Scientific Atlanta facts for kids
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| Public | |
| Industry | Broadband |
| Fate | Acquired by Cisco Systems |
| Founded | 1951 |
| Founders | James E. Boyd Charles Griffin Robert E. Honer Gerald Rosselot Lamar Whittle Vernon Widerquist Glen P. Robinson |
| Defunct | November 25, 2015 |
| Headquarters |
,
United States
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Key people
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Tony Bates, Cisco James F. McDonald, CEO |
| Products | Set-top boxes Cable distribution Cable Modems IPTV hardware |
| Revenue | $1.9 billion (fiscal year 2005) |
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Number of employees
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9,784 (as of June 5, 2007) |
| Parent | Cisco Systems (2006–2015) |
Scientific Atlanta, Inc. was a big company from Georgia, USA. They made important equipment for cable television, phone lines, and high-speed internet.
The company started in 1951. It was created by a group of engineers from the Georgia Institute of Technology. Later, in 2005, a much larger company called Cisco Systems bought Scientific Atlanta for about $6.9 billion. This was one of the biggest technology purchases ever at that time! Before being bought, Scientific Atlanta was a very successful company, even listed in the Fortune 500. Many people thought of it as a founding company for Atlanta's technology industry.
Contents
What Products Did Scientific Atlanta Make?
Scientific Atlanta made many things that helped homes get connected. They supplied the equipment for broadband internet access. They also made the cable boxes you use to watch TV. Plus, they created cable modems for internet and systems for voice over IP (VoIP) calls. They also offered customer service around the world.
Cable TV and Internet Gear
For the cable TV world, Scientific Atlanta made equipment for the main "head-end" stations. These stations get TV signals ready to send out. They also made the Explorer digital cable boxes that sit in your living room. These boxes often came with universal remotes.
Another popular product was their cable modems, which used to be called WebSTAR. Many cable companies, like Spectrum, Comcast, Time Warner Cable, and Cox Communications, used to give out the Scientific Atlanta 2100 modem. Scientific Atlanta also helped send TV shows to networks like Bloomberg Television, CNN, and ESPN.
IPTV Solutions
After joining with Cisco, Scientific Atlanta also worked on IPTV (Internet Protocol Television) solutions. This is a way to deliver TV over the internet. In 2005, Scientific Atlanta made a deal with SBC (now AT&T). They became the only company to provide set-top boxes for AT&T's U-verse TV service.
The History of Scientific Atlanta
Scientific Atlanta began in October 1951. Six researchers from the Georgia Tech Research Institute started it. They were James E. Boyd, Charles Griffin, Robert E. Honer, Gerald Rosselot, Lamar Whittle, and Vernon Widerquist. Each of them put in $100 to get the company going. In 1952, Glen P. Robinson joined as the seventh member.
The company started to make technology that came from the research station. After a tough start, Glen P. Robinson bought out most of the other founders. He paid them back their original $100.
Growth and Leadership
Glen P. Robinson led Scientific Atlanta as CEO for 20 years. He was also the chairman of the board for eight more years. He retired in 1979. During his time, the company grew a lot. Its income went from $3.1 million in 1962 to about $200 million when he left.
Sidney Topol then became president in 1971 and CEO in 1975. He helped the company grow even more, with sales reaching over $600 million. In the 1970s, the company helped create the idea of connecting cable TV with satellites. They worked with HBO and made special portable antennas. This helped bring satellite TV to the cable industry.
Changes and New Products
In 2000, Scientific Atlanta sold its satellite ground station and networking parts of the business to Viasat. In 2002, the company had to let go of about 6% of its workers.
In 2003, Scientific-Atlanta launched its first Explorer HD set-top box. This box could show HDTV (High-Definition Television) programs. It first appeared in stores in Phoenix and then across the country. In 2004, they released the Explorer 8000HD. This was their first set-top box that could record TV shows (DVR) and show them in HD.
Company Acquisition
On November 18, 2005, Scientific Atlanta announced that Cisco Systems would buy them. The deal was worth about $6.9 billion. By February 25, 2006, Cisco Systems had finished buying Scientific Atlanta. They paid $43 for each share.
Sale of Connected Devices Business
Later, on November 21, 2015, Cisco sold a big part of Scientific Atlanta's original business. This part, called the Connected Devices Business Unit, was sold to a company named Technicolor SA. It included things like set-top boxes, cable modems, and other equipment that helps connect homes.
Scientific Atlanta was recognized for its work in 2008. They received a Technology & Engineering Emmy Award. This was for developing the technology that made Video on Demand (VOD) possible for many people.
