Tivù Sat Gives ADB Italian Foothold

GENEVA -- Advanced Digital Broadcast (www.adbglobal.com), a leading supplier of technology to the global digital television industry, announced today the launch of an interactive digital satellite set-top box, the i-CAN1110SH designed for the Italian Tivù Sat (www.tivu.tv) offering. The product, marketed under the i-CAN™ brand, will be distributed in retail outlets throughout the country via ADB’s distribution partner ZAP. This will be ADB’s first satellite product deployed in Italy.

Tivù Sat is a free-to-air satellite service, and is jointly owned by the Italian broadcasters RAI, Mediaset and Telecom Italia Media. The objective of the joint venture is to reflect or the current digital terrestrial free channel offering over satellite (Hot Bird 13° East). Hence, households unable to receive DTT signals will obtain the same channels via satellite. The Tivù Sat service, which launched on July 31st last, has its own dedicated Tivù Sat digital set-top box which can be purchased in retail outlets. The service is also offering added-value services such as Electronic Programme Guide and MHP interactivity.

“This is a very exciting time for us at Tivù Sat and we are happy that ADB is part of this adventure”, comments Alberto Sigismondi CEO at Tivù Sat. “The i-CAN brand is well known and trusted by Italian consumers, and therefore we are sure that this new satellite solution will be welcomed by the market. ADB’s product will be amongst the first products on the shelves and comes with the Tivù Sat smart card so that viewers can receive content straight away”.

Advanced Digital Broadcast (ADB)