Dr. Rouzbeh Yassini

Dr. Rouzbeh Yassini is the Executive Director of the University of New Hampshire’s Broadband Center of Excellence (BCoE) located in Durham, N.H. In this capacity he oversees the center’s efforts to make broadband technology ubiquitous around the world.

Yassini has worked for more than 30 years in broadband, achieving major accomplishments such as inventing the broadband cable modem and leading the process to standardize the workings of those modems to make them affordable. He received the cable industry’s highest award for that work, the NCTA Vanguard Award for Science and Technology. He also was named CED Magazine Man of the Year for 1998 for his work on creating and fostering the multi-billion dollar cable modem broadband industry.

His high level achievements cover a broad spectrum, including high tech engineering development, entrepreneurial leadership and broadband business acumen and corporate leadership. His skills were in full display when he served as Executive Consultant to CableLabs, driving a team of hundreds of engineers from suppliers, service providers and key contributors to establish the world-recognized Data over Cable Service Interface Specifications (DOCSIS). He also worked through the Society of Cable and Telecommunications Engineers and the International Telecommunications Union to establish DOCSIS as an international standard.

Yassini has a career replete with successful business, engineering and entrepreneurial enterprises in networking, hardware and software initiatives, and consumer electronics. He is widely known as the “father of the cable modem” for his efforts as founder and CEO of early modem maker LANcity.

Yassini was instrumental in the creation of the BCoE, announced in September 2013. The center is a living, working, visitor-friendly showcase representing the past, present and future of broadband.  BCoE’s goals are to enable all (government, service providers, universities [students, faculty, and researchers], communities and corporations), to utilize broadband as a tool to create economic growth. The center leverages the technology, process, and policy of broadband for all communications, commerce, business, security, automation, research, and other advanced services to cultivate economic growth.  It also conducts research and consulting on broadband technologies and services. 

Prior to leading BCoE and DOCSIS initiatives, Yassini founded YAS Capital Partners in Boston, MA. The firm offers consulting, research and investment in innovation. As its CEO and President, Yassini has served as an Executive Ambassador to executive management at major cable operating companies. He worked with the CTO’s office at Comcast from 2004-2007 to create the first industry standard set top  box specification known as the RNG Specification for secure home gateways.

Prior to this was his six years of working with CableLabs® on DOCSIS, with responsibility over strategic vision, tactical execution, budgeting and engaging with volunteer staff from some 400 suppliers and 20 cable operators. His investment arm has successfully nurtured and assisted more than a dozen start-up companies including some of the real success stories of broadband networking, service and applications. Some of the companies are Broadsoft, Navic Networks, Entropic, Stargus, BAS, Sycamore, Sirocco and Truechat.

Before forming YAS, Yassini oversaw the merger of Applitek, a maker of local and wide area networks for universities and governments, with LANcity, a leader in the nascent field of cable modem manufacturing. The combined enterprises grew into one successful entity and their combination marked the creation of the broadband industry and the era of the high-speed cable modem. In 1996, Yassini sold LANcity to BayNetwork for $65 million.

Before serving as President and CEO at Applitek from 1988 to 1990, Yassini was a director level executive at Proteon, a leading manufacturer of token ring networking products.  His entry into high tech came at General Electric, beginning in 1981 as an entry level engineer.  After numerous promotions, he left GE in 1986 as the Engineering Manager for Cable TV systems and microwave systems.

An internationally recognized speaker and author on broadband, Yassini wrote “Planet Broadband”, a humanized look at broadband technology in 2003.  He holds an Honorary Ph.D. in Science and a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from West Virginia University, an Honorary Ph.D. from Merrimack College, as well as an equivalent MBA from General Electric’s Financial Management Program.