More IPTV via Satellite
I see a competitor to IP-PRIME® on the horizon. EchoStar’s ViP-TV is an interesting adjunct to it’s direct-to-home DISH Network service. The news, via SatelliteGuys.us, with discussion thread:
EchoStar Communications Corporation (NASDAQ: DISH) and its subsidiary, EchoStar FSS Corporation (EFSSC), today announced the launch of ViP-TV™ service, through which EFFSC has the ability to transport over 300 channels of secure broadcast quality popular television programming via satellite to Telco, private and rural cable operators, municipalities and master planned community video providers that have obtained rights for distribution of programming over their wire-line networks. ViP-TV is EFSSC’s turn-key solution for wholesale multi-channel content transport and distribution, and offers customers affordable, scalable and aggregated MPEG-4 Internet protocol encapsulated radio and television programming channels from a high-powered Ku-band satellite.
ViP-TV’s suite of channels includes ViP-Premier™, which offers over 100 channels of the most popular television programming, ViP-HD™, which boasts 40 channels of industry-leading high definition programming; ViP-Movies™, a menu of 40 of the most popular movie services; ViP-Latino™, offering 30 of the top-rated Spanish-language programming services; and the ViP-International™ programming package, providing over 30 programming channels in 10 different languages.
The ViP-TV service is also offered in connection with transport of local broadcast networks from more than 165 local designated market areas (DMAs) currently provided by EchoStar to over 1,000 cable and Telco systems in standard definition. VIP-TV also offers transport of high definition local broadcast networks in over 30 local DMAs.
EFSSC’s ViP-TV delivers its service using a high-performance, high-powered Ku Band satellite with full continental United Sates coverage, so that the service can be rapidly deployed and is low cost to maintain. In addition, EFSSC offers full-service design, engineering and installation of head-end equipment together with its award-winning ViP™ series set top box technology and applications.
“ViP-TV is one of the most comprehensive video iP transport and distribution platforms available in the marketplace,” said Michael Kelly, executive vice president of Echostar Fixed Satellite Services. “More than just programming, it is a premier service buoyed by industry-leading technology, service and support. With over 12 years of experience in the transport and distribution business, EchoStar can create a true end-to-end solution offering everything from set top box technology to satellite distribution to service and customer support.”
Add this new entrant to AT&T’s U-verse (read about their outage on Sunday) and Verizon’s FiOS-TV, who are also rolling out IPTV. What ever happened to AvailMedia?
