HERNDON, Va. - (Business Wire) RCN Corporation (NASDAQ: RCNI), a leading provider of video, data, and voice services to residential, business and commercial/carrier customers, announced that it will begin a digital revolution in Boston on Independence Day when it starts switching to all digital Cable TV programming.
“This marks a very important step into the future for our Boston cable customers. By reclaiming analog channels, we are able to expand the number of channels the company can offer, improve the picture quality and make the network easier to maintain,” said RCN CEO and President Peter Aquino. “By going all-digital, RCN will also be able to double its HD channels from about 40, which currently exceeds what our cable competitors offer, to more than 100, making us leaders in delivering HD and customized cable packages in an all digital world.”
This project, which is known as Analog Crush and involves a 100 percent migration to All-Digital Video, is already underway in Chicago, where the company reclaimed nearly 80 analog channels that were currently being duplicated with digital simulcast, or 400 MHz of video spectrum, for other uses. RCN Chicago now offers more HD and standard-def channels than other cable providers and is seeking additional content.
“Starting July 4, this digital revolution comes to Boston,” Aquino added. “We will be able to deliver up to 10 standard-def digital or 3 HD channels per analog channel, with better picture quality, and use some of the reclaimed spectrum to support growing high-speed data services demand.”
The conversion will begin in Dedham on July 4 and extend throughout RCN's 17-municipality footprint in the state over the next year.
“RCN’s Boston customers will see an explosion of entertainment choices and have more expanded Basic Digital TV channels than ever before. More Hi-Definition programming — 61 channels at launch, with many more on the way,” Aquino said.
In addition, RCN is increasing its Video ON DEMAND content, including hundreds of hours for free, as well as more subscription and pay Video ON DEMAND programming to provide customers with even more choices available at the touch of a remote. Customers can also look forward to more flexible channel packages, so they can customize a package that’s right for them.
“With the Federal Communication Commission’s mandate that all broadcast channels be transmitted digitally by February 17, 2009, digital is the future direction of the industry,” said RCN Boston’s General Manager Richard Wadman. “While RCN’s exciting new services will require subscribers to have a digital converter box or cable card, RCN’s all-digital network opens up an exciting world of opportunities and choice for our customers.”
Once converted to all digital, Boston area customers will need at least a standard digital converter box or cable card to view the new line-ups. HD and HD/DVR converters can also be used and are necessary to view HD channels.
“RCN’s all digital strategy puts us in the position to make good on the promise of offering approximately 100 HD channels in the future,” Wadman added.
He said a concerted effort has been underway to get the word out to RCN customers to make this transition smooth and easy for them. He explained that customers needing a standard, HD or DVR box or cable card have three options:
- RCN will mail them with quick self-install instructions. It’s as easy as connecting one cable to the box and another to the wall.
- Customers can pick boxes or cable cards up at: 956 Massachusetts Ave., Arlington, MA 02476, 1224 Hyde Park Ave., Hyde Park, MA 01236, and 518 Union Ave., Framingham, MA 01702.
- Customers can schedule an appointment to have boxes installed.
Customers, who want to order a converter set top box or cable card or get additional details, should call: 781-316-0054.
About RCN Boston
RCN in Boston serves the communities of Allston, Arlington, Boston, Brighton, Brookline, Burlington, Dedham, Dorchester, Framingham, Hyde Park, Lexington, Milton, Natick, Needham, Newton, Roslindale, Somerville, Stoneham, Wakefield, Waltham, Watertown, West Roxbury and Woburn.
About RCN Corporation
RCN Corporation, www.rcn.com , is one of the largest facilities-based competitive providers of bundled cable, high-speed internet and phone services delivered over its own fiber-optic local network to residential, small business and commercial customers in the most densely populated markets in the U.S. RCN provides service in the Boston, Chicago, Eastern Pennsylvania, New York, and Washington, D.C. metropolitan markets. One of its divisions, RCN Business Services provides bulk video, high-capacity data and voice services to small and medium business customers. While its other commercial division, RCN Metro Optical Networks, is dedicated to meeting the fiber-based network requirements of Enterprise, Wholesale Telecom and Government accounts. (RCNI-G)
RCN Public Relations
Richard Ramlall, 703-434-8430
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Communicreate
Michael Houghton, 703-799-7383
