Re: Digital TV - MSFT in the STB?
Thread- A little strategic PR out of MSFT. I like the last sentence, but don't believe a word of it. Dropping around a total of $10 billion into MSO properties worldwide will, IMHO, get MSFT into the STB's at some point in time.
Check out the number of STB contracts MSFT stated they have under contract today- 15,000,000 boxes! Well that just about covers the entire amount of digital STBs out in the field today(non DBS boxes). It's a substantial figure. -MikeM(From Florida)
MSO- multiple system operator
STB- set-top box
DBS- direct broadcast satellite
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Microsoft Confirms TV Software Delay
By Jana Sanchez
AMSTERDAM, Aug 17- U.S. software giant Microsoft confirmed on Thursday that its interactive TV software will not be ready for the planned October roll-out of Europe's largest cable operator United Pan-Europe Communications NV(UPCOY).
``The software (called Microsoft TV), is not at a level of stability we would want for an initial roll-out,'' Ed Graczyk, director of marketing for Microsoft TV told Reuters.
UPC chairman Mark Schneider said on Tuesday that software from its eight percent shareholder Microsoft was not ready, but that the October launch of set-top boxes in Amsterdam would not be postponed.
He said UPC would shop around for other software if Microsoft did not deliver on time.
Schneider said UPC would also test software from Microsoft competitors OpenTV, Liberate(LBRT) and proprietary software developed by AtHome Corporation(ATHM).
The UPC launch of set-top boxes will go ahead with simpler software, but more complex software offering more interactive capabilities can be downloaded onto the boxes via the network early next year.
Microsoft TV has orders from cable operators for software for 15 million set-top boxes, Graczyk said. An order placed by Portugal's TV Cabo, in which Microsoft also has a stake, would be delivered on time for a 2001 deployment, he said.
``I believe we will be able to go forward as planned with TV Cabo.''
Microsoft has numerous investments in cable companies worldwide, which competitors in the past have said was part of a strategy to buy a piece of the market for interactive TV software.
``While significant investments get us a seat at the table, at the end of the day, our software is chosen on the merits...UPC is proof of that,'' Graczyk said. |
