"We're pleased to provide our customers in Long Beach and Signal Hill with this cable industry first - the single most sophisticated broadband network in the country," said Charter President and CEO Carl Vogel.

"We expect this to be a giant step leading to product and service innovations that will delight our customers."

The U.S. Olympic Swim Trials in Long Beach are serving as the springboard to the commercial launch of Charter's All Digital network, and the unprecedented television service it will afford. The trials will get underway July 7 at the recently-named Charter All Digital Aquatic Centre, a 10,000-seat above ground swim venue.

"The timing of the Olympic Trials, as well as the commercial launch of Charter's first All Digital Network, couldn't have worked out any better," Mr. Vogel said.

"As the first city in America to boast an All Digital network, Long Beach will be the hub of technological and athletic convergence this summer."

Eric Brown, Charter Senior Vice President of Western Division Operations, said the All Digital launch means an immediate improvement in picture and sound quality for his customers. "During trials leading up to the launch, customers identified a marked difference between satellite service and the quality of Charter All Digital cable TV channels.

In a consumer survey, two of three respondents picked Charter's All Digital picture over that of a satellite rival."

"Charter has developed a technological way to improve even existing digitally delivered channels for noticeably better viewing. While beneficial when watching sporting events such as the U.S. Olympic Swim Trials on television, even commercials and talking heads present clearer and cleaner images, have reduced hot spots and consistent digital sound quality on every channel," Mr. Brown continued.

"This is television the way it was meant to be viewed. All Digital provides an exceptional viewing experience."

Mr. Brown added that the All Digital network would eventually provide additional benefits for Charter and its customers. For example, Charter will ultimately be able to recover bandwidth, since digital transmission requires only a fraction of the capacity of analog. The recovered bandwidth will enable the introduction of more channels and/or advanced services without plant upgrades.

The new technology also offers operational savings, increased security and advertising and marketing opportunities.

But the immediate benefit will be enhanced viewing pleasure. Attendees at the Charter All Digital Aquatic Centre will be invited to take the All Digital Challenge and see for themselves the difference in picture quality between All Digital and satellite competitors.

Charter Business, the company's commercial services group, will provide free wireless Internet access for everyone attending the swim events. In addition, Charter has equipped the center with one giant video board to display the competition and also to promote the launch of Charter All Digital.

The Aquatics Grand Prix and Olympic Swim Trials are composed of four aquatic events over six weeks and are expected to draw over 130,000 spectators to the Charter All Digital Centre located in downtown Long Beach beside the Long Beach Arena. The remaining events include:

2004 Men's Water Polo final July 16-18

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Connexion By Boeing And Teekay To Test High-Speed Internet On The High Seas
Seattle WA (SPX) Jun 28, 2004
Connexion by Boeing, a business unit of The Boeing Company, and Teekay Shipping Corporation have signed an agreement to launch a maritime trial of the Connexion by Boeing service over the North Atlantic beginning in August 2004.