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Thursday June 10, 9:03 am Eastern Time
Company Press Release
American Digital Communications, Inc.
TrackPower, EchoStar Offer Live Horse Racing to 2.3 Million DISH Network Customers
NEW YORK, NEW YORK--American Digital Communications, Inc. (OTCBB: ADCM - news) and EchoStar Communications Corporation (NASDAQ: DISH - news, DISHP - news) have reached an agreement to broadcast live horseracing provided by TrackPower(TM) to DISH Network(TM) satellite television customers, which broadcasts to more than 2.3 million U.S. direct broadcast satellite homes. TrackPower currently provides live horse racing video to paying subscribers throughout North America on EchoStar's SkyVista(TM) satellite television service. The TrackPower service offers four channels of live horse racing 12 hours a day for only $19.99 per month, with an anticipated launch date of July 1, 1999.
EchoStar's new DISHPlayer(TM) will offer TrackPower customers the unique ability to watch live horse racing while at the same time surfing the web for more information about the popular sport, including racing programs, horse and jockey statistics and more. Developed with Microsoft® WebTV Network(TM) Plus service for satellite, DISHPlayer is a combined service and product that revolutionizes the TV viewing experience by integrating EchoStar's DISH Network digital satellite television programming with the Internet TV experience from WebTV Networks. DISHPlayer is offered at a special introductory price of $199 until September 30, 1999.
''We are extremely excited to offer horseracing fans an affordable system that delivers live horse racing, state-of-the-art technology and access to many other programs and services,'' explained John G. Simmonds, Chairman and CEO of ADCM. ''This is only the beginning as TrackPower continues to build upon existing relationships and also develop new strategic partners to broaden our service and further our mission of providing horseracing fans with leading-edge services.''
''TrackPower is an exciting new addition to DISH Network,'' said Mark Jackson, senior vice president of Satellite Services for EchoStar. ''The enhanced features of the new DISHPlayer receiver are ideal for this new and unique interactive content.''
DISHPlayer is the world's first satellite receiver with a built-in, ultrafast, 8.6-gigabyte hard drive capable of recording and playing back simultaneously full-quality digital video. The disk drive makes possible a number of enhanced digital TV features, including TV Pause (''freezing'' a TV show for up to 30 minutes and resuming when the viewer is ready to watch again) and digital video recording (automatic recording of several hours of high-quality digital video). The video-recording feature is planned to be available later this year as a WebTV(TM) Plus and EchoStar service upgrade by satellite. This will allow horseracing fans to instantly record races for later viewing.
This DISHPlayer also features a printer port which can allow for the printing of web site pages, such as information about past horse performance, horseracing programs, TV listings of upcoming shows, or other sports related topics. DISHPlayer also features parental blocking capabilities, allowing parents to control access to web sites and TV programs. In addition, the picture-in-picture capability lets viewers surf the web and watch TV simultaneously. The WebTV service for satellite is offered for $24.95 per month.
American Digital Communications, Inc., delivers high quality live horseracing video to subscribers throughout the Continental United States. The TrackPower service is currently offered in conjunction with Echostar's SkyVista Direct-To-Home (DTH) service.
DISH Network offers complete digital satellite TV systems beginning at only $149 for a satellite receiver and an 18-inch dish antenna, and standard professional installation starts at only $99. DISH Network programming begins at $19.99 per month for 40 of the most popular all-digital satellite TV channels. DISH Network also offers sports, international and pay-per-view programming, providing horseracing fans with an affordable alternative to cable.
For additional information, contact Graham Simmonds at (905) 839-1430, or by email at simmonds@trackpower.com.
TrackPower will be available for purchase after July 1 by calling 1-800-333-DISH (3474). DISH Network systems can be purchased from nearly 20,000 DISH Network retail locations nationwide.
EchoStar Communications Corp., includes three interrelated business units:
- DISH Network(TM) is EchoStar's state-of-the-art DBS system that offers customers over 300 channels of digital video and CD-quality audio programming, fully MPEG-2/DVB compliant hardware and installation.
- EchoStar Technologies Corporation (ETC, formerly HTS(TM) - Houston Tracker Systems, Inc.), designs, manufactures and distributes DBS set-top boxes, antennas and other digital equipment for DISH Network and various international customers that include ExpressVu Canada and Telefonica's Vía Digital system in Spain. ETC also provides uplink-center design, construction oversight and project-integration services for customers internationally.
- Satellite Services provides the delivery of video, audio and data services to business television customers and other satellite users. These services include satellite uplink, satellite transponder space-usage and other services. Satellite Services also administers SKY VISTA, a direct broadcast satellite service offering up to 27 channels of popular digital satellite television programming to viewers in Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and the U.S. territories in the Caribbean.
DISH Network currently serves over 2.3 million customers. DISH Network is a trademark of EchoStar Communications Corporation. HTS is a trademark of Houston Tracker Systems, Inc. DISH Network is located on the Internet at: www.dishnetwork.com
This release contains forward-looking statements, which are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Investors are cautioned that all forward-looking statements involve risk and uncertainties.
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Contact:
American Digital Communications, Inc.
J. Graham Simmonds
(905) 839-1430 x352
Simmonds@trackpower.com
or
EchoStar Communications Corp.
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