CableLabs Issues RFP for Open Cable Implementations

The cable-industry research and development consortium Cable Television Laboratories has released a Request for Proposal (RFP) for implementations of the OpenCable Application Platform (OCAP) specification. The RFP will solicit industry implementations of OCAP for OpenCable devices to speed up the ability of cable operators to launch services made possible by OCAP.

OCAP is a software element of the OpenCable project that enables a retail presence for digital-cable-compatible products. OCAP is compatible with European and worldwide standards for set-top middleware being developed by the International Telecommunication Union. The specification will help make interactive applications on cable available from a range of national and international developers.

Cable operators are seeking information on the costs and development time in procuring and deploying OCAP implementations. CableLabs is distributing the RFP to collect that information from the marketplace. CableLabs will store and evaluate the technical data submitted in response to the RFP. The commercial information will be submitted from the respondent to each cable operator participating in the process.

Final responses to the RFP are due Sept. 12.