14 DAY TRIAL // BT, one of the world's leading providers of communications solutions, plans to trial TV over broadband services powered by Microsoft TV IPTV Edition in early 2006, the delivery of commercial services being expected to begin in the summer of 2006.
"BT continues to demonstrate its commitment to broadband in the U.K. through the development of a portfolio of innovative broadband services designed to deliver more and more value to our customers," said Gavin Patterson, group managing director of BT Retail. "BT and Microsoft share a common vision for converged entertainment in the home. Our approach of over-the-air broadcast and broadband-delivered video-on-demand, interactivity and enhanced support is the perfect solution and complements existing TV propositions already in the U.K. market. The combination of Microsoft's best-in-class technology with BT's 21st-century network will result in an incredibly exciting set of next-generation entertainment and communication services available to consumers across the U.K."
Microsoft TV IPTV Edition software platform enables broadband network operators to deliver engaging, high-quality video content and services to their customers using their existing and next-generation broadband networks. The platform combines Microsoft and industry innovations to support cost-effective and security-enhanced delivery of the full set of today's pay-TV service offerings, including standard- and high-definition channels, on-demand programming, digital video recording, and interactive program guides.
"BT is a great example of one of the world's leading network operators choosing Microsoft TV as the software platform for its digital TV and converged entertainment services," said Moshe Lichtman, corporate vice president of the Microsoft TV division at Microsoft. "We are very pleased to be working with such a well-respected and innovative operator as BT. Microsoft TV IPTV Edition will enable a full suite of integrated entertainment and communication services that will set the bar for what consumers will expect."