SBC, Yahoo, 2Wire, and Dish Network Partner For Multimedia Entertainment Monster
SBC Communications and 2Wire Inc.teamed up to deliver a home entertainment service that integrates satellite TV programming, digital video recording, video on demand, and Internet content including photos and music via an award-winning new set-top box — and ties it all together with the SBC Yahoo! user interface. The joint venture is part of a two-pronged SBC video strategy to extend home entertainment video services to customers through either high-speed fiber or DSL.
The service will combine content delivered by broadband and satellite into one easy-to-use package, giving consumers a powerful new way to extend the SBC Yahoo! DSL experience beyond the desktop to bring entertainment content to their TV screens and stereos. Today’s announcement builds on the recently announced expanded alliance with Yahoo! Inc. which calls for the companies to extend the SBC Yahoo! customer experience beyond the desktop. The offering will be available to customers who have both SBC | DISH Network and SBC Yahoo! DSL services. It is expected to roll out in mid-2005.
The service will include a satellite TV receiver, digital video recorder (DVR) and storage for digital photos and music. Customers will benefit from the 2Wire MediaPortalTM technology, which will provide fully integrated SBC Yahoo! DSL, SBC | DISH Network satellite TV and home-networking services, and will allow customers to access photos and music and to schedule their digital video recorder (DVR) remotely from any Web-connected computer through the SBC Yahoo! user interface. An agreement with EchoStar Communications Corp. to include SBC | DISH Network will help ensure that broadcast content works seamlessly with the new set-top box service, offering customers unprecedented ease of use for digital video recording, remote access and video on demand.
The features of this multimedia Frankenstein will include:
* Satellite TV. Subscribers will have a variety of SBC | DISH Network satellite entertainment programming packages available.
* Video on Demand. Customers will be able to download and view on their TV screen a variety of movies from different entertainment services, all delivered via high-speed DSL connection.
* Music on Demand. Customers will have the ability to listen to high-quality music from Yahoo! Launchcast Internet Radio via their DSL connection and deliver it to their home stereos, entertainment systems and networked PCs
* Messaging. In the future, SBC local phone service customers will be able to view Caller ID and call-log information on their TV screen. Another future enhancement will integrate the recently launched SBC Unified Communications Service, which combines wireline and wireless voice mail, e-mail and faxes into one mailbox.
* Photos. Customers will be able to download digital photographs directly from their digital cameras to the set-top box or easily view the saved photos on a TV screen from a networked PC. Customers will also be able to access and share their SBC Yahoo! Photos which are stored online in a whole new way.
* Remote Access. Through any Web-connected computer, customers will have the ability to remotely program their set-top box to record satellite entertainment, download movies on demand, and access their photos and personal music collection through the SBC Yahoo! user experience. Customers will also be able to access files on computers connected to their home networks. In the future, customers will be able to enjoy remote access using a Cingular wireless phone.
