Sun Tv Tamil

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

SUNNYVALE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 17, 2002

Harmonic Inc. (Nasdaq:HLIT) extends its leadership in the Asia-Pacific and global satellite broadcast market with a new deployment at Sun TV of Chennai, India. Sun TV, a major broadcaster in the region, has deployed Harmonic's industry leading MPEG-2 video encoders and statistical multiplexers for an extensive headend upgrade. Harmonic's DVB compliant systems enabled Sun TV's satellite network to carry twice as many digital channels with bandwidth available for future channel expansion.

Sun TV uses its own satellite transponder to distribute channels from its headend facility in Chennai to regional cable headends throughout Southern India. As a result, an estimated 1.5 million cable subscribers are able to receive Sun TV programming. The efficiency of Harmonic DiviCom(R) MPEG-2 encoders and statistical multiplexing systems maximizes transponder bandwidth, while improving picture quality.

"In our business, the challenge is to continually increase the number of channels without launching a new satellite or leasing more transponder capacity," said Mr. S. Kannan, Vice President of Technology at Sun TV. "After evaluating numerous options, we found an upgrade based on Harmonic's headend systems to be the most technically advanced as well as cost-efficient choice. Harmonic's excellent support services and guidance produced a solution that allows us to substantially increase service today while preserving bandwidth for future growth."

"Sun TV is a leader in their market and, as a result, they look to a leader to enable their service," said Richard Chau, Managing Director of Harmonic Asia/Pacific. "Our aggressive pursuit of digital video encoding and multiplexing technical leadership has consistently yielded the superior performance and efficiency so important to satellite operators. Using Harmonic solutions, broadcasters like Sun TV, are able to expand their service and revenue potential without increasing operating costs."

About Sun TV

Sun TV is the flagship company of Sun Network. It was the first regional channel from India to be distributed globally for the Tamil speaking population. Visit us at www.sunnetwork.org for more information.

About Harmonic Inc.

Harmonic Inc. is a leading provider of digital video, broadband optical networking and IP delivery systems to cable, satellite, telecom and broadcast network operators. Harmonic's open standards-based solutions for the headend through the last mile enable customers to develop new revenue sources and a competitive advantage by offering powerful interactive video, voice and data services such as video-on-demand, high definition digital television, telephony and Internet access.

Harmonic (Nasdaq:HLIT) is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California with R&D, sales and system integration centers worldwide. The Company's customers, including many of the world's largest communications providers, deliver services in virtually every country. Visit www.harmonicinc.com for more information.

This press release contains forward-looking statements including, but not limited to, future channel expansion, substantially increasing service, and expanding service and revenue potential without increasing operating costs, within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. In addition, actual results could differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of the risk factors set forth in documents that Harmonic files with the SEC, including reports on Form 10-K and 10-Q.

Note to Editors: Product and company names used here are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.

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COPYRIGHT 2002 Gale Group

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