Microsoft PressPass – Time Warner, Comcast, SCV and CGV to Team With Microsoft On Cable System, Internet Access and Services
LOS ANGELES, April 30, 1996 — Microsoft Corp. announced today at Cable ’96 that Time Warner Cable, Comcast Cable Communications Inc., Compagnie G
é
n
érale de Videocommunication (CGV) and Singapore CableVision (SCV) will integrate Microsoft® software on their cable networks to provide consumers with high-speed Internet services and distinctive local and regional online content. Reaching residential and business customers around the globe, these four cable companies will deliver the Microsoft Internet Explorer browser to their customers and represent the initial cable-industry customers of the Microsoft Windows NT®
operating system-based public networks platform.
“We are excited to be working with such high-quality global companies in providing the services that consumers want,”
said Craig Mundie, senior vice president of the consumer platforms division at Microsoft.
“Using Microsoft software and products, these cable companies will be able to provide consumers with a whole new range of high-speed Internet services and content.”
Comcast will use Microsoft’s public networks platform in one of its 1996 deployments slated for the third quarter of 1996. Microsoft Internet Explorer will be the packaged browser distributed in its planned cable-modem deployments.
Time Warner has committed to deploy Microsoft Internet Explorer as its preferred browser in its 1996 deployments of LineRunner, Time Warner’s cable online service. LineRunner will provide consumers with online services using cable modems and includes local and national content, e-mail, news, community applications and Internet capabilities. Time Warner is working with Microsoft to determine the best fit for Windows NT Server-based solutions for future cable-modem deployments.
SCV has also selected Microsoft as a key software provider. The Singapore cable operator will integrate the Microsoft public networks platform, including Microsoft Internet Information Server and Microsoft Internet Explorer, into its network and use Microsoft development tools to generate new and compelling content and media-rich applications. SCV services will also incorporate content from MSN
™
, The Microsoft Network, Microsoft’s online service.
The leading French cable operator CGV has selected Microsoft as its software platform provider for the Riviera trial project that will be conducted in Nice, France. The trial will enable users to access, via cable modems, the Internet and advanced multimedia services on
Windows NT-based servers.
“We are very excited about the prospects for high-speed online services via cable,”
said Jim Chiddix, senior vice president, engineering technology, at Time Warner Cable.
“We look forward to working with Microsoft as we develop this application.”
“We are pleased to have Microsoft on our team for some of our initial cable-modem service rollouts,”
said Steven C. Craddock, vice president, new media development, at Comcast Cable Communications.
“This is further proof that the computer industry shares our immense enthusiasm for high-speed data via cable.”
The Microsoft software platform for network operators builds on the Windows NT Server network operating system with Microsoft Internet Information Server;
“Catapult,”
a proxy and caching server; and the Microsoft Internet Explorer browser. Future capabilities and applications include network quality of service, subscriber management, systems and network management, media streaming, authoring tools, and news and e-mail services.
Microsoft Internet Explorer provides a cross-platform browsing solution capable of displaying the highly interactive content being produced for the cable service offerings. Microsoft Internet Explorer will provide cable customers with support for the latest World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) hypertext markup language (HTML) specifications for tables, objects, scripts and style sheets, along with new ActiveX
™
technologies.
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ
“MSFT”
) is the worldwide leader in software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and services for business and personal use, each designed with the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.
Microsoft, Windows NT, MSN and ActiveX are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.
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