Laurie Schwartz Advances
CableLabs Announces Organizational Shifts

aurie Schwartz and David Bukovinsky lead a number of promotions and personnel shifts at CableLabs®.

Schwartz, head of the OpenCable project, was promoted to vice president of advanced platforms and services. She continues to be CableLabs' top staff member on the project. Schwartz began with CableLabs in the Strategic Assessment Department before being named to head the OpenCable project earlier this year.

The OpenCable (www.opencable.com) digital platform is a CableLabs-managed initiative aimed at developing key interface specifications to foster interoperability among multiple vendors' advanced digital set-top boxes used in broadband two-way cable networks.

Laurie D. Schwartz,
Vice President, Advanced Platforms and Services

David Bukovinsky, in his new position as Director, PacketCable, is heading up the PacketCable specification and interoperability initiative. Bukovinsky joined CableLabs last December as a member of the Strategic Assessment Department, and has been working on the PacketCable project for most of this year.

David E. Bukovinsky
Director, PacketCable

The move follows Dr. David Reed's return to strategic assessment, where he will be conducting business-based research on PacketCable issues, as well as conducting studies on other technologies. Reed was responsible for the formation, management, and direction of PacketCable, including hiring professional staff and developing the project's strategic focus.

Dr. David P. Reed
Vice President, Strategic Assessment

Another PacketCable staff member, Dr. Terry Shaw, returns to strategic assessment with Reed. Shaw was responsible for interoperability evaluation of proprietary IP product to assist in the development of PacketCable specifications.

Terry D. Shaw Project Director,
Network Systems Development

Frank Christofferson was promoted to project director, multimedia systems. Christofferson is responsible for the evaluation and development of platforms to deliver new multimedia communications services over cable systems. Currently, his efforts are focused on leading specification teams in the areas of audio/video codecs and device provisioning for the PacketCable project.

Frank Christofferson
Project Director, Multimedia Systems

Ed Miller was advanced to project director, data networking. In this position, Miller is responsible for the evaluation and development of platforms to deliver new multimedia communications services over cable systems. Currently, his efforts are focused on the PacketCable project where he is leading specification teams in the areas of PSTN interconnection gateways and distributed call-state signaling protocols for PacketCable clients.

PacketCable (www.packetcable.com), a project conducted by CableLabs and its member companies, is aimed at identifying, qualifying, and supporting Internet-based voice and video products over cable systems. These products will represent new classes of services utilizing cable-based packet communication networks. New service classes include telephone calls and video-conferencing over cable networks and the Internet. The services will be delivered using the basic Internet protocol (IP) technology used to send data via the Internet.

Ed Miller
Project Director, Data Networking

Julia Brodsky, formerly research analyst in the Communications and Technology Transfer Department, joins the Strategic Assessment Department in the position of analyst. She will be working on developing analytical tools consisting of engineering cost and business models for new business opportunities for CableLabs' member companies.

Julia Brodsky
Analyst, Strategic Assessment

Tom Moore, vice president of integrated services architecture, has left CableLabs to become president and CEO of KaStar Satellite Communications Corporation. KaSTAR will provide multimedia capacity and services such as "Internet by Satellite." The KaSTAR Intelligent Satellite System will operate like a "switch in the sky" and will provide high-speed, two-way interactive digital transmission on demand to ground network operators, as well as direct-to-site options for enterprises and remote locations.

Thomas E. Moore
CEO, KaStar Satellite Communications