EchoStar’s DISH Network Brings Streaming Video to Office Desktop
EchoStar Communications Corporation (NASDAQ: DISH, DISHP)
announced today the introduction of DISHLink(TM), offering an
affordable and convenient system for delivering broadband content and
video channels to the office desktop. DISHLink is an intranet
appliance that connects a customer’s Local Area Network (LAN) to
EchoStar’s DISH Network(TM) satellite TV system, providing an easy way
to distribute large data files as well as live streaming video via
EchoStar’s high-powered satellites to thousands of PCs in remote U.S.
locations. DISHLink will be demonstrated at the Sands Expo Center in
Las Vegas from April 10-13 in EchoStar’s booth No. T1223, located on
the upper level in the satellite and telecommunications section.
Due to the bandwidth limitations of the Internet and most
corporate intranets, businesses typically distribute large electronic
files either on CD-ROM or by using overnight mailing services. With
DISHLink, customers can receive multi-gigabyte documents at speeds of
up to 27 Mb/s. DISHLink’s video streaming option also provides
companies with the capability of delivering broadcast-quality video to
desktop PCs and to remote locations at a fraction of the cost of
high-speed terrestrial networks. Live video such as news, speeches,
and educational or training classes, as well as hundreds of popular
satellite TV channels, can be encoded and broadcast via satellite as
IP multicast streams where they can be viewed on desktop or laptop
PCs. Desktop video provides alternative ways of training and
communicating with employees, partners, and customers and is the most
effective way to offer training and to distribute corporate
communications. In addition to carrying private network content,
DISHLink can also provide a selection of live channels right on each
office PC to keep employees up to date on news and information
necessary for the work place. A standard web browser allows DISHLink
users to easily change channels or view the program guide.
“DISHLink represents our first step toward providing a range of
broadband content distribution alternatives to our enterprise
customers,” said Jim Stratigos, vice president and general manager of
EchoStar Data Networks. “It is truly a `bridge’ platform that will
integrate easily into traditional business TV networks and at the same
time provide a migration path from TVs to desktop PCs for distributing
trainings and company communications.”
With DISHLink, small and large companies now have the capability
to send the latest information to all employees in a timely and
cost-effective manner. DISHLink can deliver corporate communications,
human resources information, video files, graphic files, databases,
computer-based training, educational training, point-of-sale
advertising, and even computer software packages. Employees can access
this service without leaving their desks.
DISHLink is an integrated, “IT-friendly” solution that requires
no additional hardware or software to operate. EchoStar provides
DISHLink customers with a secure FTP server that automatically
schedules data and video files for delivery at the appropriate time
and data rate. Live streaming video can be multicast over the
subscribers LAN at adjustable data rates from 100 kb/s to 1.5 Mb/s.
Unlike video streaming over the Internet, no additional bandwidth is
required to support multiple, simultaneous viewers.
DISHLink services are transmitted quickly from EchoStar’s fleet
of five satellites to a small dish at each subscriber’s location. By
using DISH Network and DISHLink to distribute content to a company’s
local area network, IT managers, corporate training departments and
business content providers now have a congestion-free, “always-on,”
broadband connection to every employee or customer in their network.
Two models of DISHLink are available: DISHLink 100 and DISHLink
100VR. DISHLink 100 can deliver data files while the DISHLink 100VR
can deliver both data files and streaming video. DISHLink will be
available in mid-April with prices beginning at $1,000 each per unit
depending on options and quantities. Monthly service fees start at $30
per month. For more information, call 1-888-624-DISH (3474) or visit
www.dishbusiness.com.