Three Leading INS Telcos Deploy Myrio’s IP Video Platform

Myrio’s IP Video Platform Reduces Cost By Supporting Multiple VOD Server Vendors

Bothell, Wash. - Myrio Corporation, a leading provider of IP video software and services, today announced that South Slope Cooperative Communications Company, Winnebago Cooperative Telephone Association and Mahaska Communication Group have deployed the Myrio IP Video Platform over the Iowa Network Services (INS) statewide Network. Myrio’s solution enables the operators to offer a triple-play bundle with advanced digital video services, such as video on demand (VOD) and pay-per-view to more than 20,000 customers.

Leveraging the INS network and centralized headend allows South Slope, Winnebago and Mahaska to offer video without incurring the significant cost of building and maintaining separate headends. The video services provided by INS and Myrio remove significant cost barriers to broadband service providers considering video while creating new revenue opportunities for them.

South Slope is the largest operator on the INS ring to offer a bundled service of voice, data and video, and the first to offer VOD using Myrio’s IP video platform and content management services. Through its centralized headend and VOD server, INS is able to distribute movie content to other VOD servers at operator sites throughout the INS ring by utilizing the new multiple VOD server support in the Myrio IP Video Platform. Myrio’s open and extensible Java platform simultaneously supports multiple vendors’ VOD servers on the same network. This capability allows INS and affiliates such as South Slope to deploy the most appropriate VOD server for their local network from vendors such as Kasenna, MidStream, Entone and nCube. While other systems support multiple instances of the same make of VOD server with duplicate content, Myrio is the only middleware provider to enable the simultaneous use of multiple vendors’ VOD servers containing different content within the same network.

“The ability to offer VOD marks a milestone in South Slope’s goal to provide the most advanced digital video services,” said J.R. Brumley, CEO of South Slope.

South Slope’s new services will completely replace the existing obsolete analog cable system in Walford and Ely and will offer 107 video and 45 music channels. The company has more than 14,000 Iowa subscribers in numerous communities including North Liberty, Solon, Tiffin, Oxford, Amana, Norway, and Newhall.

Winnebago, an independent telephone company in north central Iowa, will augment its existing cable TV offering with Myrio’s IP video platform. Winnebago currently provides voice and TV services to the communities of Joice, Buffalo Center, Forest City, Lake Mills and Thompson. By deploying Myrio’s IP video platform, Winnebago can now provide advanced digital features such as Pause-Live TV, on-screen Caller ID and rich Web content on TV cost effectively.

“Our traditional telephone services are experiencing competitive pressures from a variety of sources,” said Terry Wegner, general manager of Winnebago. “By utilizing the centralized headend distribution enabled by Myrio’s platform and the INS network, we have been able to enter the video services market quickly and easily.”

Winnebago is planning to add video service to several more communities in the near future, including Fertile, Hanlontown, Woden, Crystal Lake and Emmons.

Mahaska Communication Group, located in Oskaloosa, Iowa, represents a new kind of customer for Myrio. Unlike other Myrio customers, Mahaska is not a traditional telephone company, but rather an independent broadband service provider. A subsidiary of Musco Lighting, Mahaska provides fiber to the premise (FTTP) broadband services to businesses and residents of Oskaloosa and neighboring communities. By deploying the Myrio IP Video Platform, Mahaska expects its broadband subscriber base to grow from 3,600 to 5,600 by the end of 2004.

“Deploying video would have been cost prohibitive for us without the INS network and Myrio platform,” said Frank Hanson, general manager of Mahaska. “They have a proven track record of success in Iowa, and continue to provide INS affiliates with a scalable and cost-effective solution that reduces time to market.”

“Independent operators like South Slope, Winnebago and Mahaska continue to validate the technical and commercial viability of IP video to the telecommunications industry at large,” said Roger Shanafelt, vice president of worldwide sales and marketing for Myrio. “Our customers continue to benefit from the standards based Myrio IP Video Platform. Choice of vendors for VOD servers is yet another example of Myrio’s mission to reduce the overall cost of operating a commercial video service.”

About South Slope

South Slope is the largest independent cooperative telephone company in Iowa. South Slope has over 75 employees with combined experience at South Slope of over 700 years. We have been in business 46 years. 488 square miles of territory are serviced by 1,141 miles of copper, 324 miles of fiber facilities, and 9 GSM Digital Wireless Tower sites. South Slope serves over 14000 access lines, 4 public school districts, and 4 counties. Broadband Internet service is offered to all members.

About Winnebago

Winnebago Cooperative Telephone Association is a member-owned cooperative providing a full range of quality, reliable telecommunication services and products to communities in north central Iowa and south central Minnesota.

About Mahaska Communication Group

MCG provides simple, reliable and cost-effective communication services for residential and business customers throughout Oskaloosa, Iowa and the surrounding area.

About Myrio

Myrio is a leading provider of software, content and integration services that enable new revenue opportunities for broadband operators by leveraging their infrastructures. Myrio’s software suite consists of Myrio Interactive, a full-featured end-user application for set-top boxes, and TotalManage, a back-office subscriber and content management solution. Myrio's solutions and expertise enable operators to deploy more quickly and offer their subscribers a full range of IP-based video and on-demand entertainment while lowering the total cost of ownership through operational efficiencies and hardware choice. A pioneer in the industry, Myrio has commercially deployed its solutions to operators throughout the United States and is conducting customer trials internationally.

Myrio is a privately held corporation funded by Ridgewood Capital, NeoCarta Ventures, Alexander Hutton Venture Partners and Siemens Venture Capital. For more information, please visit Myrio's web site at www.myrio.com.