TM Forum Expands Cable Multiple System Operator Outreach

TM Forum IPDR Interface Specification Now Publicly Available

MORRISTOWN, NJ—October 28, 2009—TM Forum, the world’s premier industry group focused on business effectiveness for the communications and media sectors, announced today it is expanding the outreach of its Cable Multiple System Operator (MSO) initiative by making the Internet Protocol Detail Record (IPDR) interface specification publicly available.

TM Forum helps MSOs improve profitability by identifying and addressing cable management issues, defining best practices and standardized frameworks, and providing industry leadership around the world.

Key Facts

· IP network and service providers use IPDR to provide cost-effective usage measurement data exchange for next-generation services across an extended value-chain of partners. IPDR can gather a more robust data set than can be captured with other widely adopted standards. TM Forum is developing and driving the adoption of the IPDR specification through the contributions of MSO members and ongoing work with CableLabs®.

· Because of IPDR’s importance to the cable industry, TM Forum is now making IPDR an open standard available to TM Forum non-members as well as members. The intent is to maximize and accelerate IPDR use by hardware and software suppliers and systems integrators. The IPDR specifications have already been widely adopted by the cable industry, for example, CableLabs® adopted IPDR/SP as a mandatory part of DOCSIS™ (Data over Cable Service Interface Specification) and OpenCable™.

· The full IPDR Solution Suite now incorporates a comprehensive set of tools, including IPDR Streaming Protocol Specification, Business Solution Requirements, IPDR Specification Design Guide, File Transfer mode protocol Specifications, key Service Specifications, the, IPDR/XDR Encoding Format, and IPDR Usage Data Accounting Requirements.

· TM Forum is managing and actively supporting a number of cable events over the coming months. Forthcoming TM Forum cable events include:

Management World Americas conference, in Orlando, December 8-10, 2009, featuring:

· An Executive Debate discussing “Where does Cable go Next?” with Roberto Nobile, COO, Cablevision Argentina

· Tom Vari, CIO & SVP, Application Delivery, Rogers Communications, Inc

· Rodrigo Duclos, CTO, Net Serviços

In addition, TM Forum will participate in SCTE Cable-Tec Expo®, in Denver, October 28-30, 2009.

Quotes

“The TM Forum is committed to the cable sector,” said Martin Creaner, president and COO, TM Forum. “By opening access to IPDR documents we are encouraging the broader cable industry to adopt IPDR, to make technical contributions that advance IPDR, and to participate actively in the TM Forum.”

“We are very pleased that TM Forum is making IPDR specifications available to an audience beyond our respective membership,” said Ralph W. Brown, Chief Technology Officer, CableLabs. “CableLabs has always made a practice of making its specifications publicly available to expand adoption. This action on the part of the TM Forum should enable the growth of the IPDR user community and drive technical contributions for exciting new IPDR features.”

“Public availability of the IPDR specification is an important move towards wider acceptance of the protocol,” said Jeffrey Finkelstein, Director of Network Architecture, Cox Communications. “We are a supporter of open specifications and are pleased to see the TM Forum, of which we are a member, take this significant step forward.”

“As a member of the Cable MSO community, Time Warner Cable applauds TM Forum’s decision to make the IPDR specification publically available,” said Jon Anderson, VP Advanced Technology Group, Time Warner Cable. “We believe that this change is a significant step forward that will facilitate IPDR’s development and rapid adoption as a robust management interface by a variety of hardware and software suppliers and systems integrators.”

“Broadband providers are demanding the increased subscriber visibility and management facilitated by IPDR,” said Adam Dunstan President, Active Broadband Networks. “TM Forum’s leadership of IPDR will make a significant contribution to the ongoing development and adoption of IPDR technology.”

About TM Forum

With more than 700 member companies in 75 countries, TM Forum is the world’s leading industry association focused on improving business effectiveness for Service Providers and their suppliers. Serving the information, communications and entertainment industries, the Forum provides practical solutions, guidance and leadership to transform the way that digital services are created, delivered and charged. Members include the world’s largest Service Providers, cable and network operators, software suppliers, equipment suppliers and systems integrators.

TM Forum provides a wide range of information and support to help its members reduce the costs and risks associated with creating and delivering profitable services. These include industry research and benchmarks, technology roadmaps, best practice guidebooks, software standards and interfaces, as well as certified training, conferences and publications. The Forum also provides its member community with extensive marketing and networking opportunities, enabling business with new customers and partners.

About TM Forum’s IPDR and Usage Data Management Teams

TM Forum is the meeting place for communications companies, media and entertainment content providers, suppliers, and systems integrators. Collaboration in TM Forum’s standard, open environment helps cable operators and MSOs build business systems environments that accommodate changing customer and market demands.

TM Forum supports a Cable Interest Group, IPDR User Group, and Usage Data Management (IPDR) Interface Team. The teams define and implement open, de-facto standards for IP-based support system interoperability, enabling providers to deploy profitably next-generation services. Current initiatives are focused on managing cable customer experience and on data architecture.

TM Forum and the Internet Protocol Detail Record Organization (IPDR.org) joined forces in 2007 to integrate the work programs and strategic direction of both organizations. As part of the agreement, IPDR.org became a working group within the TM Forum Interface Program: the Usage Data Management Team.

CableLabs, DOCSIS and OpenCable are trademarks of Cable Television Laboratories, Inc.

Global TM Forum Media Contact

Geoff Devlin PR Director

gdevlin {at} tmforum(.)org

+44 (0)7894 300 280