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Sunflower to Deploy Moxi-Powered Motorola Broadband Media Centers

Posted on: Monday, 2 August 2004, 06:00 CDT

KIRKLAND, Wash. and LAWRENCE, Kan., Aug. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Sunflower Broadband, a leader among independent cable operators, and Digeo, Inc., the developer of the Moxi Media Center software and services, today announced the planned commercial deployment of the Motorola Broadband Media Center (BMC) with Moxi(TM) to subscribers in the Sunflower network. The Motorola BMC is an advanced digital set-top that integrates high-definition television (HDTV) with a dual-tuner digital video recorder (DVR), providing the ability to watch one channel while recording another. Deployment is slated to begin in third quarter 2004.

Sunflower Broadband, named a CableFAX's CableWorld System of the Year in 2003, will become the first NAS-based cable operator to commercially deploy the Moxi-powered Motorola BMC as its primary DVR and media center product. The deployment with a NAS-based cable operator highlights Moxi's ability to provide an efficient and cost-effective platform for a range of cable architectures, and extends the opportunity to deliver Moxi's advanced services to independent as well as national cable operators.

"The Moxi solution provides a significantly better viewer experience that leapfrogs anything available via satellite," said Patrick Knorr, general manager for Sunflower Broadband. "As a smaller operator we have to be careful in evaluating every new technology and Moxi not only gives our customers what they need, it fits easily into our existing cable infrastructure."

Sunflower Broadband also plans to deploy the Moxi two-TV solution that delivers the industry's lowest-cost, multi-room media center.

Sunflower will become the fourth cable operator to deploy Moxi products. To date, Digeo has secured deployment commitments for 235,000 Moxi Media Centers from three of the top five U.S. cable operators. The service is currently in deployment in several markets and initial consumer response is very positive.

"Sunflower has built their strategy around innovation, and we're very pleased to be partnering with them," said Jim Billmaier, chief executive of Digeo. "Sunflower's commitment to Moxi demonstrates the impact our service can make for regional as well as national cable operators."

Leveraging the powerful Motorola Broadband Media Center, Moxi is the first software platform designed specifically to support cable's expanding menu of content and services. Utilizing the powerful processor, internal hard drive, and built-in cable modem of the Motorola BMC, the Moxi service surpasses current satellite offerings in delivering entertainment to the home. Designed for casual browsing and rapid search, the Moxi Menu allows viewers instant access to current and future program listings whether they originate from live broadcast, on-demand programming, or local DVR recordings. The Moxi interface is both easy-to-learn and fun-to-use, giving viewers a much higher level of choice, convenience and control.

About Digeo, Inc.

Digeo, Inc., provides media center software and services that inspire consumer loyalty, generate new incremental revenue, and position cable as the leading source for home entertainment.

The Moxi(TM) platform from Digeo powers a new generation of media centers through which cable operators can deliver high-revenue services and applications-such as digital video recording (DVR), high-definition TV, and on-demand and pay-per-view content-to the whole home at competitive cost per TV. The multi-TV architecture and breakthrough user interface of the Moxi platform provide all Moxi applications including DVR, DVD, information on demand, jukebox, photos, games, and more from any cable access point in the home using existing wiring. Digeo has also developed an innovative chipset that integrates essential media-center functionality and can substantially reduce future set-top box production costs.

Additionally, Digeo offers the Digeo(TM) iTV service to over one million subscribers, which is the most widely deployed cable iTV service in North America. With Digeo iTV, cable operators can increase the value of their existing digital set-tops by offering field-tested services that have demonstrated increased customer satisfaction and churn reduction, and effective cross-selling of video-on-demand (VOD) and pay-per-view (PPV) offerings.

Moxi(TM) Media Center customers include Comcast, Charter and Adelphia. Digeo is primarily backed by Paul Allen's Vulcan Inc. The company has offices in Kirkland, Wash., Palo Alto, Calif. and Longmont, Colo. For more information, please visit http://www.digeo.com/.

Digeo and Moxi are trademarks of Digeo, Inc. All other product or service names are the property of their respective owners.

About Sunflower Broadband

Sunflower Broadband (formerly known as Sunflower Cablevision) first entered the cable television business in 1970. Since that time, Sunflower has become a leader among independent cable operators in the telecommunications industry. Sunflower is locally owned and operated, and serves nearly 80% of all homes in the Lawrence, Eudora and Douglas County area, delivering over 200 television channels, high-speed cable modem Internet access and local and long distance telephone services. A converged news partnership between the Lawrence Journal-World, 6NEWS and World Online provides our community with an unparalleled local news and information resource for a community of this size. For more information on Sunflower Broadband, visit their Web site at http://www.sunflowerbroadband.com/ .

About Motorola Broadband Communications Sector

The Motorola Broadband Communications Sector provides a scalable, integrated end-to-end system for the delivery of broadband services that keeps consumers informed, entertained and connected. Its technology enables network operators and retailers to create and execute on new business opportunities by providing innovative products and services to the home. Customer-responsive design and manufacturing expertise further contribute to the company's position as the world's leading supplier of digital cable set-tops and cable modems. For more information about the Motorola Broadband Communications Sector, visit http://www.motorola.com/broadband.

About Motorola

Motorola, Inc. is a global leader in wireless, automotive and broadband communications. Sales in 2003 were $27.1 billion. Motorola is a global corporate citizen dedicated to ethical business practices and pioneering important innovations that make things smarter and life better, honored traditions that began when the company was founded 75 years ago this year. For more information, please visit http://www.motorola.com/.

Digeo and Moxi are trademarks of Digeo, Inc. All other product or service names are the property of their respective owners.

MOTOROLA and the Stylized M Logo are registered in the US Patent & Trademark Office. All other product or service names are the property of their respective owners.

Digeo, Inc.

CONTACT: Press and Analysts: Diane Schreiber, +1-415-321-1871,diane@sparkpr.com, or Steve Kerns, +1-415-321-1891, steve@sparkpr.com, both ofSparkpr, for Digeo, Inc.

Web site: http://www.digeo.com/http://www.sunflowerbroadband.com/http://www.motorola.com/broadbandhttp://www.motorola.com/

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