Cable-Tec Expo 2009: BigBand Doubles Edge QAM Density

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BigBand Networks is packing more channels into its universal edge QAM platform, with the introduction of the BEQ6200 that can provide 96 QAMs in a 1.5-rack-unit box.

The vendor has shipped more than 600,000 edge QAMs to 60 service providers worldwide.

The BEQ6200, scheduled to be available in the next 90 days, has twice the capacity of BigBand's previous-generation BEQ6000 in the same form factor and supports 8:1 up-conversion. Both the BEQ6200 and BEQ6000 can be configured using the same management software, including BigBand's VMS 4.3.

"We're at a tipping point in terms of bandwidth congestion at the network edge," BigBand vice president of marketing John Holobinko said. "As the industry shifts to IP video and IPTV delivery, the demand for more service groups and larger numbers of QAMs per service group is growing."

BigBand is showing the BEQ6200 platform at SCTE Cable-Tec Expo Oct. 28-30.