AUGUST 31, 2006 -- Harmonic Inc. (search Harmonic) today announced new transmitters and receivers designed to extend hybrid fiber coax (HFC) network bandwidth. The PWRLink 1-GHz broadcast transmitters, METROLink1-GHz DWDM forward path transmitters for narrowcast applications, and MAXLink 1-GHz receivers support substantially more capacity to the home, say Harmonic representatives.
This increase in capacity is critical as cable operators add more personalized and on-demand video services, greater amounts of high-speed Internet, voice-over-IP (VoIP), and commercial services. The transition to 1-GHz capacity in the cable network is underway, and already more than two million homes are served by Harmonic's range of scalable PWRBlazer1-GHz nodes, report company representatives.
In addition, as part of its suite of higher bandwidth capable products, Harmonic has introduced a DWDM digital return path transmitter that supports 65 MHz--a key requirement for node segmentation solutions--and complements Harmonic's 65-MHz CWDM return path transmitter.
Viewers today are consuming ever-increasing amounts of video content, whether delivered via traditional broadcast television, emerging video-on-demand (VOD) services, or streamed over IP. This includes high-definition television as well as narrowcast services such as VOD, personal video recorders (PVR), network PVR, time-shifted TV, and Internet gaming. This trend results in the need for operators to place greater amounts of digital content on the network and necessitates more bandwidth to the home.
"For some time, cable operators have been exploring methods that will optimize their networks and increase average revenue per user, through solutions such as bandwidth extension to 1 GHz and further segmentation of their narrowcast service areas," explains Sunil Frida, senior manager of solutions and strategy for HFC and Business Services at Harmonic Inc. "Harmonic's full range of market-leading HFC products, including the new transmitters and receivers, provides a highly flexible, scalable, and cost-effective solution for network operators to deliver the next generation of video, voice, and data services."
Harmonic's 1-GHz and digital return path systems are part of a set of bandwidth reclamation, segmentation, and extension products, which increase network capacity, reach, reliability, and manageability. Integral to network segmentation, the enhanced upstream capacity of the digital return transmitters and receivers supports the provisioning of more symmetric high-speed Internet access services and emerging two-way applications such as telephony, video conferencing, gaming, and content-on-demand.
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