ST. LOUIS and REDMOND, Wash., Nov. 7, 2001 — Charter Communications Inc. today announced the selection of the Microsoft® TV software platform to deploy the next generation of interactive TV services to 1 million of its customers over the next seven years. The agreement illustrates Charter’s continuing commitment to bring customers interactive TV services and broadband value.
“Charter and Microsoft are working together to deploy this next-generation service that offers consumers an advanced platform to seamlessly access interactive information and entertainment through the television,”
said Steve Silva, executive vice president and chief technical officer for Charter.
“Using a DOCSIS modem integrated into a digital set-top receiver, we will be the first to deliver an interactive TV service that incorporates Internet-based streaming audio and video and Flash animation. This agreement brings together the strength and reach of Charter’s broadband network — a delivery mechanism unmatched for its speed and capacity — with the technology expertise of Microsoft, the recognized leader in software development.”
“Microsoft is excited to work with Charter on making the broadband experience engaging, fun and useful for consumers, and more profitable for the cable industry,”
said Jon DeVaan, senior vice president of the TV Division at Microsoft.
“Charter’s decision to select Microsoft as its primary strategic partner for interactive TV underscores the benefits of Microsoft TV’s open, scalable platform and the ease of integration of its content and services.”
Charter has deployed the advanced interactive TV services in St. Louis as part of a field trial there using Microsoft TV Advanced client software on Motorola DCT-5000 digital set-top boxes and Microsoft TV Server. The interactive TV services were developed by Charter and the interactive TV company digeo inc. An expanded launch to customers is expected in early 2002.
“We selected Microsoft TV because it will enable us to quickly deploy the interactive information and entertainment services that consumers are looking for from interactive TV, such as a menu of local and national news and information, video on demand, e-mail, high-speed Internet access and streaming media,”
Silva said.
“Microsoft offers an open, scalable platform and has the proven ability to integrate content and services from our existing partners. This agreement enables us to add interactive TV services to our current business immediately.”
“Charter is a leader in the cable industry because of its exciting vision for advanced TV services delivered on high-speed, two-way networks,”
DeVaan said.
“Microsoft TV uniquely supports this vision, and our multiple deployments around the world — now including Charter — show Microsoft TV is ready to deploy now and set the standard for what TV can be.”
Charter’s interactive TV service initially will offer e-mail, Internet browsing and content from digeo, including on-demand local and national news, weather, sports, entertainment, shopping, games and more. The trial also will include streaming media services featuring Microsoft Windows Media™
Technologies. Windows Media is the leading digital media platform, providing unmatched audio and video quality to consumers, content providers, solution providers, software developers and corporations. In the future, other services are scheduled to be added, including interactive programming from Wink Communications, video on demand from Diva Systems Corp., and the TV Guide interactive programming guide.
About Charter Communications
Charter Communications Inc.(Nasdaq “CHTR”), a Wired World™ company, is among the nation’s largest broadband communications companies, currently serving some 7 million customers in 40 states. Charter provides a full range of advanced broadband services to the home, including cable television on an advanced digital video programming platform marketed under the Charter Digital Cable™ brand and high-speed Internet access via Charter Pipeline™ . Commercial high-speed data, video and Internet solutions are provided under the Charter Business Networks™ brand. Advertising sales and production services are sold under the Charter Media™
brand.
A Fortune 500 company, Charter is the 2001 recipient of the Outstanding Corporate Growth Award from the Association for Corporate Growth, the 2001 R.E.
“Ted”
Turner Innovator of the Year Award for Technology, and the 2000 Innovator Award for Technology from Cablevision magazine. More information about Charter can be found at http://www.charter.com/ .
About digeo
digeo inc., The Interactive TV Company, creates new opportunities for cable operators, content providers, merchants and advertisers by providing a set of interactive channels that deliver on-demand local and national news, weather, sports, entertainment, shopping, games, e-mail and more. digeo makes the deployment of iTV easier by building the infrastructure, integrating and enhancing existing content, creating original content, managing the network, and providing training and customer-care support based on the needs of its cable operator partners.
digeo was founded in 1999 by Paul Allen, with investments from Vulcan Ventures Inc. and Charter Communications and is part of Paul Allen’s Wired World. More information on digeo is available at http://www.digeo.com/ , by sending e-mail to [email protected] or by calling (425) 896-6031.
About the Microsoft TV Platform
The Microsoft TV platform is a standards-based client and server software family that enables network operators and their partners to deliver the most compelling interactive TV services to consumers. The platform supports a range of TV devices — from current and next-generation set-top boxes and digital video recorders to integrated television sets, entertainment appliances and other computing devices. Through the platform, network operators and hardware providers can team up to offer consumers an unparalleled range of services, from e-mail and Internet on television to interactive programming, electronic program guides and digital video recording.
Microsoft TV also creates significant new economic opportunities for network operators and industry leaders worldwide that have chosen to work with the platform to deliver or supply the services, programming, hardware and software for interactive TV. Microsoft TV supports open standards and is backed by the technical expertise, support and broad third-party developer community Microsoft is known for. It is an integral part of Microsoft’s .NET vision of empowering people through great software — any time, any place and on any device. More information about the Microsoft TV platform 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.
Microsoft and Windows Media either are registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.
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