Monday June 28, 8:59 am Eastern Time
Company Press Release
MDU Completes Canada's First Combined Digital
Satellite TV & Internet Hotel Installation
Hilton Vancouver Airport Hotel Offers Business Travelers Leading Technology
RICHMOND, British Columbia--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 28, 1999--MDU
Communications Inc. (OTC BB:MDTV)
announced the installation and launch of Canada's first digital satellite TV and ''plug and
play'' high-speed Internet services at
the newly opened Hilton Vancouver Airport Hotel (NYSE:HLT - news).
''This new installation and the two unique services we provide represent the future for
the hospitality industry and multiple
dwelling unit market across North America,'' said Sheldon Nelson, President and CEO
of MDU Communications.
''MDU is providing its superior digital satellite television service, Star Choice, to the
property and its customers, as well as its
new High Speed Internet service,'' Nelson added. ''Our fully integrated end to end
network solution will provide the Hilton
Vancouver Airport and its business guests with lightening speed and secure access to
their corporate networks, email, our
virtual concierge and the internet.''
Designed specifically for the business traveler, the unique internet service lets hotel
guests connect laptop computers to the
internet over dedicated ports throughout the hotel and in each guest room through a
regular ethernet connection. Once
connected, users can access their office computer networks and the internet up to 300
times faster than regular dial-up
connections. Guests access their email, corporate networks, the virtual concierge and
the internet for only $12.95/day for
unlimited, secure access at high speed. No other charges apply! Each convention room
carries the same capability for the most
demanding communication applications including video conferencing and multiple on-line
users attending seminars in the
banquet rooms.
''We believe business travelers everywhere will soon be demanding this new higher
standard of internet service that Hilton
Vancouver Airport will be offering,'' said Tim Mashford, General Manager of the new
property. ''These new services provide
us with a unique competitive advantage in our market,'' Mashford added.
The MDU system's proprietary software easily connects computers to the network
without problems or the need to change
any internal communication settings on the guest's laptop computer. Additional benefits
to hotel guests include elimination of
long distance charges often associated with dial up modem connections and improved
access to hotel telephone lines for phone
calls while connected to the network. MDU provides complete system design,
implementation, software billing integration and
support to the property and its guests, as well as all the necessary financing for the
project.
''Our system becomes even more of an asset for hotel and property owners as
technology continues to converge,'' Nelson
says. ''In the future, new revenue will be generated through growing utilization of the
service as well as new voice over IP
applications that we will be testintg in the very near future in cooperation with 3Com
Corporation (Nasdaq:COMS - news).
The technology platform we have chosen is designed to adapt to the changing and
growing demands of the business traveler.''
MDU's technical team on the Hilton installation included:
Velocity Computer Solutions: hardware and software installation and 24-hour technical
and operations support
3Com: network and interconnect equipment and expertise with future expansion
capability
SolutionInc: ''Virtual Concierge'' software that provides a simple internet interface for
users.
''MDU is working with some of the world's best technology companies to deliver what
business travelers and internet users
want and need -- simple, high speed connectivity at a reasonable price,'' stated Nelson.
''Another important part of our system design is its reliability and the flexibility to expand
and grow as technology changes or
client needs and demands expand,'' Nelson says. ''This will allow hotels and property
owners of all kinds to install systems
today and meet the needs of tomorrow.''
With these first 236 internet subscribers and more than 12,000 existing satellite TV
subscribers, MDU Communications Inc. is
the premier supplier of digital satellite television and new technology to residents of
multi-dwelling units including hotels/motels,
apartment buildings, condominiums, universities, gated residential communities and
remote work camps.
''Safe Harbor'' statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995:
This release contains forward looking
statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, the
impact of competitve products and
pricing, product demand and market acceptance, new product development, reliance on
key strategic alliances, availability of
raw materials, the regulatory environment, fluctuations in operating results and other
risks detailed from time to time in the
Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Contact:
MDU Communications Inc.
888/322-6633
604/277-8150
Fax: 604/277-8301
Website: mduc.com
or
Vistawest Capital Group
Investor Relations, 604/602-0078
Toll Free: 800/794-9076
E-mail: investor@mduc.com |
