Cisco Systems has announced that it has developed an open Internet Home Platform for building high-speed, home networks that support New World services such as integrated data, voice and video. Cisco also announced alliances at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Nevada, with GTE and Sun to offer consumers a complete package of products and services that transform any home into a high-speed, `always on` Internet home. In addition, Cisco announced an agreement with Whirlpool to help build Internet-ready home appliances, and plans to work with homebuilders to construct future Internet homes.
Cisco`s strategy is focused on delivering high-speed Internet access to the home market through cable, digital subscriber line (DSL) and wireless service providers, while enabling devices within the home to connect to each other and to the Internet. Cisco will incorporate its new open, standards-based Internet platform into the Cisco Internet Home Gateway product series, which will enable service providers to offer advanced home networking services to consumers. This new technology will help consumers use the power of the Internet in all aspects of their daily life - from high-speed Internet access to new Internet activities throughout the home such as downloading recipes on a built-in oven to securely monitoring their home from work. "An Internet home presents a limitless array of possibilities for how families can use the Internet for home computing, entertainment and education," said Bill Weber, general manager of Cisco Systems South Africa. "We believe that an open, standards-based Internet Home Gateway will help create a new category of Internet-enabled devices that offer consumers a more personalised Internet experience. This new category is the future of consumer electronics."
Ushering in a new era of personalised Internet services In a related announcement, Cisco, GTE and Sun Microsystems announced an agreement to jointly test and trial Internet-enabled home environment products and services. Together, the three companies are providing a complete service solution for home networks:
GTE will create Internet services for consumers using technology from Cisco and Sun;
Sun is pioneering applications for home networks using its open, standards-based Java and Jini technologies and;
Cisco is extending its Internet architecture to the home by creating a new product category called the Internet Home Gateway.
The companies will demonstrate the `Connected Family` environment at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), January 6-9 2000, and begin field trials this summer. The Connected Family environment provides network-delivered services via an always-on DSL connected to Internet-enabled devices in the home using technology from Cisco and Sun.
In addition, Cisco announced an alliance with Whirlpool to help build Internet-ready home appliances such as a refrigerator and an oven. The two companies also plan to work with builders to build future Internet homes.
Innovating a new product category for the home
Cisco`s Internet Home Gateway series represents a new breed of Internet products that provides a high-speed Internet link between the home and the service provider network. A personal network in the home offers many benefits, including:
Personal convenience: a parent can monitor children in daycare from work, or manage a home security network remotely via the Internet
Integrated communications: a family can add new voice lines through the Internet Home Gateway, eliminating the need for costly second phone lines, and can share Internet access and devices
Education: integrated data, voice, video services such as combined Internet and TV service over a single broadband network, present new opportunities for learning through interactive education and multimedia communications
Entertainment: a family can view video-on-demand, play games on-line, download music to any home device, and more.
The Internet Home Gateway currently uses DSL to provide consumers with high-speed Internet access to their home. Within the home, the Internet Home Gateway supports the Home Phone Networking Alliance (HPNA) 2.0, which will enable a family to connect home computers, printers, faxes, appliances, and more using any phone jack in the home. Service providers will provide bundled services around the Internet Home Gateway for consumers. The Internet Home Gateway is expected to be available in the second half of 2000. Cisco`s Internet Home demo suite at CES in Las Vegas will feature technology from Cisco and the following companies: Aironet, Clearband, CyberManor, Echelon, GTE, Gotham Interactive, InfoGear, Intel, Liberate, MediaStation, NuvoMedia, Pace, Panja, PhotoNet, RioPort, Inc., Symbol, Sun and Whirlpool.
Cisco Systems
Cisco Systems (NASDAQ: CSCO) is the worldwide leader in networking for the Internet. Cisco news and information are available at http://www.cisco.com.
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