“ROUZBEH YASSINI UNVEILS $10M “YAS BROADBAND KNOWLEDGE CENTER”;
INITIATES FOUR $50,000 GRANTS FOR Ph.D.-LEVEL RESEARCH AND INVENTION”

BOSTON, MA (November 29, 2007) – Rouzbeh Yassini, inventor of the cable modem and a distinguished participant in the broadband community, today announced the creation of the nation’s first independent facility dedicated to broadband research, and the initiation of a substantial financial grant program for post-graduate students focused on advanced broadband technologies.

Yassini, CEO of YAS Broadband Ventures, has designed the “Yassini Broadband Knowledge Center” as the nation’s first fully operational broadband-based intelligent building. The center leverages IP technology for all communications services, and is envisioned as a nexus for advanced broadband research, cross industry collaboration and public education on the ability of broadband to positively impact humanity worldwide.

In conjunction with the creation of the Yassini Broadband Knowledge Center, Yassini will fund four annual grants at $50,000

“Even though we have made tremendous strides in broadband utilization over the past 10 years, we’ve only scratched the surface of what broadband technology can do to improve the quality of life worldwide,” said Yassini, who contributed a sizable portion of his career to the broadband industry, and already contributes substantial funding to his alma mater, West Virginia University, as well as Merrimack College. “By combining a state-of-the-art venue, an experienced staff and well funded research, I believe we can attract the right talent from around the world to increase the power of broadband to enhance communication, learning, innovation and understanding across all cultures and civilizations.”

The Yassini Broadband Knowledge Center is a $10 million, state-of-the-art broadband laboratory located at historic 79 Newbury Street, in Boston. It features a hands-on learning environment, tightly focused on targeted and interactive advertising, bandwidth expansion, content, and in-home applications.

The activities planned for the center are:

    • New technology research and innovation with anticipated industry impact within five years
    • An executive scholar and broadband policy center
    • A broadband “Think Tank” for entrepreneurs, scientists, consumer electronics researchers, and service provider executives
    Weekly educational tours to share the tools and power of a next-generation, broadband workforce.

The Yassini Broadband Knowledge Center grant winners will be selected by an expert Advisory Board from among research proposals submitted by qualified applicants (individuals or teams).

Each research project will begin with a six-week hands-on training session for visiting scientists to familiarize them with the tools available for their research. The following nine months will include extensive mentoring and collaboration between the visiting students and the members of the Yassini Broadband Knowledge Center. At the end of the learning cycle, participants will present their research at an annual Broadband Summit, hosted by YAS Corp.Details on the submission process for grants and the Advisory Board will be announced in the coming weeks.

Yassini founded LANcity, a lead maker of cable modems, in 1991. He sold LANcity to Bay Networks in 1996. From there, he led the development of the CableLabs cable modem specification and interoperability program, known industrially as DOCSIS (Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification). Yassini and the YAS team were also contributors to the Comcast RNG program.

In 2003, he authored “Planet Broadband,” which details his vision of the overall impact of broadband on humans and society. He was named Person of the Year by CED Magazine in 1999, was honored with the National Cable Television Association’s highest award, the Vanguard Award in 2004, and has received two honorary doctorate degrees in science.

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