Research

The race for the bundle should be a boon to vendors, a Friedman Billings Ramsey note says. Cable ops may not fare as well, as the rush to deploy could cause marked increases in capex, which in turn could startle investors. On FBR’s hot list: Arris, C-COR and Concurrent. — More than half (54%) of Internet users say they’ve never heard of VoIP, a new Ipsos-Insight study reveals, which underscores that the technology is still very much in the early adopter stage. Of those familiar with the service, only 39% say they believe VoIP provides a reliable signal. — The Customer Respect Group released results of its ’04 study of the country’s largest 100 companies, with Microsoft tops with an 8.7 rating. Comcast was the sole cable member on the list, in the exact middle of the pack at #50 (6.4).