Comcast Picks Alopa for IP Voice Provisioning

November 15, 2002 -- Communications network developer Comcast Corporation (Comcast.com) announced this week that it has added Alopa Networks to the list of vendors for its previously released plans for deployment of Voice over Internet Protocol primary line phone services.

"The addition of Alopa as a vendor in our VoIP deployments will enable secured voice provisioning for residential voice services," says Franklyn Athias, vice president, New Media Development for Comcast. "We were impressed with Alopa's participation in the PacketCable provisioning and security specification, as well as their involvement in the Interoperability Testing Network at CableLabs. Alopa quickly enabled seamless integration and interoperability among multiple vendors in our labs."

The Alopa MetaServ platform, says Comcast, enables secure provisioning of the embedded media terminal adaptors required for VoIP. The company’s solution has been developed to be compliant with the latest PacketCable specification.

PacketCable, says Comcast, is a CableLabs-led initiative for the development of interoperable interface specifications for delivering multimedia services over two-way cable plants. Alopa is the first vendor to demonstrate secure PacketCable provisioning.

Comcast says it plans to introduce IP phone services in areas of the Philadelphia market in mid-2003. The exact locations and prices for the service have not been announced. The company currently provides circuit-switched voice service to about 40,000 customers in Michigan and Virginia.