SureWest expands bandwidth capacity with BigBand SDV

US operator SureWest Communications has rolled out cable network equipment provider BigBand Networks' Switched Digital Video (SDV) offering to its Kansas City subscriber base. The SDV deployment optimises and reclaims network bandwidth. This provides the bandwidth capacity SureWest needs to expand its channel line-up and offer new services, without requiring conversion to an all-IP network or reliance on digital-analogue converters (DTAs). The reclaimed and expanded bandwidth has been available for use in the delivery of additional HD programming, data, interactive features, IPTV and other services to traditional TVs and IP-connected devices in subscribers' homes. Following the SDV deployment, SureWest launched 50 additional HD channels in its Kansas City market. While taking advantage of the existing RF plant, SDV provides the ability to add more QAM channels, offering enhanced bandwidth capacity for more content and on-demand applications. Using SDV, SureWest can expand the delivery of any content to any device in the home with virtually no limit to the programming and personalisation that can be made available to subscribers, create a 'fat pipe' to support and deliver more interactive applications and free spectrum for the monetisation of data, interactive and programme services.