EchoStar Introduces Aria™, a New Feature-Rich Solution Exclusively for Cable TV Operators

Monday, June 6th, 2011
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ENGLEWOOD, CO — EchoStar Technologies (NASDAQ: SATS) will unveil Aria™, a new technology ‘ecosystem’ designed exclusively for mid-sized and independent cable TV operators on June 14 during the cable industry’s annual signature convention, The Cable Show at Booth 137 in Chicago’s McCormick Place.

“Our engineers have designed an economical technology platform that will allow smaller cable operators to deliver the premium television features and services most in demand by consumers today without the need to invest in new facilities, servers, data centers and additional engineering staff,” said Mark Jackson, president of EchoStar Technologies L.L.C., a business unit of EchoStar Corporation.

Aria features cloud-based VOD, TV Everywhere, and an interactive HD program guide, among other attributes. Operators will gain an edge against the nation’s most competitive providers by using their current cable plant to economically deliver the most popular TV and broadband services.

“Innovative products are being introduced every day, but the technology to use them is designed for the nation’s largest providers. America’s greatest entrepreneurial cable operators still need flexible and scalable solutions that are built for their unique business needs. We believe EchoStar’s innovative technology suite can provide an ‘ecosystem’ that will help operators provide the services to be more competitive,” said Michael Hawkey, vice president of sales and marketing, EchoStar Technologies L.L.C.

“Aria is engineered to perform on existing networks without a painful integration period,” he added.

Aria will run in concert with new EchoStar SD, HD or SlingLoaded® set-top boxes that will also be introduced at The Cable Show. This will allow operators to take advantage of the trend in multi-platform, out-of-home viewing but in a way that brands the experience to the local cable operator.

Other services that can be delivered as part of Aria include:

  • TV Everywhere, multi-screen any location services
  • Sophisticated graphical user interfaces with “skins” branded for the local cable TV operator
  • Universal search across all of a consumer’s authorized content, including linear TV, VOD or over-the-top services
  • Remote DVR timer setting
  • All-digital high-definition VOD (utilizing adaptive bit-rate streaming)

The Aria solution is the latest product suite from EchoStar, a global technology and communications company delivering a state-of-the-art customer TV and broadband viewing experience.