Suddenlink, a top 10 cable company with 1.3 million customers, will launch VOD services in 23 of its markets. Suddenlink will use a new managed VOD service by SeaChange, which integrates third party VOD servers. The new VOD platform will be centrally managed from Suddenlink’s College Park, TX facility. "From the outset, our goal was to build a centralized VOD operation that spanned multiple DACs and markets, minimized equipment and network elements, and leveraged our national backbone while minimizing the need to have operational VOD personnel in every market," said Gregg Grigaitis, vice president, advanced technology, Suddenlink, in a SeaChange company statement. Suddenlink has already been offering VOD in a West Virginia market. This latest move will dramatically increase their VOD capability and help them meet the growing competitive challenge from telcoTV operators.

Regional cable MSO Suddenlink is leveraging an expansive fiber network throughout the state of Texas, looking way beyond just traditional cable services. Suddenlink has deployed a 957-mile dual fiber ring network throughout west Texas. It’s certainly not the first MSO to launch a regional fiber network, but it is a reminder of how cable MSOs are leveraging fiber networks to expand their business opportunities, and taking a page from their telecom competitors. Suddenlink is apparently having some enviable success. They claim to have met their five year sales goal within the first month of operations. The Suddenlink case study is outlined in this Screen Plays article.

Suddenlink's motivation for the fiber network was to transport content for its operations, as well as the operations of other MSOs in the region. In addition, they hope to use these fiber assets to offer enterprise applications to businesses across the region wide network. The model looks strikingly similar to other regional fiber networks, including Texas’ own Texas Lone Star Network, or Missouri’s Missouri Network Alliance, or Oregon’s Western Independent Networks. “This major investment opens the doors to new and better services for our customers, and gives us the ability to introduce those services faster,” Dave Gilles, vice president of operations for Suddenlink’s West Region tells Screen Plays. Sound familiar?

Suddenlink Communications, a Missouri based MSO, announced availability of voice service to 75% of its footprint. Multichannel news reports that Suddenlink now has over 50K telephone subscribers. Suddenlink began its telephony endeavors in West Texas, but has now expanded voice services to communities in Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, West Virginia, North Carolina, and California. Suddenlink typically offers an unlimited local and long distance voice package for $39.95 when bundled with video and broadband.

This Suddenlink announcement demonstrates that cable companies of all sizes are venturing into voice. We often hear about the success of Cox, Comcast, or larger MSOs, but the Suddenlink’s of the cable world are just as motivated about the prospects of offering voice. Smaller independent cable companies will soon join the voice parade as well, bringing competition to many parts of the country that have yet to see it.

Suddenlink has announced the launch of VoIP and a triple play bundle in select Alabama markets, including Huntsville. Suddenlink will offer a $99/month triple play bundle, or phone service can be purchased separately for $50/month. Phone service offers unlimited local and domestic long distance calling. Suddenlink Communications is a top-10 U.S. operator of cable broadband systems, serving approximately 1.4 million customers.

Much of the discussion around triple play competition centers on large national carriers including Verizon and Comcast. But the competitive landscape stretches well beyond “NFL” cities. Suddenlink’s recent announcement of triple play service in eastern North Carolina demonstrates the vibrant competitive landscape in tier two, three, and beyond markets. Suddenlink is the eighth largest MSO in the country with a subscriber base of 1.4 million. Its triple play strategy is fairly aggressive, with a goal of reaching 80% of its customer base by year end 2007. Suddenlink will compete with a variety of telecom carriers in many of the small town markets of eastern North Carolina including Embarq and TriCounty Telecom, an independent operating carrier (IOC).

Check out this revealing article on The Daily Reflector website.

Suddenlink announced the launch of cable VoIP service in the Texas communities of Tyler, College Station, and Georgetown. This completes a Suddenlink triple play offer in these communities. Suddenlink is promoting their VoIP service’s compatibility with both E-911 and ADT Security system platforms. Suddenlink intends to offer voice service packages of $39.95, which includes unlimited long distance, when bundled in their triple play offer.

Read this Multichannel News article for more details.