers into Carrier, Cable and Enterprise networks internationally.” said Alan Clark, President and CEO of Telchemy, “We work hard to ensure that we provide the great technology and support that enables our customers to be highly successful and to enable network operators and network managers to provide reliable, good quality services to their users and subscribers.”

Ericsson to power IPTV and mobile channels for Volvo Ocean Race

Jim O'Neill — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 06:21:12 -0400

At this year's Volvo Ocean Race viewers can keep up to date with the latest developments via live mobile TV, or through IPTV in each race village, delivered by Ericsson (NASDAQ:ERIC). Viewers will enjoy personalized coverage via a user-controlled camera interface offering multiple in-port race views - a breakthrough made possible by Ericsson's world leading technology.

The Volvo Ocean Race, the world's most grueling offshore yacht race, is held from October 2008 to June 2009. The longest journey on this round-the-world marathon is a massive 12,300 nautical mile leg between Qingdao and Rio de Janerio. In-port races will be held at stopover points in Alicante, Singapore, Qingdao, Rio de Janeiro, Boston, Galway and Stockholm.

The Ericsson powered Volvo Ocean Race service will start in October and make sure the sailing fans never have to leave the race. They can take the latest information and entertainment services with them wherever they are in the world. After the in-port segments of the Volvo Ocean Race in Alicante, Spain, viewers can use a camera selection feature to follow the boat of their choice. The service also employs first-rate features such as fast-channel switching.
Jan Wäreby, Senior Vice President and Head of Ericsson's multimedia business, says: "With these new multimedia channels viewers will be able to enjoy a dynamic mobile experience that is personalized and interactive - anytime, anywhere and on any device. It represents the next-generation of services and puts the user in control at the center of the experience, especially during the Volvo Ocean Race."

Andrew Ferguson, Head of Technology and New Media for the Volvo Ocean Race, says: "Ericsson's state-of-the-art mobile technology will provide race fans with a new dimension to their online experience. Viewers can keep in touch with the race whenever and wherever they want."
Ericsson is leading the global technology evolution that enables broadband anywhere through its one network approach. Volvo Ocean Race will be a living case study of how to deliver revenue generating next generation multimedia services from HD through to mobile. Opportunities to discuss the case study during the race can be taken at the various port stops around the world.

Ericsson to demonstrate world's first 10Gbps GPON for IPTV at NXTcomm08 in Las Vegas

Jim O'Neill — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 10:36:30 -0400

Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC) announced today that it will show the world's first 10Gbps Gigabit Passive Optical Network (GPON) system for IPTV, with four times the bandwidth of existing GPON systems, at NXTcomm08 in Las Vegas. Ericsson will also introduce the 8-port GPON board as the latest addition to the EDA 1500 GPON system, effectively doubling its capacity and improving cost-effectiveness.

Ericsson's EDA 1500 is a deep-fiber access solution based on GPON technology. The EDA 1500 is a key component of Ericsson's IPTV access infrastructure, supporting advanced capabilities such as maximized bandwidth efficiency, guaranteed instant channel change, and robust security.

These demonstrations are industry milestones. The Ericsson EDA 1500 GPON solution has the highest switch capacity on the market and now offers both the highest density and the fastest GPON available in the same physical footprint, with speeds up to 10Gbps. The doubled capacity of the 8-port GPON board means the EDA 1500 Optical Line Terminal can now serve more than 7100 homes; deployments will begin in early 2009. The 10Gbps GPON system will be available commercially once the technology standard is defined.

Håkan Eriksson, CTO for Ericsson, says: "Growing demand for a personalized, interactive and high-quality television experience is driving the demand for IP-based deep-fiber access networks, and GPON has emerged as a key enabling technology. This demonstration highlights our technology leadership and commitment to evolving wireline access networks that enable a richer communications experience."

"Ericsson is at the forefront of developing next-generation access technologies, allowing carriers to offer high-quality television services. Increased GPON capacity will help operators maximize their network investment, and ensure that new services demanding higher speed and functionality can be introduced cost-effectively over time."

Ericsson's IPTV solution over 10Gbps GPON and the 8-port GPON board are featured at NXTcomm08 (Booth# SU 7416) in Las Vegas, June 17-19.

Ericsson is the world's leading provider of technology and services to telecom operators. The market leader in 2G and 3G mobile technologies, Ericsson supplies communications services and manages networks that serve more than 195 million subscribers. The company's portfolio comprises mobile and fixed network infrastructure, and broadband and multimedia solutions for operators, enterprises and developers. The Sony Ericsson joint venture provides consumers with feature-rich personal mobile devices.

Ericsson is advancing its vision of 'communication for all' through innovation, technology, and sustainable business solutions. Working in 175 countries, more than 70,000 employees generated revenue of USD 27.9 billion (SEK 188 billion) in 2007. Founded in 1876 and headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden, Ericsson is listed on OMX Nordic Exchange Stockholm and NASDAQ.

For more information, visit www.ericsson.com or www.ericsson.mobi.

Two Midwestern Telcos Select The Comtrend NexusLink Bonded ASDL2+ Residential Gateway For Deployment

Jim O'Neill — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 09:18:27 -0400

IRVINE, CA — (June 11, 2008) — Comtrend Corp., a leading supplier of broadband, VoIP and data networking equipment, today announced that two U.S. regional Telecom companies, Rural Telephone and Bayland Telephone, have adopted Comtrend’s NexusLink ADSL2+ Bonded modems as their exclusive residential platform for ADSL2+ deployment. The selections make it possible for both companies to deliver IPTV, HD programming and other next-generation services over copper.

Bonded ADSL2+ technology is a fast-growing alternative to fiber and other digital services distribution methods. Bonded ADSL2+, defined through the International Telecommunication Union’s ITU-T G.998.1 standard, combines two or more copper pairs as a single connection. The technology allows telcos to deliver up to 48 Mbps of downstream throughput speed over a bonded set of copper pairs. Without the need for adding extra infrastructure, telcos have the ability to deliver High-Definition Video along with higher data speeds at long distances from a Central Office.

Comtrend’s NexusLink modem is specifically designed to make ADSL2+ Bonded technology possible. “The NexusLink bonded ADSL2+ modem allows us to deploy mature HD MPEG2 IPTV to our customers,” said Shane Broyles, Central Office Manager for Rural Telephone, an all-digital communications company in Northwestern Kansas heavily oriented toward high-speed data and computer applications. “This saves us the significant expense of converting our content to MPEG4 and working through the challenges that this new technology presents to both our set top vendors and middleware provider. We can also provide IPTV and premium Internet access at longer distances using our existing copper plant.”

The NexusLink modem supports Triple Play architectures and doubles the bandwidth performance of traditional ADSL2+ modems. The device has four 10/100 Ethernet, 802.11g wireless LAN, dual ADSL line and USB interfaces including host function for peripheral devices. As a fully functional residential gateway, the NexusLink has full routing capabilities including traffic management and TR-069 capability. Comtrend was first to announce availability of Bonded ADSL2+ CPE products in 2005.

“The NexusLink modem has enabled our rollout of HD content to our subscribers. It has maximized the bandwidth we can deliver on our existing infrastructure while keeping the installation clean and professional,” stated Paul Hermsen, Broadband Manager for Bayland Telephone of Abrams, Wisconsin. “Our HD deployment to this point simply wouldn’t be possible without the NexusLink modem.”

ADSL2+ Bonded technology gives telcos an immediate solution to meet the competitive demands of the broadband market.. Only conventional standards compliant ADSL2+ equipment is required at the central office or network node, with a Bonded ADSL2+ gateway like NexusLink the only CPE required.

Both Rural Telephone and Bayland Telephone have begun use of NexusLink modems in the field. For more information about the Comtrend NexusLink ADSL2+ Bonded Residential Gateway and other Comtrend products visit: www.comtrend.com.

About Comtrend Corp.:

With more than 7 million products installed, Comtrend is a leading global supplier of Broadband equipment. Comtrend offers a broad array of leading edge, high-quality Broadband products that embeds ADSL, ADSL2+, Bonded ADSL2+, VDSL2 and GPON technologies to support; triple-play voice, video and data applications including IP-Video, VoIP, WiFi and industry standard QoS with VLAN traffic assignment; IGMP snooping and IGMP proxy providing efficient traffic management and control in IP multicast applications. Comtrend is a global company with headquarters in Irvine, California, and offices in Madrid, Spain and Taipei, Taiwan. For more information, visit the Comtrend web site at: www.comtrend.com.

Gartner Says IPTV Operators Need to Offer One-Stop, Whole-Home Networking Solution

Jim O'Neill — Tue, 27 May 2008 07:20:43 -0400

STAMFORD, Conn., May 21, 2008--Internet
Protocol television (IPTV) faces an uphill struggle to penetrate the
consumer market if it remains a stand-alone pay-TV service, according
to Gartner Inc. In an industry dominated by incumbent cable and
satellite operators, as well as traditional terrestrial free-to-air
network broadcasters, Gartner said that IPTV operators need to entice
consumers with a range of bundled services, including IP-based home
networking, offering a one-stop, whole-home solution.

"Although today's newest, leading-edge PC-based home
networks are able to deliver high-quality video and audio around the
home, most consumer electronic products, such as TVs, digital set-top
boxes (STBs), and DVD players, remain stubbornly isolated in their
ability to communicate with other equipment over a wide area," said
Paul O'Donovan, principal research analyst at Gartner. "As the Internet
increasingly becomes a source for video consumption by a wider family
audience, there is a need to address this issue and expand
home-networking options."

Gartner believes that the STB is well-placed to become
a core component of an entertainment-based home network, particularly
in countries with a high number of cable TV homes (penetration of 40
percent or above) or countries with a large number of homes passed by
cable TV.

In the U.S., cable companies have already introduced
home-networking solutions using cable STBs linked by existing coaxial
cable. This has distinct advantages, because in many U.S. homes most
rooms are already connected with coaxial cable, so no new wires are
required to bring the home network together.

IPTV pay-TV services can use the existing coaxial
networks in U.S. homes; many homes have multiple coaxial sockets.
However, few houses in Europe, Japan and Asia/Pacific have multiple TV
sockets around the home, so a networking solution based on coaxial
cabling using pay-TV STBs from cable or IPTV operators is less likely
to be commercially viable in these regions. Instead, STBs with wireless
connectivity — using, for example, 802.11n — could be an opportunity
for pay-TV operators in these regions.

"As long as it was simple for consumers to set up and
gave a good quality of service, this would also have the advantage of
being able to connect into an existing PC wireless network," said Mr.
O'Donovan. "However, for ease of installation and consistency of
service in the home, a network combining wired and wireless
technologies will be the most successful topology."

The real commercial advantage for the telecom companies
will be their ability to offer consumers bundled services, such as
broadband Internet access, mobile cellular services, and voice and IPTV
services, including voice over IP. This combination of services can be
networked around the home, offering flexibility and one-stop provision
from a single supplier, which will be enticing for the average customer.

Gartner expects home networking to become commonplace
in consumer electronic hardware in the next five to six years,
predicting that whether consumers need the functionality or not, it
will be embedded in many products. Mr. O'Donovan said that in North
America, digital cable and IPTV will be the mainstay of
entertainment-based home networking, while in other regions, a mixture
of PC-based media centers, game consoles, DVD players and recorders,
and pay-TV cable and IPTV STBs will be how home networking reaches the
mass market.

"The PC is an important part of the entertainment-based
network, and most networks will contain one, but the PC is not a
crucial part of the future home network," he said. "Consumer
electronics companies are aiming to build connectivity to components
with or without the PC being present."

Additional information is available in the Gartner
report "Dataquest Insight: IPTV in and Around the Home." The report is
available on Gartner's Web site at http://www.gartner.com/DisplayDocument?ref=g_search&id=644010&subref=simplesearch.

Occam Networks Supports Sogetel's Network Upgrade to Offer VoIP and IPTV Deployment

Jim O'Neill — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 22:13:39 -0400

SANTA BARBARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Occam Networks, Inc. (NASDAQ:OCNW), a leading supplier of innovative Ethernet and IP-based loop carrier equipment to telecommunications companies, announced today that Sogetel Inc., the largest independent telephone company in Quebec, Canada, has purchased OccamÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s Broadband Loop Carrier (BLC) 6000 solution to complete a significant upgrade to its network, enabling the service provider to offer VoIP and IPTV services to its subscribers. Sogetel maintains offices in Nicolet, St. Paulin, Lac Etchemin, St. Liboire and other locations in the province of Quebec.
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Ã¢â‚¬Å“We have been impressed with the flexibility and scalability of the Occam BLC platform, and we are able to streamline procedures within our organization since Occam utilizes many of the same programming languages as our existing Cisco products,Ã¢â‚¬Â said Yves Duval, SogetelÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s chief operation officer. Ã¢â‚¬Å“Sogetel has a long history of investing in the highest quality infrastructure products so that we may continuously offer our subscribers new services. Our purchase of Occam access equipment continues that tradition.Ã¢â‚¬Â
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Sogetel maintains 26,000 access lines and offers subscribers landline and wireless local and long distance phone service and high-speed broadband services. Engineers are deploying Occam equipment at more than 35 sites across SogetelÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s service area, with a plan to offer VoIP and IPTV over Occam BLC blades. Sogetel has purchased OccamÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s BLC 6252 POTS and ADSL2Plus combo blade and BLC 6214 ADSL2Plus blade. Sogetel is also using BLC 6450 blades to accommodate 10G transport rings to accommodate IP traffic increases.
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To offer IPTV in the communities Sogetel serves, engineers will push electronics closer to the premises while utilizing ADSL2+ to provide IPTV over the last mile copper facilities. Sogetel is also deploying FTTP in areas where it is necessary to replace existing copper lines. To complete the application needs, Sogetel is eagerly awaiting OccamÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s BLC 6322 GPON blade for deployment later this year.
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Ã¢â‚¬Å“Sogetel is a true innovator in providing its subscribers advanced telecommunications services. In addition to meeting todayÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s need for VoIP and IPTV, Sogetel is building an infrastructure that will accelerate the evolution of IP based services well into the future,Ã¢â‚¬Â said Nathan Harrell, vice president of sales for Occam Networks. Ã¢â‚¬Å“While still in the initial deployment phase, Sogetel has already seen the operational benefits of OccamÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s service management features Ã¢â‚¬â€œ a key to minimizing total cost of ownership.Ã¢â‚¬Â
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About Sogetel Inc.
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Sogetel is the largest independent telephone company in Quebec and maintains half of all independent access lines in the province. It has served QuebecÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s telecommunications needs for more than 115 years and is still a family-run company. Sogetel current maintains 26,000 access lines in four different rural areas of Quebec. In the last three years, it has enlarged its landline network by acquiring three independent telephone companies. Sogetel is also developing a new market by building out a WiMax wireless network that can provide DSL and VoIP service outside its core service area. Sogetel has 85 employs. For more information, please visit www.sogetel.com.
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About Occam Networks Inc.
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Occam Networks' broadband access solutions empower service providers to offer profitable new voice, data and video services over copper and fiber. Occam systems deliver flexibility and scalability in a Triple Play world. Over 1.6 million BLC 6000 ports are currently deployed at over 260 service providers in North America and the Caribbean. For more information, please visit www.occamnetworks.com.
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Cautionary Note about Forward-Looking Statements
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Portions of this press release may contain forward-looking statements regarding future events or the future performance of Occam Networks, including statements predicting increased adoption of products and technologies offered by Occam and the willingness and ability of our customers to purchase additional Occam products and upgrade their product offerings. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ materially from any future performance suggested in such statements. In particular, rapidly changing technologies and market conditions may require changes to OccamÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s products, and the willingness of our customers to purchase upgraded products such as Triple Play will depend in part on customersÃ¢â‚¬â„¢ existing network configurations and any incremental costs associated with implementing upgrades. Occam does not undertake any obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Please also refer to the companyÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s most recent quarterly report on Form 10-Q, annual report on Form 10-K and other filings with the SEC. These filings contain and identify other important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements.
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Occam Networks and Occam BLC 6000 are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Occam Networks Inc. in the United States and/or other countries.
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All other trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners.