HUGE WORLDGATE NEWS FROM CHI CABLE SHOW...
Monday June 14, 7:30 am Eastern Time
Company Press Release
WorldGate Communications Will Work With Comcast Cable Communications to Offer Interactive TV Service
BENSALEM, Penn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 14, 1999--WorldGate Communications, Inc. (Nasdaq:WGAT - news) announced today that it has entered into an agreement with Comcast Cable Communications, Inc. to begin a digital deployment of the WorldGate(SM) Service in a Philadelphia area cable system.
The deployment is scheduled to begin in the Fall of 1999. The service will initially include Internet access, e-mail, Channel HyperLinking(SM) and extensive localized content.
The WorldGate Service will be deployed to cable customers using General Instrument's DCT-2000 digital set-top box. The WorldGate Service includes WorldGate's Channel HyperLinking technology, which allows subscribers to connect with a single click to Web sites related to television programs they are watching. The Service delivers the Web site without the need to type in a URL address.
''We have been pleased with our testing of the WorldGate Service, and we believe it can add value for our cable customers,'' said Steve Heeb, Director New Business Development, Comcast Cable Communications, Inc. ''This represents one of our first offerings of interactive TV services, and we will be following the results closely.''
''We are finding that the WorldGate Service can meet the needs of many different types of users,'' said Hal Krisbergh, Chairman and CEO, WorldGate Communications, Inc. ''Because the cost and complexity of personal computers is still prohibitive for many families, WorldGate is a great option. In other families where multiple family members all share the household computer, WorldGate offers yet another means to share the wealth of the Internet in a cost-effective way.''
About Comcast Cable Communications, Inc.
Comcast Corporation (http://www.comcast.com) is principally involved in the development, management and operation of broadband cable networks and the provision of programming content through principal ownership of QVC, Comcast-Spectacor and Comcast SportsNet, a controlling interest in E! Entertainment Television and through other programming investments.
About WorldGate Communications, Inc.
Headquartered near Philadelphia, WorldGate Communications is a commercially deployed service that enables cable subscribers to access a full array of low-cost Internet services and e-mail through their television sets and the cable television infrastructure rather than a personal computer and telephone. The WorldGate Service marries WorldGate's technology (patent pending) with the television set platform and either the existing advanced analog or digital cable converter along with a remote control or wireless keyboard to bring the Internet to cable subscribers. Using the advanced analog converters, the Service operates at more than 2 times the speed of a standard 56 Kbps telephone modem. With digital cable converters, the Service can operate at 27 Mbps.
In addition, the Company's Channel HyperLinking technology, which allows viewers instant access from the program they are watching to a related Web site or locally available information source, has more than 70 network partners. WorldGate received a notice of allowance from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on all 62 claims of its patent application related to the Channel HyperLinking technology. WorldGate Communications' stock is traded on the NASDAQ under the symbol WGAT. For more information, interested parties may go to wgate.com.
This press release may contain forward-looking statements, which are made pursuant to the safe-harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Expressions of future goals and similar expressions including, without limitation, expressions using the terminology ''may,'' ''will,'' ''believes,'' ''plans,'' ''expects,'' ''anticipates,'' ''predicts,'' ''forecasts,'' and expressions which otherwise reflect something other than historical fact are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties, including the timely development and market acceptance of products and technologies and other factors described in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The actual results may differ materially from any forward-looking statements due to such risks and uncertainties. The Company undertakes no obligations to revise or update any forward-looking statements in order to reflect events or circumstances that may arise after the date of this release.
Note to Editors: WorldGate, Channel HyperLinking and Ultra Thin-Client are service marks of WorldGate Communications, Inc.
|
