Marco Island Cable in Florida has concluded a field-trial of multicast cable IPTV using the GoBackTV CMTS-bypass system and has decided to go with a commercial deployment using GoBackTV’s equipment.
During the trial, variable bit rate (VBR) video on multiple QAM channels was delivered to participants’ television sets via off-the-shelf IP set-top boxes connected to standard DOCSIS 2.0 cable modems.
“We were impressed by the capabilities and affordability of the GoBackTV system,” said Bill Gaston, president of Marco Island Cable. “It gives us the flexibility to tailor specialty service offerings for both our year-round subscribers as well as our seasonal subscribers, many of whom are vacationers from abroad.”
By using a Cable IPTV overlay of existing services, Marco Island Cable plans to use MPEG-4 IP set-top boxes as well as leverage GoBackTV’s switched digital video support. In the first deployment stage, GoBackTV IP Streamers will be used to bring off-air digital channels to Marco Island via leased line from nearby Ft. Myers.