Date: May 6, 2004

Presenter: Curtis Kelly, VP of IT

Affiliation: Cox Communications

Curtis Kelly, VP of IT, Cox Communications, presented an overview of the industry and the Omaha operations for Cox. Mr. Kelly is responsible from implementing new technologies in the areas of business operation and cable transmission. One of his areas of expertise is in the automation of manual business processes, based on his previous experience at IBM and Sun Microsystems.

The challenges of the cable industry are in multiple directions - the content provider (such as ESPN), the cable subscriber, the adoption of new technologies, and competitive threats (such as DISH or the computer-based multimedia center). All of these factors must be undertaken when considering new business operations.

Some of the current technology related topics in the industry include: Digital Video Recorder (DVR) - the Ti-Vo, Microsoft, and Linux versions are changing the viewing habits of subscribers. Pay-Per-View (PPV) - the evolution to "entertainment-on-demand" has a new set of technology challenges to meet viewer expectations. High Definition (HD) - the clarity and enhanced viewing experience of digital television has created a whole new market for cable companies. Set-top boxes - a necessary by-product of cable systems, especially with older TVs and enhanced services.

The local Cox Communications network has grown over the past few years to include the greater metro area. The service offerings now include cable modems, telecommunications, and a wide variety of viewing options. This is a very dynamic industry and will be quite interesting to hear the perspective of the "local chief IT architect."