Microsoft Mediaroom Delivers Connected TV to More Than 1 Million Set-Top Boxes

Microsoft Mediaroom Delivers Connected TV to More Than 1 Million Set-Top Boxes

Microsoft's service provider customers add two new IPTV subscriber households per minute.

LAS VEGAS, Jan. 7 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Today at 2008 International CES, Microsoft Corp. announced that its Microsoft Mediaroom Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) and multimedia platform is delivering video entertainment experiences to more than 1 million set-top boxes worldwide and its service provider customers are adding two new IPTV subscriber households every minute. The Mediaroom platform is on pace to reach 1 million subscriber homes in the first quarter of 2008. These milestones demonstrate the growing consumer demand for IPTV and connected television experiences that go beyond traditional pay-TV offerings. Helping to lead this connected TV revolution, Microsoft Mediaroom is transforming the way viewers experience television, movies, music, photos and games in their own homes.

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Deployed or being trialed by more than 20 service providers worldwide on four continents and in 18 countries, Microsoft Mediaroom enables unique features and experiences, such as simultaneous recording of multiple high-definition and standard-definition TV channels, personal media sharing, whole-home and remote digital video recording (DVR), and multiple picture-in-picture scenarios. The platform also integrates with the Xbox 360 gaming device, bringing together next-generation television and gaming offerings into an integrated entertainment experience. In addition, Microsoft Mediaroom allows third parties to create exciting new TV applications and services that enrich the TV viewing experience through the multimedia application environment in the platform.

"We've received a tremendous response for BT Vision from our customers," said Dan Marks, CEO of the BT Vision service from BT, one of the leading service providers that has deployed television services based on Microsoft Mediaroom. "We expect to sign up many new BT Vision subscribers in 2008 and beyond and look forward to bringing them new and connected TV services built on the Microsoft Mediaroom platform."

"The Microsoft Mediaroom platform is a key component in our vision to allow consumers to experience entertainment content on any device, anytime, anywhere," said Enrique Rodriguez, corporate vice president of the Connected Television Division at Microsoft. "It is very rewarding to see this vision materialize with the support of our partners and customers. It is even more gratifying that the opportunity ahead for consumers to experience connected TV is even bigger than we had envisioned."

Further showcasing Microsoft's commitment to delivering unique connected TV services to consumers around the world, Microsoft announced several other Microsoft Mediaroom developments at the 2008 International CES:

-- DVR Anywhere. This gives consumers the flexibility to watch their
recorded programs on any TV in their home, further enhancing the
platform's powerful connected TV capabilities. With DVR Anywhere,
viewers could begin watching a movie in the living room, resume
viewing it on the kitchen TV during dinner, and finish watching the
same movie from the comfort of their bedroom. In addition, members of
a household will never have to fight over the remote control again,
due to the capability to watch the same or different recorded programs
from multiple TVs in the home simultaneously while recording other
shows to be viewed at their convenience.
-- Futuristic connected TV applications for Microsoft Mediaroom.
Microsoft is partnering with ChoiceStream Inc., emuse technologies,
ES3, Showtime Networks Inc. and Turner Broadcasting System Inc. to
demonstrate applications that showcase new connected TV applications
and scenarios that are enabled by the extensible Microsoft Mediaroom
platform. These next-generation scenarios will be on display in the
Microsoft booth at the 2008 International CES show.
-- Ecosystem partnership with Broadcom. Microsoft and Broadcom
Corporation announced a collaboration in IPTV products. The
collaboration includes Microsoft and Broadcom working together to
enable the Microsoft Mediaroom client software to operate on
next-generation set-top boxes utilizing the Broadcom BCM7405 system on
a chip.

"Demand for connected TV services is increasing exponentially on a global scale," said Vince Vittore, senior analyst at Yankee Group Research Inc. "Microsoft Mediaroom's reaching 1 million set-top boxes is an important milestone. Microsoft Mediaroom is giving service providers new ways to differentiate themselves from the competition and further add subscribers with the many next-generation connected TV offerings the platform enables."

The Microsoft Mediaroom platform will be on display at 2008 International CES at booth No. 7144.

About Microsoft Mediaroom

The award-winning Microsoft Mediaroom Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) and multimedia software platform is driving the future of television by enabling broadband service providers to deliver new connected TV and entertainment experiences to consumers worldwide. Microsoft Mediaroom provides new ways for consumers to experience TV as part of their connected, digital lifestyle while also creating new business opportunities for broadband service providers, hardware manufacturers, content creators, advertisers and application developers. Over 20 of the world's leading service providers across four continents have selected the Microsoft Mediaroom platform to drive their digital TV services. More information on Microsoft Mediaroom and the opportunity to deliver the best in TV plus all your media in one place is available at http://www.microsoft.com/TV and http://www.microsoftmediaroom.com/.

About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

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Source: Microsoft Corp.

CONTACT: Microsoft TV Team, Weber Shandwick, +1-425-452-5400,
mstv@webershandwick.com

Web site:

http://www.microsoft.com/
http://www.microsoftmediaroom.com/

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