SES Global Unveils
Low Cost, Always-On Satellite Return Path Technology for Interactive
TV
(15 April 2004) SES Americom is
to unveil Satmode, an innovative technology designed to support real-time
voting, chatting, messaging, commerce, video-on-demand, and other applications
at the remote control fingertips of DBS consumers world-wide, at NAB in Las
Vegas.
The affordable, two-way satellite channel
platform, scheduled for availability next year, is the result of a global,
cutting-edge consortium effort, led by SES Global, which could forever change
and enhance the way DBS providers deliver services and how millions of
consumers receive and interact with them.
Easily integrated into an
existing or new, basic or DVR-powered, satellite TV set-top box, Satmode is
designed to enable broadcasters to deliver truly personalised, interactive and
on-demand services directly to individual subscribers. Whether it's in the
hands of millions of voting American Idol fans, chatting friends and family
members world-wide, or movie buffs ordering the latest release on-demand, the
scalability of Satmode would allow the transactions to be completed without
delay.
Satmode is currently in the latter stages of development, with
field tests scheduled for next spring and commercial availability slated for
sometime late next year.
Satmode is a low-cost always on transmission
technology, designed to enable broadcasters and DBS providers to personalise
the television experience for their subscribers. Services based on this
technology can be easily integrated into existing or new, basic and DVR-based
set-top boxes, and will be offered with a turn-key option for service providers
that prefer to leave the back office management to Satmode. The Satmode
development consortium is led by SES Global. The development kernel of the
consortium is the Satmode program, financed by the European Space Agency (ESA),
SES Global entities, and by industry partners including: Newtec, a satellite
solutions provider; NDS France, the MediaHighway middleware developer; NAGRA
France, a conditional access developer; Thomson, a manufacturer of set-top
boxes; ST Microelectronics, a chip manufacturer and SpaceBridge of Canada, a
chip designer.
(Source: SES Americom)
