First IPTV Service in Latin America Goes Wireless in the Home

First IPTV Service in Latin America Goes Wireless in the Home

Telefonica del Sur Selects Ruckus Wireless as Primary In-Home Distribution Solution for Its New WiTV IPTV Service

BERLIN, Oct. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- BROADBAND WORLD FORUM -- Ruckus Wireless today announced that it has been selected by Telefonica del Sur (TelSur), a leading provider of Internet-based multimedia and communication services in Chile, to supply its MediaFlex(TM) to support Latin America's first commercial IPTV service.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20071008/CLM029 )

The Ruckus MediaFlex system is a unique multimedia Wi-Fi solution designed to extend the range and increase the reliability of Wi-Fi signals while automatically avoiding interference as it occurs. This allows flawless streaming of multimedia, such as IPTV channels, over standard 802.11a/b/g Wi-Fi.

With the Ruckus Wireless MediaFlex system, TelSur IPTV customers can extend the benefits of location freedom to their TV viewing pleasure. Televisions can now be placed virtually anywhere in their home without cumbersome and costly cabling while ensuring flicker-free TV. Additionally, the Ruckus MediaFlex system allows TelSur to install its IPTV service in less than half the time required to wire a home with coaxial cable or Ethernet wiring, allowing three times as many installations per day.

"With Ruckus Wireless, Telefonica del Sur is moving forward the state of broadband communications and in-home multimedia distribution in Latin America," said Jorge Atton, CEO of Telefonica del Sur. "Together with Ruckus, we are able to maintain a high level of reliability and predictable performance over Wi-Fi that, until now, just hasn't been possible."

Yankee Group forecasts broadband and TV revenue in Latin America will experience solid growth: 110% for broadband by 2010 from more than $3 billion in 2005 to nearly $7 billion. Chile has been at the forefront in terms of convergence.

"TelSur has aggressively overcome many barriers that have delayed the arrival of IPTV within Latin America, such as insufficient network capacity and the high cost of service delivery to and within the home," said Selina Lo, president and CEO of Ruckus Wireless.

Lo continued: "Around the globe, Wi-Fi is taking on a much more strategic role as the defacto connection technology to edge networks. Whether users are at home watching TV, on a park bench accessing metro Wi-Fi networks, at a hot spot watching YouTube videos on their iPhone, or at work streaming news and information over the wireless LAN, they expect a reliable connection and predictable performance. TelSur recognizes the importance of Ruckus technology to transform Wi-Fi into a reliable utility in the home. It's one of the first broadband providers in the world to aggressively use Smart Wi-Fi to provide unique, differentiated and reliable services."

Named the best IPTV distribution delivery solution at the 2007 IPTV World Series Awards, the Ruckus MediaFlex system has been selected by more than 75 broadband providers around the world including: Belgacom (Belgium), PCCW (Hong Kong), Portugal Telecom and Sonaecom (Portugal), Telefonica O2 (Czech Republic), FASTWEB (Italy), Magnet Networks (Ireland), Maxisat (Finland), SingTel (Singapore), Slovenian Telekom "Siol" and T-2 (Slovenia), Pioneer Telephone (Oklahoma), MTA Communications (Alaska) and more than 50 independent telephone operating companies throughout North America.

Introducing WiTV from TelSur

Launched in July of this year, TelSur's "WiTV" IPTV service is being offered on its broadband network between the southern Chilean cities of Concepcion and Puerto Montt. TelSur has invested heavily in upgrading and expanding its broadband network and currently has more than 270, 000 clients.

The Ruckus MediaFlex system is being bundled with TelSur's WiTV IPTV service to subscribers as the primary wireless technology to reliably transmit multicast IPTV streams to televisions around the home.

TelSur's basic IPTV service includes 32 IPTV channels, a Ruckus Wireless MediaFlex router and receiver, a broadband gateway and a set top box for US$20 a month. More televisions can be easily added for $5/month, which includes another Ruckus Wireless MediaFlex adapter and Amino set top box.

Over an NGN infrastructure, TelSur is delivering 20 Mbps of broadband capacity to subscribers. This will support three simultaneous MPEG-2 IPTV streams. TelSur will initially provide installation of the Ruckus Wireless MediaFlex system for its subscribers but is moving to a self-installation model. It also plans to make the Ruckus MediaFlex available in its retail outlets, thereby giving subscribers the ability to install IPTV when and where they desire.

What is IPTV?

IPTV is a new way of streaming real-time television programs, movies and other video content over a broadband IP network. Unlike conventional TV, IPTV requires connecting multimedia receivers (known as IP set-top-boxes) to a computer network to receive video transmissions from the broadband modem or home gateway.

The proliferation of wireless and IP services has lowered traditional barriers to entry to wireline communications markets, giving new, competitive service providers ever-increasing line losses and margin erosion. To counteract this, traditional communications service providers face two strategic imperatives: 1) increase their services portfolio to include new broadband services like IPTV, and 2) decrease their operational expenditures to remain cost-competitive.

Since most home computer networks do not extend to areas where the televisions are located, consumers have to put up with expensive and/or unsightly Ethernet cable installations. While technologies exist today to make Ethernet work over existing coaxial or electrical wiring in a home, their applicability is location-dependent.

Furthermore, consumers everywhere have selected Wi-Fi as the home networking technology of choice. The Ruckus MediaFlex system is the first and only Wi-Fi system purposely designed to deliver picture-perfect video to all corners of a home by automatically steering Wi-Fi signals around interference and physical barriers. Once installed, the system can connect multiple TVs and set-top-boxes, as well as portable video receivers such as multimedia laptops and handheld multimedia players, without the hassles of new wiring or re- wiring.

About Telefonica del Sur S.A.

Based in Valdivia, Telefonica del Sur, the leading telecommunications company in the south of Chile, is a 74%-owned subsidiary of Quinenco Holdings (NYSE:LQ) , one of Chile's largest business conglomerates with consolidated assets of over USD2.6 billion. With more than 270,000 customers, it covers both residential and business clients in the 8th, 9th, 10th and 11th regions of the country. Over the past several years, Telefonica del Sur has been undergoing an important transition from a traditional fixed telephony provider to a multi-product telecommunications operator offering Internet, security services (tele-vigilance), portable telephony under PHS technology, IPTV services and specialized telecom services for businesses.

About Ruckus Wireless, Inc.

Based in Sunnyvale, California, Ruckus Wireless is a next-generation Wi-Fi company credited with pioneering "Smart Wi-Fi" technology. Named a 2007 Technology Pioneer by the World Economic Forum, Ruckus Wireless was formed in 2004 at Sequoia Capital. The company designs, develops and markets industrial- strength Wi-Fi systems that provide reliable distribution of delay-sensitive multimedia content and services over standard 802.11 technology. Its flagship product, ZoneFlex, is the first wireless LAN system to combine the best in centralized wireless LAN principles with state-of-the-art Wi-Fi advances such as smart antenna arrays and wireless meshing. Its MediaFlex line of multimedia wireless routers is used by more than 125 broadband operators around the world to extend digital services such as IPTV throughout the home without wires. The company's patented hardware and software technologies deliver predictable performance, extended range and real-time adaptability to changing Wi-Fi environments. The company has raised approximately $32 million in financing from premier venture capital investors, consumer electronics companies and broadband operators such a Motorola, T-Ventures, Telus, Sutter Hill Ventures, Mitsui, Sequoia and others. Ruckus Wireless is led by President and CEO Selina Lo. For more information, visit the company's Web site at http://www.ruckuswireless.com/.

   Media Contacts   David Callisch   Ruckus Wireless   david@ruckuswireless.com   +1-408-504-5487 mobile  

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20071008/CLM029
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
AP PhotoExpress Network: PRN5
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com

Source: Ruckus Wireless, Inc.

CONTACT: David Callisch of Ruckus Wireless, +1-408-504-5487,
david@ruckuswireless.com

Web site: http://www.ruckuswireless.com/
http://www.telecom.pt/

---

Profile: International Entertainment