Better Together
By Mark L. Dzuban
Champion collaboration drives industry forward
Previously, SCTE and CableLabs were independently recognized as two organizations that were applied science and technology innovation leaders for the cable communications and broadband industry. The visionary collaboration achieved in 2021 combined the forces of SCTE and CableLabs to drive the industry forward, bringing the entire business cycle – ideation to implementation – under one umbrella. Or, as I share frequently, one plus one really does equal three!
Looking Back at Building the Future
This deal didn’t happen overnight. In fact, for many years, I had a vision for how SCTE, CableLabs and NCTA could work together in a seamless fashion to optimize value for the industry. In early 2020, we set out to accomplish this synergy across SCTE and CableLabs.
Throughout that year I had dialogue with fellow leaders to make explicit the value of partnership for advancing the industry and we spent countless hours figuring out how our organizational structure, governance and operations would enable SCTE to align with CableLabs in an effective manner. As the process got underway to formally consider a partnership between SCTE and CableLabs, I represented SCTE and its members, ensuring that CableLabs and its leadership understood the many contributions that SCTE makes to the industry as an applied science leader, including standards, workforce training and certifications, leadership development, membership and chapter engagement, energy management, Cable-Tec Expo, and more.
Together, Phil McKinney and I drove the fundamentals of the deal to ensure it was mutually beneficial for both organizations, supported and protected the interests of all stakeholders, including our members and employees, and conveyed the value of such a partnership to our Boards. As the leading innovation and R&D lab for the cable industry, CableLabs creates global impact through its member companies with a state-of-the art research and innovation facility and collaborative ecosystem with thousands of vendors, and SCTE members recognize that CableLabs delivers impactful network technologies for the entire industry.
In the end, the value of the partnership was clear to all stakeholders. The SCTE board approved the deal, the CableLabs board voted unanimously in favor of the merger, and SCTE members voted in favor to make it official.
As 2020 came to a close and the merger was made official January 1, 2021, we made a steadfast commitment to all members and have been demonstrating our commitment to SCTE’s mission as a member-driven organization ever since.
Facing the Future Together
This partnership launched by the merger of the two companies has empowered SCTE and CableLabs to increase industry collaboration and accelerate our progress toward 10G by streamlining the cable technology innovation cycle—from the very early research and ideation stage all the way to enabling members to prepare for mass market deployment. The combination of our efforts and expertise is accelerating our innovation and deployment efforts, which is mutually beneficial for all members of both organizations and the global cable industry.
The benefits of the collaboration between CableLabs and SCTE can be seen throughout the industry. From the 10G Challenge awarding innovation and forward-thinking and joint Technical Emmy® wins, to the engagement and energy generated by the industry coming together for the first in-person Cable-Tec Expo in three years in Philadelphia in 2022, the power of the partnership between our organizations continues to be palpably powerful.
The current pace of innovation requires our industry to move quicker and collaborate more than ever before. By syncing innovation, specifications, standards, and training to align members’ technology and service strategies, the industry can drive the implementation of faster, cost-effective and competitive infrastructure and network platforms. Together we are efficiently testing, building and deploying next generation technologies enabling our members to meet and exceed the needs of broadband customers around the world, while efficiently leveraging the investments and resources of our stakeholders. These efficiencies are creating smoother workflows and more collaboration opportunities among our members across the cable community.
In fact, the expertise we’ve pulled together for this issue of Broadband Library illustrates the imperative of collaboration and technological leadership. SCTE’s Derek DiGiacomo gives a circular focus to green energy in his article, “I See Fields of Green,” and NCTA’s Andy Scott introduces us to the “Cross Sector Resilience Forum.” SCTE’s Chris Bastian provides a bird’s eye view of SCTE Leadership Institute programming in “Leading Education for Industry Leaders,” and joins Duke Tech Solutions’ Sudheer Dharanikota to build a business case for “Telecom for Wellness” in their co-authored article. Always looking ahead, CableLabs’ David Debrecht asks the industry, “Is Open RAN Ready?”
Together, we support the cable community on all fronts—from education and training to technical expertise, specification development and industry standardization. We are truly better together to the benefit of the cable communications and broadband industry and the future of connectivity.
We look forward to coming together again in Denver for SCTE® Cable-Tec Expo®. Please plan to join us October 16-19 to celebrate 40 years of Expo as we connect, collaborate, and innovate.
Mark L. Dzuban
President and CEO, SCTE® a subsidiary of CableLabs®
Mark Dzuban is president and CEO of SCTE®, a subsidiary of CableLabs®. SCTE is a global not-for-profit member organization driving the acceleration and deployment of technology in the cable industry. With a career spanning more than 50 years in cable telecommunications, Dzuban has been named a Cable TV Pioneer, Cable Center Innovation Laureate, Cablefax Top 100 industry executive, and has received the Vanguard Award for Cable Operations Management.
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