IP-PRIME Signs Telcos to HD Agreements

200,000 Additional Homes to Have Access to the Best HD Viewing Experience Available

IP-PRIME, the leading provider of turnkey IP-based video services, today announced the addition of 12 new High Definition programming agreements with local telephone operators. These telephone companies, who launched IPTV service years ago in their communities, have chosen the IP-PRIME® HD-4 package to address their subscribers’ increasing requests for HD channels.

IP-PRIME’s innovative technology and extensive programming roster allow operators to overlay the more efficient MPEG-4 service atop their existing MPEG-2 service, which would otherwise not have been able to provide HD channels. Within the next few weeks, telco subscribers across the country — from South Carolina to North Dakota — will receive the HD-4 32-channel lineup of news, entertainment & sports programming from ESPN, Disney, Discovery, CNN, Fox News, MTV, and many others.

“We are pleased that our HD-4 service has been able to help operators solve a technology infrastructure problem and satisfy their subscribers’ desire for HD channels,” said Bill Squadron, President of IP-PRIME. “Since announcing the availability of HD-4 last November, the MPEG-2 IPTV telcos have been clamoring for this extremely cost-efficient and complete HD solution. We can have the service up and running in 45 days, and our MPEG-4 HD picture quality is stunning.”

“Our subscribers were demanding a full complement of HD channels and IP-PRIME enables us to answer that demand. With the addition of HD-4, we remain competitive in our marketplace. The fact that IP-PRIME is an SES AMERICOM product assured us that the expertise and support of this service would be exceptional,” said Mark Reinhart, Director of Video Services for Hargray Communications in South Carolina.

Among the twelve operators who recently signed IP-PRIME HD-4 contracts are Chibardun Telephone Cooperative in Wisconsin, Home Town Cable in Florida and Manti Telephone in Utah.

In addition to HD-4, IP-PRIME’s core solution equips a telco to offer a comprehensive television service combining SD and HD programming. Backed by the technological know-how of SES AMERICOM, one of the world’s leading broadcast satellite providers, IP-PRIME is able to deliver the best picture quality available today in the market using MPEG-4 encoding for both SD and HD channels. Currently, IP-PRIME has the strongest programming platform in the industry, with 36 HD channels, more than 260 channels of SD and more than 100 channels of music. IP-PRIME is a turnkey solution for telecom companies looking to provide high quality, customizable programming quickly and efficiently to their customers.

About SES AMERICOM

SES AMERICOM, North America’s leading satellite company, delivers video, voice and data ubiquitously across the continent, including locations impossible to reach with wired connections. Building on its thirty year heritage in broadcast television, the company’s IP-PRIME® solution is the fastest and most cost effective way for providers to bring IPTV service to market. This true turnkey solution comes with transport agreements for over 295 television channels – including the industry’s largest selection of HDTV – and more than 100 digital music channels, letting IP-PRIME customers offer a broad range of diverse programming to their subscribers. For more information visit www.ip-prime.tv and www.ses-americom.com.

About SES

SES AMERICOM is an SES company (Euronext Paris and Luxembourg Stock Exchange: SESG). SES wholly owns three market-leading satellite operators, SES ASTRA in Europe, SES AMERICOM in North America, and SES NEW SKIES which provides global coverage and connectivity. The company also holds 90% of SES SIRIUS in Europe as well as strategic participations in Ciel in Canada and Quetzsat in Mexico. SES provides outstanding satellite communications solutions via a fleet of 38 satellites in 25 orbital positions around the globe. Additional information on SES is available at: www.ses.com.

Contacts

SES AMERICOM
Monica Morgan, +1-609-987-4143
Monica.morgan {at} ses-americom(.)com