MediaOne boosts hfc network for telephony

By STEPHEN HARDY

MediaOne, Denver, CO, a unit of the US West Media Group, has awarded a pair of contracts that will provide it with the equipment necessary to continue the expansion of its telephony and digital services capabilities in Atlanta, GA, and elsewhere around the United States. The awards, to Tellabs, Lisle, IL, and adc Telecommunications Inc., Minneapolis, MN, are worth approximately $100 million apiece over the next three years.

MediaOne is a broadband services company formed when Continental Cablevision merged with US West. In addition to cable TV, the company is expanding its service portfolio to include digital video, high-speed data, Internet access, and telephony.

adc will provide its Homeworx hybrid-fiber/coaxial-cable (hfc) telephony system. Based on orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing, the system integrates voice and data in a single common platform. The platform includes a host digital terminal, situated at the headend or distribution hub, and integrated service units placed at or near the customer premises.

When completed, the MediaOne Atlanta-area network will serve nearly one million homes, while adc`s Homeworx platform will provide the network`s telephony capability, MediaOne will use its existing infrastructure for cable TV. The Homeworx system, which has been in field trials with MediaOne for what adc termed "several months," also will be used in other MediaOne networks this year, according to the equipment manufacturer. adc will begin shipments of the units early this year.

Meanwhile, MediaOne tapped Tellabs to provide the cablespan 2300 universal telephony distribution system. According to Tellabs, the two companies are completing negotiations for the product, its element management system, and various Tellabs Select professional services.

The cablespan 2300 consists of a family of access units for the delivery of voice and data services. As with the Homeworx system, MediaOne tried the cablespan products before it sent a contract to Tellabs. According to Tellabs, MediaOne will use the new equipment for telephony "in selected MediaOne franchise areas that have been identified, but not yet announced." q