FOR RELEASE

THE HOMESTAR® WIRING SYSTEM FACT SHEET

The current method of home wiring has not changed for decades. What has been and is usually installed is simple quad wiring supporting plain old telephone (POTS) and a low performance coax cable for cable TV service. This cabling provides support for up to two basic, analog telephone lines and a limited number of CATV channels. This wiring situation does not allow for any home systems integration and does not included forethought for the future. The characteristics of a home wiring network need to be carefully defined. The products comprising a home network should be specifically designed for residential use. They shoud be easy to install in new home construction, as well as in existing homes. The system should also be modular and flexible to fit the homeowner’s needs. This wiring network must be dynamic enough to meet the current and future communication needs and lifestyles of the interactive family. A common in-home network provides great flexibility and lower overall cost than this separate dedicated wiring.

The Lucent Technologies’ HomeStar Wiring System was created specifically for residential applications by Bell Laboratories. The system was developed to address today’s current method of wiring homes and its insufficiency to support the high-speed services being delivered today and planned for the future. The HomeStar Wiring System will enable consumers to take full advantage of today and tomorrow’s advanced communication services. It is a family of in-home network wiring products designed to meet the networking needs of the modern home. This wiring infrastructure supports interactive voice, high-speed data, multi-media products and communication services. It is a single network wiring system that provides instant "plug and play" access to ISDN services, Internet access, CATV programs, video-on-demand, satellite signals and fax/modem plus controls for security systems and home automation from anywhere in the home. The HomeStar Wiring System offers a single solution which:

-integrates a wide range of telecommunications and home automation technologies from interactive home entertainment and personal communications to security and environmental management systems

-gives homeowners unprecedented control and management over multiple applications from entertainment and education to home automation

-makes it easy for homeowners to add new interactive applications, services and technologies without costly rewiring

The HomeStar Wiring System is a structured, high performance cabling infrastructure that can support current and emerging applications in the residence. The system supports the Consumer Electronics Bus (CEBus) standard for home automation and control as well as other protocols such as LonWorks and X-10. It is based on an open architecture which can support a wide array of standards and vendor independent applications. It meets the EIA/TIA 570 residential wiring standard. The system includes both Category 5 unshielded twisted pair (UTP) and RG-6 coaxial cables and 1 CAT 5 UTP cable installed to multiple access points throughout the home. The complete cost of a system installed in an average home of approximately 2,000 square feet would run around $1,000 (including installation).

The HomeStar Wiring System will support current and emerging in-home network applications such as:

-Personal and Professional Computing/Communications includes working at home, distance learning, do-it-yourself instruction and much more

-Interactive Audio/Video includes, but is not limited to, video-on-demand, interactive video games and interactive TV

-Smart Appliance and Environmental Control takes in remote metering, HVAC cycling, lighting etc.

-Security and Property Protection includes security alert, child monitoring and remote dial-in

-Family and Household Matters consists of electronic shopping, banking, ticketing, reservations as well as an endless range of transactions and messaging services

Once the HomeStar Wiring System is installed, new electronic equipment (i.e. VCR’s, computers, DBS, etc.) can be connected to any of the multi-access points installed throughout the house at any time. The major benefits of having a high performance in-home infrastructure are:

-Your home is properly wired for new digital services. One of the major drivers stimulating this market will originally be the proliferation of home computers/Internet access. The interactive family’s computer-based needs will focus on home office applications, Internet and On-line services, as well as the capability of networking multiple PC’s in the home. The HomeStar Wiring System allows you to plug in your computer equipment virtually anywhere in you home to access ISDC services, Internet services and send/receive e-mail and faxes. You will no longer be restricted to a particular room, wall outlet, telephone jack or dedicated line to communicate with the rest of the world.

-Whole house video distribution. People are becoming more and more interested in the availability of video-on-demand, digital satellite services and new offerings such as Web-TV. With the HomeStar Wiring System you are no longer limited to rooms that are wired with special CATV outlets or satellite dish connections. You are able to watch a movie or television program on any television in the house and as new digital video applications emerge, you will be ready for them. You will also be able to monitor activity in or outside the home from numerous locations. You can view or listen to the baby’s room while preparing dinner or find out who is at the front door by simply changing the channel on the television set.

Additional homeowner benefits associated with a wiring infrastructure:

-Easy to add new interactive services and options without costly rewiring

The HomeStar Wiring System gives you, the homeowner, the flexibility to decide how you want to mange your entertainment, home automation and communication needs. To take full advantage of today’s technologies and to be prepared for tomorrow’s, make sure your home has the HomeStar Wiring System.