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Time Warner Cable Launches News 4 WOAI On Demand With Broadbus Technologies; New Technology Allows Viewers to Watch Original Local News Programs on Their Schedule

Posted on: Tuesday, 1 November 2005, 09:00 CST

San Antonio and surrounding communities will have access to a local affiliate's news content using new Video on Demand technology. Leveraging video on-demand technology from Broadbus Technologies, on November 1, Time Warner Cable San Antonio will launch News 4 WOAI On Demand, Digital Channel 989, which will provide original WOAI-TV news programming on the division's Free On Demand channel lineup.

News 4 WOAI On Demand will allow customers to watch all WOAI-TV newscasts and other programming at their convenience. Time Warner Cable will encode the programs in real time and they typically will be published and available for on-demand viewing within about 5 minutes after the end of the broadcast. For example, the 5:00 p.m. newscast will be available for playback on News 4 WOAI On Demand beginning at 5:35 p.m.

Along with all WOAI-TV newscasts, viewers will be able to watch programming such as San Antonio Living and Sports Sunday. Newscasts will be archived for 24 hours and San Antonio Living and Sports Sunday will be available for a week.

"The speed in which local news programming will be available on News 4 WOAI On Demand is uniquely offered only to Time Warner Cable San Antonio subscribers through our relationship with Broadbus," said Jeff Henry, vice president of marketing and new product development for Time Warner Cable San Antonio. "We are seeing a dramatic increase in the use of our VOD services and News 4 WOAI On Demand is yet another outlet for viewers to watch the programming they want and get the information they need when they want it."

According to Time Warner Inc., "Video on demand, cable's primary differentiator versus satellite providers, has continued to grow in popularity with consumers. Today, Time Warner Cable digital customers view an average of 15 on-demand streams per month - a 50% increase in VOD views per digital subscriber versus last year. The benefit of increased views is significant as VOD usage drives digital cable retention."

This project is the first within Time Warner Cable nationally and uses a system that was developed by Broadbus Technologies. Broadbus is a leading provider of next-generation video on-demand server technology that allows Time Warner Cable San Antonio to provide broader and better performing video-on-demand experiences to its customers. Broadbus recently replaced Time Warner Cable San Antonio's legacy video on-demand systems in one of the largest such switch-outs to date in the U.S.

Vin Bisceglia, chairman and CEO of Broadbus Technologies said Broadbus' patented video server architecture, in conjunction with the company's new Content Commander(TM) software, allows Time Warner Cable San Antonio to easily make local broadcast content available for on-demand viewing almost immediately following the original program airing.

"We are thrilled to be working with Time Warner Cable San Antonio to help deliver high-quality, local content to its subscribers," said Bisceglia. "Unlike other VOD systems, which can take up to an hour or more to post local news for on-demand viewing, Broadbus enables Time Warner Cable San Antonio to offer its subscribers access to news on-demand minutes after the live broadcast."

About Broadbus

Broadbus develops fully scalable, next-generation Video on Demand server systems designed to solve streaming scale, space, power consumption and live ingest issues for cable operators deploying advanced video services such as VOD, Subscription VOD, and ultimately, full-scale TOD. Broadbus offers a migration path to the emerging TOD environment, while fully exploiting existing upgraded broadband networks. The company's revolutionary server architecture based on the intelligent configuration and management of massive amounts of random-access memory, enables operators to offer their subscribers unparalleled convenience, choice, and control over their home entertainment.

Broadbus was recently selected by Red Herring for inclusion into its annual List of Top 100 Private Companies, named to CED Magazine's Top 50 companies leading the broadband revolution and listed as a finalist for Best Innovation in two categories for the first annual On-Demandies(TM) awards hosted by Digital Hollywood. For more information, please visit www.broadbus.com.

About Time Warner Cable San Antonio

Through innovative technology, a fully upgraded fiber-based network, and a commitment to increasing choice and value for our customers, Time Warner Cable brings the digital age to the San Antonio community and is transforming the way San Antonians communicate and receive information and entertainment. Time Warner Cable San Antonio offers award-winning customer service and technical support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. For more information, visit www.twc-sa.com or call (210) 244-0500.

Source: Business Wire

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