EchoStar’s Commitment to Interactive Television
LAS VEGAS—July 19, 2000–EchoStar Communications Corp.
(Nasdaq:DISH) (Nasdaq:DISHP), and OpenTV Corp. (Nasdaq:OPTV)
(AEX:OPTV), the leading provider of software that enables interactive
television (ITV), today announced that more than 1 million EchoStar
set-top boxes will be enabled with OpenTV interactive television
software by the end of 2000.
This news, highlighted during a news conference at the annual
Satellite Broadcasting and Communications Association’s show in Las
Vegas, heralds the upcoming arrival of interactive television services
to consumers nationwide delivered jointly by EchoStar’s DISH
Network(TM) and OpenTV. Soon, DISH Network customers nationwide will
have access to a spectrum of interactive television services such as
instant news, sports and games — all through a simple click of their
television remote control.
Having successfully launched DISH Instant Weather and its new
Electronic Program Guide on May 1, EchoStar continues to lead the U.S.
digital broadcast satellite market into the future through its use of
OpenTV’s software platform to enable the latest in interactive
television applications. EchoStar’s commitment this year to
OpenTV-enabled ITV services demonstrates OpenTV’s rapid momentum as
the worldwide ITV software leader with more than 7.8 million set-top
boxes currently deployed across the globe.
DISH Network will soon launch new and innovative interactive TV
programs to make its viewers’ experiences more compelling than that
offered by any other service provider. By partnering with OpenTV,
utilizing the OpenTV operating platform and OpenTV’s expertise in
creating ITV applications, EchoStar aims to provide the best in
interactive television programming for DISH Network customers.
Enhancing the offering are EchoStar’s and OpenTV’s ongoing
partnerships with leading content providers.
“This is a major step for EchoStar towards delivering the world’s
most complete interactive television experience,” said Charlie Ergen,
CEO and chairman of EchoStar. “OpenTV’s proven technology and
unparalleled experience have helped broadcast networks worldwide
navigate and thrive in the new world of interactive television. We
look forward to a multifaceted and long-lasting relationship with
OpenTV to provide our millions of subscribers with the most dynamic
and meaningful television services available.”
“EchoStar is a very significant and growing player in the U.S.
television market,” said Jan Steenkamp, president and CEO of OpenTV.
“This deployment announcement will make OpenTV the most widely
deployed interactive television service in the United States, as well
as in the world.
“OpenTV is increasingly becoming the operating system of choice
for the leading satellite, cable and terrestrial operators around the
world who appreciate the dramatic revenue opportunities and the viewer
loyalty that interactive television can deliver. Viewers want a more
compelling television experience which DISH Network can now provide
using OpenTV’s software.”
OpenTV-enabled interactive television services will be available
via the following EchoStar satellite receivers: 3800, 3900, 4700 and
4900 series models, as well as an upcoming hard drive set-top box
satellite receiver. Existing EchoStar 3800 and 4700 set-top boxes –
available since October 1998 — are also capable of receiving new and
updated OpenTV interactive television services through automatic and
free software flash-downloads.