EchoStar signs agreement with Telefonica; Technology platform contract worth over $40 million
BusinessWire, Monday, June 02, 1997 at 12:15
ENGLEWOOD, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 2, 1997--EchoStar
International Corporation ("EchoStar", NASDAQ:DISH) today announced
that Distribuidora de Television Digital S.A. ("DTS"), a
subsidiary of Spain's Telefonica group of companies, has selected
EchoStar to supply digital set top boxes for their upcoming satellite
television service scheduled to launch this September throughout
Spain.
In addition, EchoStar will license its proprietary electronic
programming guide for use in connection with the digital receivers
for DTS. With an initial order for 1997 of 100,000 digital set top
boxes, the total value of the transaction is over $40 million.
After extensive review of the EchoStar's technology platform and
its US facilities, DTS chose to implement the same Nagra-Kudelski
/DiviCom Inc. combination used by EchoStar for the DTS conditional
access and compression systems.
DTS plans to offer programming using a mini satellite dish and
EchoStar's digital satellite receiver. Using the HISPASAT satellite,
DTS will offer a wide array of video, audio and pay-per-view movies
and events.
As previously announced, ExpressVu acquired EchoStar's
direct-to-home (DTH) satellite technology and will begin offering
television service to all regions of Canada in the summer of 1997.
As part of that agreement, EchoStar is acting as the prime contractor
in the planning, construction and integration of ExpressVu's
satellite uplink facility near Toronto. The first phase of this
project includes an initial order of 62,000 digital set top boxes and
primary uplink integration payments which combined exceed $40
million.
DISH (Digital Sky Highway) Network(SM), EchoStar Communications
Corporation's state-of-the-art DBS system currently offers consumers
over 120 channels of audio and video programming, fully MPEG-2/DVB
compliant hardware, installation, financing and leasing.
EchoStar Communications Corporation (NASDAQ:DISH), headquartered
in Englewood, Colorado, is also a worldwide manufacturer and
distributor of satellite television products and the only U.S.
provider of state-of-the-art fully MPEG-2/DVB compliant satellite
television systems.
The company is a single, convenient source for equipment
distribution, sales, installation and service; consumer financing;
and programming distribution; and is widely recognized in the
satellite industry for its advanced research and development
activities.
EchoStar III, a Lockheed Martin AX2100 satellite, is scheduled to
launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida on an Atlas IIAS launch vehicle
in September of 1997. The satellite will include programming
complimentary to that offered by the DISH Network on EchoStar I and
EchoStar II. The programming lineup could also include Internet
delivery applications, and retransmission of local channels to select
large markets.
DISH Network is a service mark of EchoStar Communications
Corporation. DISH Network is located on the Internet at:
dishnetwork.com |
