Spectrum CEO：千兆网络全面铺开将撬动与科技巨头深度合作

5 Min Read (Science Photo Library/Alamy Stock Photo) Chris Winfrey, the president and CEO of the [newly-combined Charter Communications and Cox Communications](https://www.lightreading.com/cable-technology/charter-cox-deal-is-a-wrap-with-spectrum-brand-to-take-over-within-a-year), used some of his time on the stage at SCTE TechExpo to talk up the benefits of scale for his company. But he also believes that cable's move into broadly deployed multi-gigabit networks will help the industry engage more with Big Tech companies as they push ahead with developing new products and capabilities. Winfrey urged the tech companies to "develop your products to a multi-gig capability that together with Comcast/Xfinity and all of the other operators…we have deployed across the entire US," adding: "I think it opens up the door to have some of those conversations with global providers." Chris Winfrey (far left), president and CEO of Spectrum, is joined by Rich DiGeronimo, president of product and technology, Spectrum, and Annika Pergament, anchor of 'The Rush Hour' on Spectrum News NY1. (Source: Jeff Baumgartner/Light Reading) Related:['Spectrum Day' is underway in former Cox markets](https://www.lightreading.com/cable-technology/-spectrum-day-is-underway-in-former-cox-markets) The expected results of Spectrum's and the industry's deeper engagement with Big Tech weren't explained in detail. "We're working on that," Winfrey said. Some of the opportunities could come at the edge of the network, where Spectrum can provide access to the connectivity, power, space and cooling necessary to support high-bandwidth, low-latency applications and services. Spectrum is [demonstrating that emerging capability](https://www.lightreading.com/cable-technology/spectrum-touts-ai-edge-progress-at-techexpo) with tech partners such as Nvidia at the event this week. ##### HFC upgrade progress Winfrey also provided a brief update on Spectrum's ongoing network upgrade activity, which includes fiber buildouts to government-subsidized rural areas and critical updates to the legacy Charter hybrid fiber/coax (HFC) network, not including the footprint recently added from the Cox transaction. That HFC network update centers on a multi-tiered process that will include upgrades to virtual cable modem termination systems (vCMTS), a distributed access architecture (DAA), upstream-enhancing "high-split" upgrades and DOCSIS 4.0 upgrades to a portion of the plant. "It's going well. It's a lot of work," Winfrey said of the HFC upgrade project. The company expects to complete the "physical work" by the end of 2027, which will enable symmetrical, multi-gigabit speeds across the board, he said. ##### What's next for the Cox network? Spectrum hasn't shared a lot of specifics on its plans for the Cox network, beyond some of the network-focused conditions attached to its [agreement with California regulators](https://www.lightreading.com/cable-technology/california-puc-stamps-charter-cox-merger-with-conditions) to get the deal across the finish line. Winfrey recently said that Cox's network is already in tip-top shape, holding that there's [no rush to make any significant changes in the near term](https://www.lightreading.com/cable-technology/spectrum-in-no-hurry-to-make-major-changes-to-the-cox-network). Related:[Spectrum in no hurry to make major changes to the Cox network](https://www.lightreading.com/cable-technology/spectrum-in-no-hurry-to-make-major-changes-to-the-cox-network) Meanwhile, Spectrum recently moved ahead with "[Spectrum Day](https://www.lightreading.com/cable-technology/-spectrum-day-is-underway-in-former-cox-markets)," which initiated the official rollout of Charter's Internet pricing and bundles featuring mobile and video in the Cox footprint. Given that Cox's move into mobile was still in the early stages when it merged with Charter (Cox had about 200,000 mobile lines at the time of the deal), Spectrum expects "rapid growth" in mobile throughout the Cox footprint, said Rich DiGeronimo, president, product and technology, at Spectrum. Spectrum also expects to see some gains on the video side in the Cox areas with the availability of a pay-TV product developed at Charter that includes access to an array of premium, ad-supported streaming apps for no added cost. ##### Passing the torch A follow-up panel served as a public passing of the torch at CableLabs, with Winfrey leading a chat with Phil McKinney, CableLabs' outgoing CEO, and the organization's incoming CEO, Mark Bridges. Bridges currently serves as president and CTO of CableLabs and will [become CEO of the organization on January 1, 2027](https://www.lightreading.com/cable-technology/mark-bridges-to-take-helm-of-cablelabs). That transition started 18 months ago. "The timing is right," said McKinney, who got emotional at times on stage as he reflected on his 14 years at the helm of CableLabs. The role was "by far the best job I've had in my career," said the former long-time HP exec. McKinney will stay connected at CableLabs next year to aid with the leadership transition. As he retires, he said it is important to spend more time with his family, which includes five grandchildren. Phil McKinney, the outgoing CEO of CableLabs, is flanked on the left by Charter/Spectrum CEO Chris Winfrey and on the right by incoming CableLabs CEO Mark Bridges at the SCTE TechExpo general opening session on September 29, 2026. (Source: Jeff Baumgartner/Light Reading) "The years are going by," McKinney said. "I want to spend the time making that investment [in family]." But he's still going to stay busy in other ways, noting that he's got two book deals – one focused on critical thinking skills and their impact on society, and a second that will center on innovation. And though the industry is facing more competition than ever and struggling to return to broadband subscriber growth, McKinney said he's bullish on its future. "We are positioned to win, not just compete with the work that's underway," he said. Some of that work involves pushing the envelope on HFC, including [just-released DOCSIS 4.0 "annex" specs](https://www.lightreading.com/cable-technology/cablelabs-supercharges-docsis-4-0-with-25-gig-annex-) that cover a push to 3GHz of capacity, and an exploration of 6GHz technologies. Bridges, who r[ecently discussed his priorities at CableLabs with Light Reading](https://www.lightreading.com/cable-technology/docsis-4-0-nears-key-milestone-says-incoming-cablelabs-ceo), agreed that there are "big challenges ahead. ... I'm looking to be there to meet the moment." ## About the Author [](https://www.lightreading.com/author/jeff-baumgartner) Senior Editor, Light Reading Jeff Baumgartner is a Senior Editor for Light Reading and is responsible for the day-to-day news coverage and analysis of the cable and video sectors. Follow him on [X,](https://twitter.com/thebauminator)[LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-baumgartner-036ba829/) and [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/jeffbaumgartner787.bsky.social). Baumgartner also served as Site Editor for Light Reading Cable from 2007-2013. In between his two stints at Light Reading, he led tech coverage for Multichannel News and was a regular contributor to Broadcasting + Cable. Baumgartner was named to the 2018 class of the Cable TV Pioneers.