Cisco Hosts First Cable Summit In India: Expands Video Set-top Box Portfolio

Chairman and CEO John Chambers Delivers Keynote Address Launches Two New Set-top Boxes

MUMBAI, India, March 29, 2012 – Cisco is playing host to the first Cable Summit in India, being held in Mumbai on 29^th and 30^th of March. The two-day event is being attended by over 30 CXOs from leading multiservice operators (MSOs), content providers and industry stakeholders. Delivering the keynote address, Cisco chairman and CEO, John Chambers highlighted how video is the most compelling way to engage with people and content today.

On stage, Edzard Overbeek, a Cisco senior vice president, Asia Pacific Japan and China unveiled two new set-top boxes – an entry-level SD digital terminal adapter (DTA), and a HD Zapper, localized and priced competitively for India and emerging markets. These additions compliment Cisco’s set-top box portfolio and offer customers a wider ‘mass-to-class’ choice. While the entry level SD set-top box will transition mass market consumers from analog to digital, the feature rich HD set-top box makes television viewing a personal, social and immersive experience.

The consumer video experience has been fragmented across different content sources, devices, and technologies and Cisco Videoscape® is helping cable operators solve this problem by combining TV, the Web and web applications so consumers can watch videos and interact with friends on any screen. Videoscape® architecture enables local content monetization and efficient management and publishing of content across multiple screens – TV, PC, mobile and tablets.

A strong demand from consumers for features like HD viewing, live TV recording, interactive experience, coupled with the government of India’s mandate for the digitization of cable networks across the country, has brought tremendous impetus to this industry. With an architecture based approach and a wide portfolio of products and solutions, Cisco is well positioned to transition cable operators from service providers to experience providers.

Highlights of Cisco’s new set top boxes:

• Entry-level DTA Set-top Box:
  • PDS1000 SD MPEG-2 DTA comes with a basic digital-to-analog convertor, simple-to-use user interface with channel list, favorites, parental control and a remote control unit.
  • Cisco’s PowerKEY® conditional access system addresses the concern of piracy and allows program tier-ing, increasing average revenue per user (ARPU) for the MSOs.
  • With the infrared extender option the set-top box can now be placed ‘out of sight’ and remotely controlled.
• HD Zapper Set-top-box:
  • PDS2100 HD Zapper is 3D TV ready, provides high definition TV viewing and supports video on demand, data apps and over-the-top content.
  • It has a flexible next generation HD user interface and comes with a front panel clock.
  • It also provides a home theatre digital audio experience.

Supporting Quotes:

• Mr. Aniruddh Sinh Jadeja, managing director, GTPL

“I am glad to be part of this first of its kind industry summit. In our endeavor to provide the best products and services to our customers, such events open great opportunity for innovations in delivering enhanced customer experiences. Cisco has been an integral part of GTPL & GTPL-KCBPL’s digitization drive and in offering technologically advanced, adequately customized and competitively priced high definition set-top boxes to our customers.” 

• Jeff White, vice president, Service Provider Segment, Asia Pacific Japan and China, Cisco

“Video is one of the top five priorities for us and we are well positioned to enable ‘better than being there’ experience across all segments of the video business. Our strategy, based on Videoscape is receiving positive feedback from customers, partners and industry analysts and is a key to driving growth in our service provider business.”

• Sanjay Rohatgi, senior vice president, Service Provider, Cisco India and SAARC

“Apart from the massive opportunity that cable digitization provides, it will enable cable service providers to monetize investments, and evolve as an experience provider. For the end user, this technology provides next generation TV viewing experience with greater flexibility and interactivity. Cisco is well placed to address this opportunity and with the two new set-top box models that we have introduced today, we will further strengthen our position in the market.”

• Vish Iyer, operations director, Video & Connected Life Solutions, Asia Pacific, Cisco

“We take pride in enabling cable operators to become lifestyle-experience providers by presenting services like residential TV, HDTV, gaming, video on demand and broadband services to retail consumers. Cisco’s Connected Home Solutions portfolio provides the flexibility of offering consumers tailor-made entertainment and services that suit the regional tastes and preferences. We are committed to innovation and localization in India to help our customers realize the ‘Digital India’ potential.”

Supporting Resources:

• Cisco Solutions for Cable Operators
• Cisco Service Provider Solutions
• Connected Life at Home
• Cisco Videoscape
• Keep up with Cisco’s news by visiting the company’s Platform Blog.
• For more information about Cisco’s service provider news and activities visit SP360 or Twitter @CiscoSP360 and @CiscoSPG.
• Subscribe to Cisco’s SP360 Feed.

Tags / Keywords:

Cisco, Cable Operators, Set-top box, John Chambers, Sanjay Rohatgi, Vish Iyer, Jeff White

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EMBEDDED VIDEOS:

• Cisco Videoscape All Together

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MpZFz-ozhpQ

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