Grande, ICTV Launch Second Expansion of HeadendWare(R)-Based Grande Interactive TV

Grande, ICTV Launch Second Expansion of HeadendWare(R)-Based Grande Interactive TV

LOS GATOS, Calif. and SAN MARCOS, Texas, July 25 /PRNewswire/ -- ICTV(TM), creator of HeadendWare(R), the broadband industry's most powerful platform for the delivery and distribution of compelling interactive television content, and Grande Communications(R), a bundled broadband provider of high-speed Internet, local and long-distance telephone, digital cable television and wireless home security services, today announced a further expansion of next generation television services for Grande customers.

The service, which has been successfully deployed in Austin, San Antonio and San Marcos, is now being launched in Corpus Christi, Midland, Odessa and Waco. ICTV and Grande also are expanding the subscription service with new channels including three for children: Sesame Workshop's "Sesame Street Games;" "On The Farm" from Flying Rhinoceros; and "ToonGolf" from TournamentOne, as well as KaraokeTV and LuckyGolfer from TournamentOne for older gamers. The TvHead Games Channel, previously available to all subscribers, will be expanded to create a subscription channel as well under the expansion. Grande Interactive premium games services will be available on both a monthly subscription and pay-per-day basis.

All Grande Interactive customers will continue to be able to access news, sports, weather and information services from Cloverleaf Digital at no charge. Grande Interactive customers can also access classified advertising including Real Estate, Business and Automotive at no additional cost. Local residents and businesses will be able to advertise on Grande Interactive TV for a small fee by logging on to http://www.grandecom.com/tvclassifieds. Grande Interactive TV utilizes HeadendWare's headend-based processing power and the existing two-way digital plant to deliver cost-effective, real-time interactive services -- including high-quality audio and full-motion video -- to Motorola and Scientific-Atlanta digital set-top boxes.

"We've learned from our rollouts in Austin, San Antonio and San Marcos the great value of offering the best interactive TV available to serve our customers," said Scott Ferguson, interim CEO of Grande. "ICTV delivers a package that includes a suite of attractive content from some of the biggest brands in interactive television helping us deliver new, quality products to our customers."

"The expansion in footprint and service level is yet another example of how Grande Communications has been truly committed to real time, two-way interactive television as a way to differentiate themselves from other providers," said Jeff Miller, CEO and president of ICTV. "We're pleased at their willingness to take our relationship to a new level, and look forward to working with them to bring the benefits of headend-based interactivity to more subscribers in the future."

About Grande Communications(R) (http://www.grandecom.com/)

Headquartered in San Marcos, Grande Communications(R) is building a deep-fiber broadband network to homes and businesses from the ground up. Grande's 900+ employees deliver high-speed Internet, local and long-distance telephone digital cable television and wireless home security services over its own advanced broadband network to communities in Texas. Grande's bundled service area includes portions of Austin, Corpus Christi, suburban northwest Dallas, Midland, Odessa, San Antonio, San Marcos and Waco.

About HeadendWare(R)

ICTV's HeadendWare platform enables network operators to deliver compelling interactive content and applications, including animation, high-fidelity audio and full-motion video, to any digital set-top box. Using headend-based processing power and the existing digital plant, HeadendWare removes set-top box and middleware constraints on the delivery of compelling interactive multimedia content and allows TV-friendly activity that cannot be matched by satellite competitors.

With HeadendWare application servers located anywhere on the operator's network or outsourced, an operator's entire digital subscriber base can interact with robust multimedia applications developed with standard PC, Web and Java tools using existing set-top boxes and remote controls. HeadendWare supports the latest versions of HTML, JavaScript, Java, Windows Media Player(R), Flash(R), RealPlayer(R) and QuickTime(R), enabling network operators to provide subscribers with a limitless array of content and applications.

About ICTV(TM)

ICTV(TM) provides enabling infrastructure for the delivery of new television services to digital cable subscribers. The company offers a solutions-oriented approach to new television services that combines the standards-based technology of ICTV's HeadendWare platform with a portfolio of branded iTV applications that can be deployed today. The solution-based approach offers operators one of the highest returns on bandwidth and incremental capital of the iTV services available today. Strategic investors include Adelphia, Liberty Media, Motorola, OpenTV, Shaw Communications, TV Guide, Cox Communications and Lauder Partners.

Based in the heart of California's Silicon Valley, with offices in Baltimore and the United Kingdom, the company has been issued 23 patents and has numerous patents pending, ensuring protection of its unique and innovative television services solution. ICTV is a member of the Motorola Horizon and Scientific-Atlanta CreativEdge Developer's Programs. For more information, visit http://www.ictv.com/.

Source: ICTV, Inc.

CONTACT: Paul Schneider of PSPR, Inc., +1-215-702-9784, pspr@att.net,
for ICTV; or Brian Dolezal of TateAustin, +1-512-344-2035,
bdolezal@tateaustin.com, for Grande

Web site: http://www.ictv.com/
http://www.grandecom.com/

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