Toshiba Cable Modem Awarded CableLabs Certification; PCX2000 Cable Modem's Innovative Two-Chip Design Delivers Next Generation Technology At a Lower Price

Business Wire, June 26, 2001

Business Editors and High-Tech Writers

IRVINE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 26, 2001

Toshiba America Information Systems Inc. Network Products Division (TAIS NPD) Tuesday announced that it has been awarded Cable Television Laboratories Inc.'s CableLabs(R) Certified(TM) DOCSIS 1.0 status for its PCX2000 cable modem.

Toshiba's newest cable modem includes dual-mode USB and Ethernet interfaces and meets the Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification (DOCSIS) 1.0 standard. The modem's next generation Texas Instruments technology is enhanced by a two-chip design that offers a superb level of performance.

The CableLabs certification informs cable operators and consumers that Toshiba's PCX2000 cable modem meets with CableLabs' DOCSIS specifications and guarantees its interoperability with qualified cable system headends. The PCX2000 cable modem utilizes TI's 4040-series next generation technology. The PCX2000 differs from current Toshiba cable modems on the market primarily because of the level of chip integration.

Toshiba began to design plug-and-play USB connectivity into its cable modems with the release of the PCX1100U in late 2000 to give consumers a choice between an Ethernet and USB connection. The PCX2000 offers the same choice and comes with a USB cable, which plugs into any USB-capable computer and modem for easy installation. Toshiba will also bundle its Self-install Wizard(TM) and Norton Internet Security(R) with the PCX2000 cable modems sold through retail channels, as it does with all of its DOCSIS cable modems sold through retail outlets, providing quick installation and security protection for the always on cable connection.

"Toshiba continues to enhance its cable modem functionality to provide a product that MSOs, retailers and consumers can rely on for a quick and reliable connection to broadband," said Richard Green, president and CEO of CableLabs. "CableLabs certification of the PCX2000 demonstrates Toshiba's strict compliance to DOCSIS specifications and guarantees interoperability with qualified cable system headends."

Toshiba's PCX2000 cable modem fully supports the DOCSIS 1.0 specification and is DOCSIS 1.1 based. Efforts to certify Toshiba DOCSIS 1.1 products are already underway at CableLabs. The DOCSIS 1.1 specification will allow cable operators to offer services such as Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP), multimedia applications such as video on demand and interactive games.

Kinetic Strategies recently reported that Toshiba sold 373,000 DOCSIS cable modems in the first quarter of 2001 in North America, catapulting the company to the number-two market share position. Other major vendors saw sales slip significantly during the same time period.

"The speedy certification of Toshiba's PCX2000 cable modem by CableLabs is a confirmation of our engineers' skills in designing an innovative product that incorporates all DOCSIS standards," said Fred Berry, vice president, general manager of Toshiba America Information Systems Inc. Network Products Division. "Toshiba continues to be committed to producing the premiere cable modem on the market."

PCX2000 cable modems will be available through service provider partnerships, various national retail chains, and online at www.toshibamodems.com.

About Toshiba America Information Systems

Toshiba America Information Systems Network Products Division markets a range of communications and networking products, including the PCX DOCSIS Cable Modem, which offers the highest performance in cable data modem technology in the industry. Utilizing the same hybrid fiber coax interface as cable television, the DOCSIS modem provides residential and small business users with a faster, more powerful two-way interface to the Internet. Toshiba cable modems are currently sold directly to consumers through e-commerce and nationwide retail outlets, and to leading cable operators including Time-Warner, AT&T, Cox Communications, Comcast, Charter and others.

Toshiba Network Products Division has headquarters in Irvine and is an independent operating company owned by Toshiba America Inc., a subsidiary of the $50 billion Toshiba Corp., the eighth largest computer and electronics company in the world. More information can be found on the Web at internet.toshiba.com.