Forum: Home-Net Gains for Cable
By Simon Applebaum -- Multichannel News, 8/7/2002 4:42:00 PM
New York -- Cable is in great position to reap revenue from home networking, but only if the industry doesn't clash with other technology factions over how home networks should operate, a Consumer Electronics Association representative asserted during a forum here Wednesday.
'Cable has the tremendous opportunity, because of the immense bandwidth that's there...and MSOs are the critical piece in the market. They're the video delivery medium everyone expects to get from a home network,' said Bill Rose, chairman of CEA's home networking committee.
But if different factions attempt different home-network construction and operation strategies, 'no one wins,' Rose said. 'If we figure out how to share this market, we'll all win.'
One scenario Rose proposed at Kagan Seminars Inc.'s Digital Household Summit: CE companies tackle the hardware and infrastructure, while MSOs sell content and services in harmony with application developers.
Comcast -- doing home-networking field trials since early 2002 -- appeared willing to consider that course.
Steve Craddock, senior vice president of new media development there, called on cable to focus on providing services. 'We're not looking at selling smart home [tech] to people. We'd rather sell them smart services,' he said.
'In order to cross the chasm to mass-market adoption of home networks, we must sell services and solutions to people. Those services must operate under a common framework: interface with provisioning, high performance and service quality, be secure, interoperable and upgradable--'and be so dirt simple.'
Craddock predicted it would take two years for cohesive home-networking standards to be adopted by cable and other industries affected by the technology.
'But you'll see a lot of working stuff before then,' he added.
No related content found.
Featured Company
-
Digital Rapids
Digital Rapids is the leading provider of professional hardware and software tools, technology and expertise for bringing video to wider audiences and new viewing platforms. Continuing to set new standards in quality, productivity and versatility, our solutions span the critical ..more
VIEW ALL GALLERIES
