Pace still working to crack the US Cable market(C-Cube Chip).............................
skyreport.com
COMPETITIVE WATCH: Pace Sets Sights on Cable
Since entering the pay-television market 12 years ago, U.K.-based Pace Micro Technology has become one of the top makers of DTH set-top boxes in the world, producing systems for the likes of British Sky Broadcasting and Sky Latin America.
But in the United States, Pace is eyeing the potential that lies with cable instead of DBS.
"We are in deep discussions with MSOs," said Neil Gaydon, president of the Americas for Pace. "We have to crack this market. We want to be a good competitor and become an integral part of the cable business."
According to Gaydon, the nation's two DBS providers, EchoStar's DISH Network and DirecTV, are out of the picture for the moment. "DBS already has good suppliers. The market has narrowed. It's a little too tough," he said. "With the cable companies, it's a little different."
To take advantage of the U.S. cable market, Pace opened an office in Boca Raton, Fla. The base houses engineering, sales, marketing, and service divisions that cover North and South American markets.
Pace's agreement with BellSouth Entertainment, a deal announced in February, was the company's first break into the North American market. It also marked Pace's first move into digital wireless set-top boxes. Under the deal, Pace will provide more than 100,000 boxes for BellSouth's digital home entertainment service.
Pace is best recognized for its set-top box work with BSkyB. It was the first to provide receivers for BSkyB's digital offering, debuting its line along with Sky Digital's launch in October 1998. Since then, the company has produced nearly three-quarters of all Sky Digital boxes sold.
Because of the BSkyB work, Pace has become a favorite among News Corp.-backed platforms worldwide, including Sky Latin America, India Sky Broadcasting and Sky New Zealand.
In Europe, Pace is Europe's leading digital set-top box manufacturer, supplying systems to Canal Plus platforms in France and The Netherlands and Stream in Italy. In the United Kingdom, Pace is supplying digital receivers for the ONdigital terrestrial service and the country's major cable operators - Cable and Wireless Communications, NTL and Telewest. |
