Telewest selects Cisco optical platform to enable TV-on-Demand services

June 15, 2005 London, UK -- Telewest, a UK cable broadband communications and media group, is accelerating its national core and edge network upgrade to converge four networks, for voice, video, Broadband, and business data services, onto a single platform using Cisco's Internet Protocol Next Generation Network (IP NGN) platform.

Telewest is upgrading 14 regional head-ends and 64 hub sites to a Gigabit Ethernet infrastructure, using Cisco's 7609 Series routers with integrated DWDM pluggable optics, to enable a highly resilient, dual 10-Gbit/sec capacity network to support the group's distributed TV-on-demand (TVOD) service deployment. The group says the company's 7609 Series routers and Supervisor Engine 720, along with its Catalyst 6748 and 6704 Ethernet line cards with Distributed Forwarding Cards, comprise the multiservice edge platform for the aggregation of TVOD services, Layer 2 and Layer 3 VPN, and Cable Modem Termination Systems (CMTS).

"It was clear from the outset that Telewest's vision for convergence focused on improving services to its customers, which meant an aggressive schedule for the rollout of TVOD services," remarks Geraint Anderson, vice president of Cisco's service provider wireline EMEA division.

"Cisco was able to fulfill all the complex requirements of each area of our business with one design," concludes Howard Watson, CTO and managing director of networks, technology, and IT at Telewest. "The benefits of moving to an IP next-generation network are obvious, but there are also risks to consider. Working with Cisco helps us to make a smooth and fast transition so that we can continue to make market-leading service innovations and fully exploit new opportunities in the broadband market."