Cable Internet provider @Home Corp. Wednesday acquired Full Force Systems Inc., a developer of applications for set-top boxes and
interactive television.
The company also announced a new venture that could boost its subscriber
base by up to 15 million homes and businesses.
@Home said the acquisition of Full Force goes along with its plans to
integrate video on demand and other offerings into its product line.
“Full Force has been an interactive services pioneer. With this
acquisition, we look forward to accelerating our capabilities and time to
market as well as rounding out our product offerings to provide end-to-end,
cross-platform digital set-top solutions to our partners,” said Adam
Grosser, @Home’s vice president of product development.
Terms of the deal were not announced.
The acquisition will complement @Home’s existing suite of digital set-top
solutions, including integrated e-mail accounts, TV content specially
optimized for @Home’s service and its distributed computing platform
supporting interactive advertising and television services.
In other news, @Home announced a new venture, dubbed @Home Solutions, in an
effort to increase broadband deployment into North American homes and
businesses. @Home will work with small and medium-sized cable operators to
bring broadband services to the estimated 15 million homes served by those
cable operators.
@Home Solutions, @Home’s broadband services company, will offer the cable
partners comprehensive and fully-managed high-speed Internet solutions. The
company said the venture will expand its current model, which complements
the existing operations of cable operators, by providing services like
financing of cable and network equipment, expanded customer service and
service, billing and marketing support.
“Small and mid-size cable operators are enthused about providing high-speed
data services and capturing additional revenue streams,” said Tom Jermoluk,
@Home’s chairman and chief executive officer.
“@Home Solutions will enable these operators to reap the strategic and
financial rewards associated with providing compelling high-speed Internet
services while maintaining their own unique identities.”
