(Raleigh, NC) DTV Plus, the datacasting unit of Capitol Broadcasting and Wavexpress, a new technology company providing e-commerce and datacasting services to digital TV broadcasters, today announced a strategic partnership to collaborate in developing an infrastructure for the delivery of broadcast e-commerce.
As a result of the new strategic relationship, DTV Plus has invited Wavexpress to participate in one of the first commercial field tests of datacasting, to be conducted in Raleigh, NC starting in mid-April.
The test involves sending information, Web sites, news, weather, sports, MP3 files, videos on demand and consumer coupons through the digital broadcast to PCs in 200 homes in Raleigh, N.C. Through this process, WaveXpress will test its unique infrastructure for the purchase of digital content using a patented technology that establishes a secure transaction environment in individual PCs. Wavexpress views this technology as the solution for broadcast e-commerce. In the Raleigh test, DTV Plus will test consumers' response to the variety of content being delivered.
"Wavexpress is pleased that DTV Plus, a pioneer in datacasting, has selected us as a strategic partner in this important field test. This trial is a key step in Wavexpress' plans for the launch of its broadcast e-commerce service in the second half of 2000," said Clifford Jenks, CEO of Wavexpress.
In 1996, Capitol became the first U.S. broadcast group to transmit HDTV over the air. DTV Plus was formed to develop and deploy a national digital television data broadcast channel to help broadcasters leverage digital bandwidth. "Our early exploration of DTV has convinced us that data broadcasting will play a major role in the future of television," commented Tom Allen, Senior Vice President of Broadcasting, Capitol Broadcasting Company. Sam Matheny, Vice President and General Manger of DTV Plus said, "Data broadcasting offers a powerful complement to today's bandwidth-constrained Internet, and will make it possible for consumers everywhere to receive rich media content using the TV infrastructure. We feel that Wavexpress brings a unique approach to e-commerce, especially for transactions involving digital content, allowing us to lay the groundwork for a whole new era in broadcasting."
Wavexpress technology allows broadcasters to transmit video, games, software, music and Internet content - in parallel to regularly scheduled programming - to consumers on digital televisions and PCs. To deliver this revolutionary new service, Wavexpress is leveraging its resources from Wave Systems, a leader in trusted client technology, and Sarnoff Corporation, a pioneer in broadcasting and HDTV. The Wavexpress system benefits all of the industry players. Broadcasters benefit with new revenues from the use of excess bandwidth and content providers benefit from targeted, efficient and fast delivery systems. Using Wavexpress' revolutionary distributed trust system, consumers can use and purchase information, entertainment, products and services quickly and securely.