The broadband networks used by DAVIC services are becoming available through broadcaster, cable and telephone operator investment. DAVIC already specifies means of accessing the Internet from DAVIC home terminals; it is now progressing to use more aspects of the Internet itself in the provision of services. Through liaison with the major Internet technical group - the IETF - DAVIC will work to ensure that there are no barriers to inter-working the different networks. As Hiroshi Yasuda ,the President of DAVIC says "DAVIC networks are designed to have outstanding quality and reliability . Users of bandwidth need these facilities for delivering high quality audio-visual services."

More organisations are now working on the implementation of DAVIC systems, and different parts of the DAVIC specification are being used, for example in broadcast or point-to point video on demand services. A major effort is now underway to establish ‘Contours’ which are groups of DAVIC tools used together to implement required functions and which can be tested together for compliance and inter-operation.

The DAVIC 1.2 specifications are now published on CD-ROM and are publicly available for manufacturers and operators to use. Effective use of Contours will ensure that different manufacturer’s implementations can work together, and that operators and users can have choice in the marketplace.

The DAVIC London meeting was hosted by the Cable Communications Association, the UK’s cable operators’ group which is devoted to the cause of establishing broadband communications for UK users. DAVIC’s next meeting is in San Diego, in June 1997.

For further information:

http://www.davic.org or Dr John Thompson, DAVIC Chief Operating Officer.

Tel: +44 1691 655907