Workshop Overview:

The purpose of this one day training course is to provide a cross-functional team of Independent Telephone company (IOC) employees with a foundation for what is required to efficiently and successfully deploy CATV (Community Antenna TeleVision) services. The goal is to provide a crash course in CATV services, such that the IOC can avoid the pitfalls of adding a new service set to its current offering and, more importantly, know what questions to ask, as the process of adding video unfolds. Topics covered will include:

Agenda Review & Introduction

This is an opportunity to fine-tune the agenda and ensure that it meets expectations.

CATV Background - A Little bit of history

The point of this section is to show how cable television has evolved from its inception in the late 1940s to the present day. It will provide a frame of reference for the remaining portion of the agenda.

Content - What, where and how to get it

This section will look at all aspects of content including off-air broadcast (NTSC and HDTV), locally originated channels (PEG), “basic” cable networks, premium cable networks, transactional networks (e.g., on-demand) and evolving interactive television services. Additionally, sourcing of content will be discussed.

Regulatory and Franchising implications of adding video

The regulatory environment for video services is completely different from the traditional world of POTS. This section of the workshop will provide a high-level view of the regulatory aspects of video and the typical requirements from both a Federal as well as a local level.

Competition - Who are they and what are they doing

This section will take a macro view of the IOC’s primary competitors and their current and near-term future offerings. At a high-level, it will look at their strengths and potential weaknesses. Additionally, some ideas as to how IOC might be able to exploit these weaknesses will be given.

Business Case Alternatives - Expected costs, revenues and market penetration

This section will look at the typical costs, revenues and market penetrations that can be expected for typical offerings. Various approaches of offering a video service, including franchised, broadband and satellite will be discussed. Anecdotal evidence from telcos that have deployed video will also be presented in this section.

Program Management - Steps required to get from here to there

Adding video to a service mix is not magic, but successful deployment requires a plan that involves buy-in and participation from all functions within a service provider. This section will outline the steps necessary to plan and launch video.

Wrap-up and Reference Material & Contacts

This section will provide reference material and contacts, so that IOC can further build on the foundation provided by this workshop.