CableLabs Issues RFP for VOIP Interface Equipment For Commercial Applications

LOUISVILLE, Colo.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–July 12, 2004–Key cable operators aiming at offering voice services for small-business and commercial customers joined with CableLabs(R) today to issue a request for proposal (RFP) for Multi-Line multimedia terminal adapter (ML-MTA) equipment. RFP responses are due August 12 with the anticipation that equipment would be available for testing later this year.

CableLabs is working with its members to collect information from manufacturers regarding ML-MTA that comply with CableLabs’ DOCSIS(R) 2.0 and PacketCable(TM) 1.0 specifications. Based on the current state of DOCSIS technology and the business needs of many cable operators, a minimum eight-line unit is specified.

By providing a common set of technical requirements for an ML-MTA for this emerging application, CableLabs anticipates that this may provide enough scale that it will enable suppliers to offer this product economically in a timely manner. The RFP is available on the CableLabs website http://www.cablelabs.com/downloads/ML_MTA_RFP.pdf for vendors to download. Any questions or comments should be directed to Jerry Bennington via email at j.bennington@cablelabs.com.

Founded in 1988 by members of the cable television industry, Cable Television Laboratories is a non-profit research and development consortium that is dedicated to pursuing new cable telecommunications technologies and to helping its cable operator members integrate those advancements into their business objectives. Cable operators from around the world are members. CableLabs maintains websites at http://www.cablelabs.com, http://www.packetcable.com, http://www.cablemodem.com, http://www.cablenet.org, and http://www.opencable.com.

CableLabs, DOCSIS, CableHome, PacketCable, OpenCable, OCAP, CableCARD(TM), and CableNET are trademarks of Cable Television Laboratories, Inc. Go2Broadband(SM) is a service mark of CableLabs.