Motorola and TCI Announce Agreement for High-Speed Data Communications Services

Strategic Insights -

Motorola Inc.'s Multimedia Group has entered into an agreement in principle with TCI to provide up to 200,000 of its CyberSURFR cable modems and Cable Router infrastructure products for the introduction of high-speed data communications services to TCI customers. This agreement marks the first large-scale deployment of integrated voice, data, and video services by a leading cable system operator. TCI's customers will soon have access to telephony, two-way video, and extremely high-speed data communications over their existing cable network.

Key Takeaways:

  • Motorola will sell up to 200,000 CyberSURFR cable modems and Cable Router infrastructure products to TCI, commencing the first quarter of 1996.
  • TCI will commercially deploy the equipment to its business and residential customers throughout the U.S.
  • Motorola has agreed to cooperate with the industry on open interface standards and license its CableComm technology under fair and reasonable terms.
  • The CyberSURFR cable modems offer throughput speeds of up to 10 Mbps in both downstream and upstream paths.
  • The Cable Router is designed to interface the hybrid fiber/coax distribution network to local or remote IP networks.
  • Motorola's CableComm product family provides benefits such as unsurpassed system reliability, superior bandwidth management, and complete encryption.

Statistics:

  • 200,000: The number of CyberSURFR cable modems and Cable Router infrastructure products that Motorola will sell to TCI.
  • 10 Mbps: The maximum throughput speed of the CyberSURFR cable modems in both downstream and upstream paths.
  • 768 Kbps: The upstream path throughput of the CyberSURFR cable modems.
  • 1996: The year in which TCI plans to launch its (at)Home service, which will provide customers with access to telephony, two-way video, and high-speed data communications.
  • $22.2 billion: Motorola's sales revenue in 1994.

Sources:

  • Motorola Inc. - Multimedia Group press release dated November 29, 1995.
  • TCI Technology Ventures, Inc. press release dated November 29, 1995.