The Networked Home: Coming Soon to a Neighborhood Near You

Dallas, June 11, 1999 - The network-ready home - prepared to meet the needs of multiple-PC owners, entertainment buffs, and consumers seeking increased safety and comfort - will proliferate in many neighborhoods, according to a recently released report from Parks Associates. The Residential Wiring Infrastructure Report, according to co-author Kurt Scherf, details an industry on the move.

"Structured wiring is a key component of in-home networking that hasn't received a whole lot of attention, particularly in light of the excitement generated by the 'no-new-wires' solutions just starting to hit the market," said Scherf, Parks Associates' in-home networks analyst. "However, a growing number of developers, homebuilders, and consumers are realizing that the only way to prepare a home for both current and future networking needs is to install a high-quality and high-bandwidth wiring infrastructure."

This growing realization, Scherf notes, has resulted in the entry of numerous companies that are now competing primarily in the new housing start market. "In a market projected by Parks Associates to be soon worth more than $500 million annually, such companies as Bell Atlantic Corp., FutureSmart Networks Inc., IBM Corp., Lucent Technologies Inc., and OnQ Technologies Inc. to name a few, are developing unique products and programs to penetrate the residential market."

The Residential Wiring Infrastructure Report, Scherf notes, provides a comprehensive overview of the industry and its players. "This report provides critical information on a key component of the networked home," Scherf states. "With market forecasts, detailed profiles of the current players, and research from builders, consumers, and installers, The Residential Wiring Infrastructure Report gives anyone interested in the in-home network market a broad view of this burgeoning industry."

About Parks Associates:
Parks Associates is a Dallas, Texas-based market research firm specializing in emerging technologies and services for the home. Founded in 1986, Parks Associates provides primary and secondary research on home systems, in-home networks, home security, consumer electronics, telecommunications, Internet service, energy utility, and subscription TV industries. Parks Associates' clients include both Fortune 500 companies and small start-ups. Parks Associates' services include syndicated reports, multi-client studies, custom consulting, workshops, and conferences.

Contact: Elizabeth Parks
Parks Associates
5310 Harvest Hill Rd
Suite 235, LB 162
Dallas, Texas 75230
E-mail: sales@parksassociates.com
Web site: www.parksassociates.com