News Releases

BigBand Networks Unveils New Video Processing Engine for Flagship Video Networking Platform

BMR® enhancements are designed to enable new levels of performance and picture quality and enhance switched digital video (SDV) and addressable advertising applications

June 20, 2007

ORLANDO, Fla., SCTE Cable-Tec EXPO, June 20, 2007—BigBand Networks, Inc. (NASDAQ: BBND) today unveiled a new video processing engine for the Broadband Multimedia-Service Router (BMR®), its flagship video networking platform. The new video processing engine will form the core of a new family of cards—the XE family—for the BMR, designed to significantly enhance advertising insertion and RateShaping® performance. The new engine can also enhance video quality and increase density for BigBand’s switched digital video and addressable advertising solutions. BigBand will demonstrate some of the BMR’s new functionality this week at the SCTE Cable-Tec EXPO in Orlando.

The new video processing engine is designed to contribute a range of feature and application enhancements to the BMR, including:

• RateShaping®. BMR’s RateShaping enhancements are designed to enable a significant improvement in video quality and can allow more programs—up to 15 standard-definition or four high-definition programs—to fit into a single QAM.

• Increased Splicing Density. The new enhancements are designed to double the BMR’s splicing density to enable simultaneous splicing of 200 standard-definition streams or 50 high-definition streams in a single chassis. The enhancements also simplify operation by consolidating splicing and RateShaping functionality on the same processing port.

• QualityShaping™. This new feature—an evolution of traditional “clamping”—is designed to allow video streams to be processed individually, based on two key considerations: video quality and bit-rate requirements. QualityShaping is designed to ensure optimal picture quality for each program or stream delivered.

The new functionality slated for inclusion in the BMR includes enhancements for a range of applications, including:

• Enhanced Switched Digital Video. With the new enhancements, the BMR can re-use bandwidth reclaimed by its QualityShaping feature to improve video quality for switched digital video streams.

• Addressable Advertising. The BMR’s increased processing speed and density are designed to make it an excellent option for delivery of advanced, bandwidth-intensive applications, such as addressable advertising.

• New Acquisition Functions. The BMR will also feature a faster staging processor to support a suite of advanced acquisition applications such as the collection of program stream metadata for reporting and measurement, IP encapsulation and conversion of multi-program transport streams (MPTS) and single-program transport streams (SPTS).

“The BigBand BMR is widely recognized as a benchmark video networking platform for its ability to support a wide variety of rich media applications, including commercial deployments of switched digital video,” said Ran Oz, chief technology officer of BigBand Networks. “The BMR’s new functionality is designed to allow our customers to continue to leverage their investment in the platform to deliver next-generation applications such as addressable advertising with the same quality and reliability their customers have come to expect from existing applications.”

The BMR is one of the most widely-deployed video networking platforms in the world, and supports service delivery to more than 50 million subscribers. The BMR’s programmable, modular architecture allows it to be upgraded and reconfigured easily, allowing service providers to add support for new functionality only as needed to generate increased return on capital expenditure. The BMR switches and processes content in MPEG, IP or Ethernet content and supports a wide assortment of applications including switched digital video, digital ad insertion, HDTV, video on demand, network-based DVR, digital television management, IP video transport and digital simulcast.

For additional information about the BMR, please visit http://www.bigbandnet.com/products/bmr1200.php. For additional information about other BigBand Networks’ technologies, or to arrange a demonstration at SCTE Cable-Tec Expo, please email info@bigbandnet.com.

About BigBand Networks

BigBand Networks, Inc. is a leading provider of broadband multimedia infrastructure for video, voice and data. The company's solutions are designed to process, optimize, and deliver services such as broadband Internet, VoIP, digital broadcast television, HDTV, transport of high quality video, local advertising, VOD, interactive TV and IPTV through any network. Service providers use BigBand Networks' platforms in efforts to cost-effectively expand revenue-generating offerings of rich content and advanced interactive services. Customers include cable operators, U.S. telecommunications companies, as well as leading service providers in Asia, Europe and Latin America. Founded in 1998, BigBand Networks is based in Redwood City, Calif., with offices worldwide. For more information, please call 650-995-5000, email info@bigbandnet.com or visit www.bigbandnet.com.

 

BMR, RateShaping, QualityShaping and all other 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 that the Company anticipates including in its new video processing engine, and the potential benefits to be derived by BigBand Networks customers from use of such processing engine. 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, shifts in customer demand, shifts in strategic relationships, delays in BigBand’s ability to deliver 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.