Charter Communications Selects BigBand Networks’ Switched Digital Video Solution to Expand HDTV

Redwood City, Calif., — BigBand Networks, Inc. (NASDAQ: BBND), the pioneer and deployment leader in switched digital video (SDV), today announced that Charter Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ:CHTR) has selected its SDV solution to expand digital TV services in its Los Angeles-area system, including Malibu, Burbank and Glendale, Calif. Charter, the third largest publicly-traded cable operator in the U.S. serving approximately 5.7 million customers in 29 states, plans to use BigBand’s solution to expand HDTV and other programming options. Charter is the fifth operator to initiate commercial deployments of BigBand’s SDV solution. The five largest cable operators in the U.S. have now selected BigBand’s SDV.

“Switched digital video allows us to significantly expand programming choices for customers and improve the overall bandwidth efficiency of our network,” said Marwan Fawaz, executive vice president and chief technology officer of Charter. “We’re pleased to be rolling out this technology that allows us to deliver more high-definition programming as well as special interest content to our customers to further enhance the value of our video service.”

Charter is deploying BigBand’s switched digital video management server to dynamically direct programming to areas where it is requested. The operator selected BigBand’s universal edge QAM—the BEQ™6000—to deliver switched programming. The BEQ6000’s RF performance and reliability are designed to make it well-suited for advanced applications such as SDV. Charter is also using BigBand’s switched video analysis (SVA) viewership and performance analysis application to determine when and where to roll out new switched programming to improve bandwidth savings and viewer satisfaction.

“Switched digital video is helping cable operators close the gap between the amount of television programming produced, and the amount of programming available for viewing, and it’s only fitting that Charter is rolling it out in the Los Angeles area, the world’s entertainment capital,” said Amir Bassan-Eskenazi, BigBand’s chief executive officer. “Our SDV solution gives Charter an easy, highly cost-effective means to expand HDTV and other digital television services for its customers.”

BigBand Networks has completed deployments or is in progress of deploying its switched digital video solution with five operators across 20 cable systems that pass more than 11 million households. BigBand’s SDV solution is currently generating bandwidth savings approaching 75 percent in live, commercial deployments. BigBand can deploy switched digital video in 90 days or less, at costs that are typically much lower than cable plant expansion, fiber deployment or other available methods to increase bandwidth and programming.

For additional information about BigBand’s switched digital video solution, please visit sol_switch_broadcast.html.



About BigBand Networks

BigBand Networks, Inc. (NASDAQ:BBND) provides broadband service providers with innovative network solutions designed to make it easier to move, manage and monetize video. These solutions are based on BigBand’s video-networking platforms that are built to enable efficient and reliable delivery across a wide range of services, including digital TV, high definition TV, addressable advertising, video-on-demand and interactive TV. BigBand Networks’ customers include more than 200 service providers—including six of the ten largest service providers in the U.S.—and leading cable and telco service providers in North America, Asia, Europe and Latin America. BigBand Networks is based in Redwood City, Calif., with offices worldwide. For additional information about the company, please call +1.650.995.5000, email info@bigbandnet.com or visit www.bigbandnet.com.

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BigBand Networks brand and product names are service marks, trademarks or registered trademarks of BigBand Networks, Inc., in the United States and other countries. All other marks are the property of their respective owners.
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 features of BigBand Networks’ switched digital video solution, edge QAM and SVA and the potential benefits to be derived by Charter from BigBand Networks’ switched digital video solution. Such 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.

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Jonathan Bass

Media Contact

BigBand Networks, Inc.

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