BigBand Networks Launches Fifth-Generation Switched Digital Video Platform

BigBand Networks, Inc., (NASDAQ: BBND), the pioneer and deployment leader in switched digital video, today announced its fifth-generation switched digital video (SDV) platform, BigBand Switched Video Services (SVS) 5.0. BigBand’s fifth-generation solution features performance and reliability enhancements designed to help operators deliver virtually infinite programming at a relatively low capital cost. BigBand offers the first SDV solution to actively switch and oversubscribe HDTV programming in commercial deployments to allow operators to expand their HDTV lineups. BigBand also believes it offers the only SDV solution being commercially deployed today in both Motorola and Scientific Atlanta set-top box environments. BigBand recently initiated its first commercial deployment to deliver SDV and video-on-demand (VOD) in the same cable system using its universal edge QAM, the BEQ™6000. Today, more BigBand edge QAMs are delivering live SDV services to more subscribers than those of all other QAM manufacturers combined.

“BigBand continues to deliver and deploy a robust switched digital video solution that is helping cable operators ramp up their HDTV services quickly and cost-effectively, at a far lower capital cost than all-digital migration or plant expansion,” said Gerry Kaufhold, principal analyst for In-Stat. “As operators continue to move forward with switched digital video deployments, they can create new revenue opportunities while conserving valuable bandwidth.”

BigBand SVS 5.0 is designed to raise the bar for switched digital video. The new edition eases SDV deployment in multiple network environments and enhances usability, uptime and scale. Notable enhancements in BigBand SVS 5.0 include:

* Performance Enhancements. BigBand’s new SDV server—the Switched Broadcast Session Server (SBSS)—incorporates improvements based on years of field deployment. The new SBSS doubles the capacity of previous generations while maintaining what BigBand believes is the fastest switching time in the industry. BigBand also further enhanced its bandwidth allocation mechanism in SVS 5.0 to more efficiently deliver multiple-bit-rate HDTV and standard-definition programming.

* Integration with industry-best SDV management tool. BigBand SVS 5.0 integrates with BigBand’s Switched Video Analysis (SVA) application to make decisions whether to switch or broadcast programs based on viewership, designed to make the best possible use of available bandwidth. SVA also provides data on SDV performance and network resource utilization that allows operators to plan program expansion and account for increasing program demand where needed.

* Industry-best Reliability. As SDV continues to gain industry acceptance, with millions of subscribers viewing switched video feeds 24 hours a day, BigBand continues to improve its solution with carrier-class feature enhancements designed to assure uptime and reliability. BigBand SVS 5.0 brings program-level redundancy to the edge QAM and hitless redundancy to the switched broadcast session server, an approach designed to ensure optimal program and system availability.

* Expanded VOD Support. BigBand’s fifth-generation SDV solution can support open-protocol QAM sharing to allow edge QAM resources to be shared across switched digital video and video-on-demand services. BigBand already supports this capability on the BEQ6000, which can support VOD or SDV individually, or share QAM resources between services.

“BigBand’s switched digital video solution continues to be deployed across the cable industry. The latest enhancements should make it even easier and more cost-effective for operators to expand HDTV,” said David Heard, BigBand’s chief operating officer. “BigBand can commercially deploy switched digital video faster than any other vendor. We’ve incorporated years of field experience and extensive customer feedback into a solution that allows operators to substantially improve bandwidth efficiency and expand program lineups.”

BigBand’s switched digital video solutions include the Broadband Multimedia-Service Router (BMR®) for the processing of live video streams to be switched, the BEQ6000 universal edge QAM to modulate and deliver SDV, VOD and broadcast video, the Switched Broadcast Session Server to direct programming to specific service groups, and BigBand’s switched video analysis (SVA) application, which enables the operator to make informed program delivery decisions by monitoring viewership and bandwidth availability in individual service groups. BigBand’s switched digital video solutions are being commercially deployed by six operators across more than 20 cable systems that pass more than 12 million households. For additional information about BigBand Networks’ switched digital video solutions, please visit: http://www.bigbandnet.com/index.php/sol_switch_dv.html.
This release contains "forward-looking statements" as defined under the U.S. Federal Securities Laws, including the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and is subject to the safe harbors created by such laws. Forward-looking statements may relate to, but are not limited to the functionality, programming potential and other potential benefits to be derived by our customers from the use of BigBand’s switched digital video and switched video analysis solutions, forward-looking statements are based on current expectations that involve a number of uncertainties and risks that may cause actual events or results to differ materially. Factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially include, among others, the following: rapid technological change that can adversely affect the demand for BigBand’s products and solutions, design flaws in the solutions, shifts in customer demand, shifts in strategic relationships, delays in BigBand’s ability to deliver or decisions to discontinue its products and services, or announcements by competitors. These and other risks may be detailed from time to time in BigBand’s periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, copies of which may be obtained from www.sec.gov. BigBand Networks is under no obligation to (and expressly disclaims any such obligation to) update or alter its forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Information contained in our website is not incorporated by reference in, or made part of this press release.