CableLabs Issues High-Speed Data Service RFP

Louisville, CO, April 18, 1995 -- Cable Television Laboratories, Inc., (CableLabs), has issued a request for proposal (RFP) to more than 200 companies internationally soliciting for hardware, software, and operational support that would allow cable operators to deliver high-speed data services over a hybrid fiber/coax cable network.

Letters of intent to bid are due May 5 and responses are due at CableLabs June 9.

The high-speed data service RFP is a continuation of the Telecommunications RFP to which CableLabs received 43 responses. CableLabs staff continues to follow up with vendors on the Telecommunications RFP.

A key objective of the high-speed data RFP is to facilitate cable company efforts to implement these services cost effectively. CableLabs' member companies will negotiate contracts individually and, as in all CableLabs RFPs, pricing volumes are to be sent by respondents directly to participating CableLabs members.

CableLabs will assist members in technical evaluation of responses to the RFP as well as testing and evaluation of the vendors' equipment and systems. And, as with all its projects, CableLabs will be encouraging vendors to ensure integration and interoperability.

"The cable network is a very capable and robust broadband foundation," said Dr. Richard R. Green, president and CEO of CableLabs. "What we are doing here is helping our members build yet another major revenue opportunity on that foundation. And right now, cable is in a good position to do that and to capture a major portion of that enterprise of delivering bits to the home through devices such as cable data modems," Green added.

Scott Bachman, vice president of operations technologies projects, is heading the high-speed data services effort.

The RFP document will be available via anonymous FTP at CableLabs' server (ftp.cablelabs.com), under the /pub/RFIs directory.

CableLabs is a research and development consortium of cable television system operators representing more than 85% of the cable subscribers in the United States, 70% of the subscribers in Canada, and 5-10% of cable subscribers in Mexico. CableLabs plans and funds research and development projects that will help cable companies take advantage of future opportunities and meet future challenges in the television industry. It also transfers relevant technologies to member companies and to the industry. In addition, CableLabs acts as a clearinghouse to provide information on current and prospective technological developments that are of interest to the cable industry.