DISH Launches Advanced, Affordable Hotel TV Solution to Heighten In-Room Entertainment Experience

DISH Launches Advanced, Affordable Hotel TV Solution to Heighten In-Room Entertainment Experience

• Expands in-room entertainment with up to 96 channels in high-definition (HD)
• One low-profile unit supports HD and SD channels in every room
• Operator friendly features: lowered power consumption, remote management toolset, reduced rack-space footprint

MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Today, DISH has introduced a flexible satellite television platform targeted at hotels and hospitality operations that improves the in-room entertainment experience for guests and reduces total cost of ownership for operators. DISH is demonstrating its SMARTbox solution at the HITEC 2013 conference in Minneapolis. The DISH booth is located at booth #1625.

DISH's new SMARTbox technology for hospitality operations expands available HD channels up to 96, an improvement over the industry standard of 12-24 HD channels. (Photo: Business Wire)

Most hotel solutions use modified residential receivers - since hotel owners face different challenges than residential customers, SMARTbox was designed as an enterprise-grade solution with the following features:

• Scales to provide 36-96 channel lineup in HD and SD, an improvement over the industry standard of 12-24 HD channels,
• One unit will have flexibility to provide HD and SD channels simultaneously, making it efficient and cost effective to serve all TVs in any size hotel,
• Reduced size will replace the three sizable racks measuring seven-feet tall with a single SMARTbox unit built to standard rack-width spacing and stands only nine inches high,
• Remote monitoring and management capabilities enable easier deployment and maximize uptime,
• Low total cost of ownership with up to 90 percent reduction in power consumption and up to 93 percent reduction in rack space compared to similar solutions.

"SMARTbox delivers a better overall free-to-guest operating experience for managers and a vastly improved end-user experience for guests," said Robert Grosz, vice president of Commercial Sales at DISH. "Reducing installation, power consumption and management overhead are big wins in free-to-guest; having happier guests is even better."

"As hotels face increasing costs to transition to HD, SMARTbox will deliver digital HD capabilities and analog SD from a single unit, making it ideal for hotels transitioning to new TVs," said Alistair Chatwin, director of Product Management at DISH. "This enterprise-grade solution also benefits management by providing greater reliability, configurability and increased uptime while reducing the total cost of ownership."

For more information about SMARTbox, visit http://commercial.dish.com.

ABOUT DISH

DISH Network Corporation (NAS: DISH) , through its subsidiary DISH Network L.L.C., provides approximately 14.092 million satellite TV customers, as of March 31, 2013, with the highest quality programming and technology with the most choices at the best value, including HD Free for Life®. Subscribers enjoy the largest high definition line-up with more than 200 national HD channels, the most international channels, and award-winning HD and DVR technology. DISH Network Corporation's subsidiary, Blockbuster L.L.C., delivers family entertainment to millions of customers around the world. DISH Network Corporation is a Fortune 200 company. Visit www.dish.com.

Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/multimedia/home/20130624005476/en/

DISH Network Corporation
Aaron Johnson, 720-514-5839
aaron.johnson@dish.com

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