NETWORKING BRIEFS

Dallas— Broadband service providers will compete more aggressively in marketing home-network equipment and residential gateways to support new multimedia services, promote customer retention, lower costs and produce higher revenues, according to a Parks Associates study.

“Home networking equipment is shifting from low-cost and relatively limited devices sold at retail to integrated modem and router platforms that offer multimedia applications and advanced management software,” said Parks' principal analyst Kurt Scherf.

Residential gateways will be a major component of the providers' equipment offerings because the gateways help reduce support costs “by providing a solution more integrated with a carrier's unique network and business needs,” Scherf said.

Hauppauge, N.Y.— Value-added wholesale distributor Electrograph has assumed national sales and marketing responsibilities for ADCOM home A/V equipment to expand the brand's share in the residential custom-install market.

Electrograph is expanding beyond display sales through professional channels to offer A/V equipment to residential install channels. The company said it is the largest wholesale distributor of plasma TVs in the United States, but through its new consumer division, it will offer ADCOM's amps, surround processors and accessories and offer technical support and local training to ADCOM dealers and installers. The company has three distribution centers.