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Delphi Subsidiary to be Standard For Broadcast Fiber Optic Connectors

11 April 2000

Delphi Subsidiary Positioned to Become Industry Standard For Broadcast Fiber Optic Connectors

    LAS VEGAS, April 11 From the Winter Olympics to the Super
Bowl, Delphi Automotive Systems' interconnect subsidiary is
providing the fiber optic connections that major networks need for televising
sporting events.
    Packard-Hughes Interconnect (PHI) has become a key connector supplier in
the broadcast market and is positioning itself as the preferred supplier of
fiber optic connectors to that market, as displayed at the National
Association of Broadcasters convention here this week.
    In a market that is currently $105 million and estimated to increase to
$750 million by 2007, PHI sees continued growth, said Gail Miller, director of
marketing.  Miller said PHI's sales of fiber optic connectors more than
doubled over the last year.
    "This expanding market, still in its infancy, is driven by ever expanding
informational needs.  Fiber optics is quickly replacing copper in media
broadcast because it provides a clean, crisp signal, is less costly, offers
higher bandwidth, as well as better video, data and audio quality," Miller
said.
    PHI, which has a long history of supplying interconnects to the military
and commercial aviation industry, developed a plastic version of a harsh
environment fiber optic connector that was originally used for dock-side
ship-to-shore connections.  It has been proven in the field and used worldwide
because it meets the rugged demands of broadcast applications, said Mike Orr,
PHI fiber optics business manager.
    The hermaphroditic connectors manufactured by PHI are seeing increased
usage from companies such as Fox, ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN and BBC, and are becoming
a standard in the industry.  The connectors provide reliable interconnection
at televised sporting events including the 1998 Winter Olympics, Super Bowl,
AT&T Pebble Beach golf tournament, NFL football games, auto races, soccer
championships, as well as numerous international airports and stadiums.
    "Our growth in this market comes from several key areas beyond traditional
broadcasting," Orr said.  "PHI's hermaphroditic connectors have been used in
the commercial broadcast of uncompressed video at event locations such as the
Houston Astrodome sporting arena and the Millennium Dome in the United
Kingdom."
    The hermaphroditic connectors are polarized, containing both male and
female connection points, enabling quick and easy connections.  This is an
important benefit for TV crews hooking up long strings of fiber optic cables
to link a mobile communications uplink to a camera at an event, Orr said.
    The new 4-channel connector developed by PHI incorporates composite
technologies and is as effective as the heavier military-style connectors.  In
addition, they can be 20 to 30 percent lower in cost, depending on quantities.
    "These new connectors are completely intermateable with PHI connectors
deployed in the field today," Orr said.  "They will work with either multi-
or single-mode fiber.  Equal combinations of each fiber core size can be
accommodated simultaneously in a connector -- such as two single-mode and two
multi-mode."
    Delphi Automotive Systems, headquartered in Troy, Mich., USA, is a world
leader in transportation and mobile electronics components and systems
technology.  Delphi's three business sectors -- Dynamics & Propulsion; Safety,
Thermal & Electrical Architecture; and Electronics & Mobile Communication --
provide comprehensive product solutions to complex customer needs.  Delphi has
approximately 214,200 employees, and operates 178 wholly owned manufacturing
sites, 41 joint ventures, 53 customer centers and sales offices and 27
technical centers in 39 countries.  Regional headquarters are located in
Paris, Tokyo and Sao Paulo, Brazil.  Delphi can be found on the Internet at
http://www.delphiauto.com
    Headquartered in Irvine, Calif., Packard-Hughes Interconnect is a wholly
owned subsidiary of Delphi.  PHI designs and manufactures advanced
interconnect components that can be used in computer, telecom, semiconductor,
commercial aviation, automotive and military markets.