BigBand Comments on Cisco/SFA

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. -- Amir Bassan-Eskenazi, CEO of BigBand Networks, Inc., a leading provider of broadband multimedia infrastructure for video, voice and data, comments on Cisco Systems' definitive agreement to acquire Scientific-Atlanta:

"Cisco Systems announcement today of its intent to acquire of Scientific- Atlanta validates BigBand Networks' vision of the intelligent network for all media. It is a clear sign of the rising importance of broadband multimedia infrastructure. Our company has grown based on a combination of video and networking competencies that have been uniquely integrated together for more than six years. Our belief in tightly pairing these two core competencies has enabled us to pioneer and deliver innovative solutions like switched broadcast to dynamically direct abundant programming towards its live subscribers, widespread use of Gigabit Ethernet for transport of video between facilities, and modular CMTS (cable modem termination system) for great efficiency and economic improvements in broadband IP infrastructure.

One of the interesting elements of this acquisition is the differences in each company's approach. Cisco has consistently leveraged IP networking standards, while Scientific Atlanta has gained its market share through more proprietary, closed system practices such as its conditional access methodologies. Reconciling such ideological differences will be fascinating during integration efforts. We provide solutions based on industry standards including IP, MPEG and Gigabit Ethernet, and believe this commitment will be increasingly validated in the market.

Overall, we see this as a positive milestone for the broadband multimedia infrastructure market. BigBand Networks has established its success of providing the infrastructure to serve a majority of broadband subscribers by providing innovative solutions in direct response to emerging areas of market needs. We believe that recent events such as today's announcements create new opportunities for our dynamic company to thrive."

BigBand Networks Inc.