OpenTV and Micronas team to further drive interactive TV set-top box market (0108)
OpenTV and Micronas offer consumer electronics manufacturers access to an established world-wide market of interactive TV viewers
Munich, April 23, 2001 - OpenTV (NASDAQ: OPTV and AEX: OPTV), the world's leading interactive television and media solutions company, announces an agreement to license its technology to Micronas Munich (formerly the consumer division of Infineon Technologies), a market leader in TV & multimedia system solutions.
The agreement will allow Micronas to offer set-top box and TV manufacturers a chipset solution which is optimised for the OpenTV platform, and in so doing will create an opportunity for a fast, simple and low-cost route to launching mass market products which support the world's most widely-used interactive digital TV software.
"By providing a driver software package certified by OpenTV, we can offer digital television manufacturers easy access to an existing global market opportunity," said Hans-Jürgen Désor, Vice President Consumer Products of Micronas.
"OpenTV's experience of interactive TV deployments, the stability of its platform and its clear commitment to industry standards such as DVB-MHP were also key factors in our decision. Digital interactive television is a key growth market for Micronas, and we are proud to work with the market leader."
OpenTV CEO James Ackerman said: "By aligning ourselves with major global technology manufacturers we continue to give a clear signal that OpenTV is setting the standard in interactive television. Micronas' strength in Europe is particularly important to us. Analysts expect over 60 million set-top boxes and integrated digital TVs will be sold in Western Europe by 2004 (Datamonitor 2000)."
About OpenTV
OpenTV is the world's leading interactive television and media solutions company. OpenTV builds a complete software and infrastructure platform that enables digital interactive television and brings on-demand content to other digital communications devices. OpenTV solutions are crafted to meet the needs of all digital communications networks and include operating middleware, content applications, content creation tools, professional services expertise and strategic consulting.
OpenTV software has been shipped with or installed in more than 13.9 million digital set-top boxes worldwide and has been selected by 40 digital cable, satellite and terrestrial communications networks in over 50 countries, including BSkyB in the United Kingdom; TPS and Noos in France; PrimaCom in Germany; Via Digital in Spain; Stream in Italy; DIRECTV Latin America LLC; and EchoStar's DISH Network and USA Media in the U.S. In addition, 31 digital set-top box manufacturers have licensed OpenTV's software, and more than 900 developers have joined the company's OpenAdvantage developer program.
Worldwide headquarters for OpenTV is located in Mountain View, Calif. Information on OpenTV is available at www.opentv.com.
David Lawrence/Bethany Poore
Miller/Shandwick Technologies
Tel: +44 207 240 8666
dlawrence@miller.shandwick.com
bpoore@miller.shandwick.com
Riki Rau
OpenTV Europe
Tel: +33 1 5858 2200
urau@europe.opentv.com
Gary Fuges
OpenTV Investor Relations
Tel: +1 650 429 5531
gfuges@opentv.com