Accidental Network: How a Small Company Sparked a Global Broadband Transformation

Description: An engrossing account of technological innovation and business conducted at high speed, showing how the invention of the cable modem engendered the modern revolution in broadband Internet access over a ubiquitous, existing cable television infrastructure.

Review Quotes:

"A great look into an untold story that should have been told long before now, The Accidental Network is a lively read for any technologist, particularly those of a certain age." --Jessamyn West, public librarian and The Information Advisor's Guide to Internet Research columnist

"Fascinating, informative, engaging, The Accidental Network provides a unique perspective and an 'I was there' authenticity to the technology that remodeled the world we now live in. Exceptionally well written, organized and presented." --John Burroughs, Midwest Book Review

"The cable modem did more than speed up the Internet--it accelerated the future. This book tells how it all began."
--Mark Robichaux, author of Cable Cowboy: John Malone and the Rise of the Modern Cable Business.

"Broadband is the most beloved technology in the world. The invention of the cable modem opened the door to always-on, fast Internet access that put to rest the crude experience of dial-up. In doing so it unleashed a torrent of innovation and gave rise to the Information Age. Yassini-Fard, famed inventor of the cable modem, expertly tells one of the great American success stories."
-- Michael K. Powell, president and CEO, NCTA - The Internet Television Association [2011-2025]; chairman, United States Federal Communications Commission [2001-2005]

"Rouzbeh Yassini-Fard led the vision for the cable industry that the cable plant could provide Internet to your home. The pioneering work that Rouzbeh and his team did at LANcity was the embodiment of that vision and ultimately led to the creation of DOCSIS. We, the DOCSIS generation, stand on the shoulders of giants, and Rouzbeh and his team were those giants. This book is a fascinating read of life in a startup and compares to great books like The Soul of a New Machine. Rouzbeh's book shows what you can do with a vision even when all the odds seem against you."
--John Chapman, former Broadband CTO and Fellow at Cisco

"A fascinating story of the vision and innovation that transformed a network for distributing analog video into a modern broadband access network that now touches almost all aspects of our lives."
--Dr. Surinder Kumar, founder and chairman, Vecima Networks

"From a venture investor's perspective, broadband did much more than increase internet speeds--it created the essential foundation for streaming services and social media platforms to exist. Rouzbeh Yassini's visionary insight in creating the first residential cable modem helped investors see for themselves that broadband enabled entirely new business models and consumer behaviors, ultimately unlocking trillions in market value from companies that simply couldn't have existed before."
--David Aronoff, chairman and managing partner, MCJ

"A good telling of the story of the invention of the cable modem."
--Peter Jones is distinguished engineer emerita at Cisco and an active member of IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers)

"In this compelling first-hand account of the development and commercialization of the cable modem, Rouzbeh Yassini-Fard shares personal stories as well as deep technical and industry insights. While the Internet's history has been told before in the context of the traditional telecommunication industry, The Accidental Network offers a fresh perspective through the lens of television networks and cable operators. This book is a valuable addition for network technologists -many of whom are unfamiliar with cable television - as well as the technically interested reader who is intrigued by how our digital infrastructure became as pervasive as it is."
--Alex Bochannek, Curator, Computer History Museum

"The rise of home-based broadband was a transformative moment in personal communication, creativity, knowledge creation and human relations. At the center of that story is Rouzbeh Yassini-Fard: energetic immigrant, hustling entrepreneur, and inventor of the cable modem. His success was hardly foreordained. His narrative is full of grit, drama, and big personalities. This engrossing book brings to life a prototypical American tale that shows how an inspired, smart citizen can help change the world."
--Lee Rainie, Director of the Imagining the Digital Future Center, Elon University and former director of The Pew Research Center's Internet American Life Project