| Vol. 15, No. 1 | January/February 2003 | |
CableLabs® Announces HDTV Added to Go2Broadband(SM) Service LocatorCableLabs® has expanded its Go2Broadband(SM) (G2B) service locator to assist consumer electronics retailers in selling high-definition television (HDTV) devices, enabling more consumers to use cable high-definition (HD) services. Comcast Corporation, Cox Communications, and Time Warner Cable are planning G2B HDTV field trials in the first quarter of 2003, in which they will work with retailers in certain markets. They will work individually in their respective service markets with different vendors and retailers to sell HD sets and services at consumer electronics stores. The G2B HD service locator will identify the markets in which high-definition content and/or digital services are carried, as well as the service tiers on which such programming is carried, and pricing information. The announcement was made during a news conference held today by the CableLabs Executive Committee during the 2003 International CES “The Download Begins” conference in Las Vegas. HDTV service now is being provided by at least one cable operator in 62 of the top 100 designated market areas (DMAs), according to the National Cable & Telecommunications Association (NCTA). The total number of all DMAs with HDTV carriage by one or more cable systems - including markets beyond the top 100 DMAs - is 91. The total number of homes passed by cable systems providing HDTV channel packages is approximately 37 million, or one in three TV households in the U.S., NCTA said. The mix of HD cable and broadcast channels varies from market to market. By adding HDTV availability to the G2B service locator, consumers will have additional information with which to make HDTV transactions, such as buying these advanced television sets and to subscribe to cable HD service packages. “Go2Broadband, already a critical tool for consumers in obtaining high-speed Internet service from their cable company, will now help speed the transition to digital television by connecting viewers with HDTV services in their community,” said Brian L. Roberts, Chairman of the CableLabs Board of Directors and President and CEO of Comcast Corporation. “By adding HDTV information to Go2Broadband, cable operators can now work with consumer electronics retailers and manufacturers to promote HDTV,” he noted. “Go2Broadband offers a great tool by disseminating important service offering data for cable companies across the country,” said CableLabs President and CEO Dr. Richard R. Green. “In 2002, about 10.5 million people went to Go2Broadband sites that are part of the online presence of some 48 affiliates, primarily seeking availability of high-speed data,” Green noted. G2B began as a high-speed data locator service and is being expanded to serve other cable operator offerings. It is a business-to-business e-commerce system that acts as a clearinghouse between affiliates and cable operators serving to assist with serviceability checks and orders for a variety of services including standard definition digital television and video-on-demand. G2B accepts customer address serviceability queries from retailers and other affiliates, identifies the appropriate cable company to which to forward the query, and responds back to the retailer with cable operator service availability and offer details. G2B also facilitates the order placement for the consumer once the consumer has decided to subscribe to the service. G2B can handle thousands of messages simultaneously in real time. |
In This Issue ... CableLabs® Announces HDTV Added to Go2Broadband(SM) Service Locator
CableLabs® Winter Conference 2003 Attendance Grows 30% to Record Attendance
Euro-DOCSIS Successes Fuel New Momentum in Europe
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