REDMOND, Wash., July 22, 2002 — Microsoft Corp. today announced it has named John Walthall as director of worldwide sales for the Microsoft®
TV Division. Walthall comes to Microsoft from Liberate Technologies, where he was vice president, sales for the Americas. As director of worldwide sales for Microsoft TV, Walthall will work with multiple service operators (MSOs) around the globe to deploy interactive TV (iTV) services based on the Microsoft TV platform.
In his new role, Walthall will drive worldwide business development for the entire spectrum of Microsoft TV solutions, supporting the new Microsoft TV product strategy to focus on software for thin-client set-top boxes as well as the new “media center” devices currently in development. Walthall will work closely with network operators to ensure that Microsoft TV products enable a more satisfying digital TV experience for millions of viewers through feature-rich services such as the Microsoft TV Interactive Program Guide (IPG) and support for advanced services such as video on demand and enhanced digital video recording.
“John brings a wealth of relevant experience and an impressive history of results to the Microsoft TV Division,” said Moshe Lichtman, corporate vice president of the Microsoft TV Division. “His addition to our team is a great step toward reaching our goal of delivering the most valuable solutions to network operators through great software that offers new, cost-effective experiences and services today and in the future.”
Walthall will lead the sales team at Microsoft TV, which has established relationships with key network operators in the United States, Europe, Asia and Latin America. The team’s primary focus is on developing new alliances with network operators, as well as continuing to build on relationships with industry leaders that have chosen Microsoft TV.
Walthall has more than 16 years of broadband sales experience working with leading-edge products, customers, technical and administrative personnel, channels, distributors, partners, and suppliers for software and telecommunications companies including Liberate Technologies, GTE Systems Corp. and CableData Inc. At Liberate Technologies, Walthall was responsible for driving and maintaining key executive-level relationships within Liberate’s customer and prospect base.
About the Microsoft TV Platform
Microsoft TV is a family of standards-based, client and server software products that enables the delivery of digital and iTV services through cable, terrestrial and satellite networks across a variety of TV devices including the full range of set-top boxes. The Microsoft TV platform provides value to network operators by enabling new revenue-generating services including video on demand, IPGs, digital video recording, enhanced programming, e-mail and more. More than 1,500 leading providers of services, programming, hardware and software for iTV have chosen to work with Microsoft TV. A leader in the iTV industry, Microsoft is deployed or in trial today with network operators around the world. More information about Microsoft TV can be found at http://www.microsoft.com/tv/ .
About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and Internet technologies for personal and business computing. The company offers a wide range of products and services designed to empower people through great software — any time, any place and on any device.
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