USDTV ceasing operations
New Mexico Business Weekly - 5:18 PM MST Monday, March 5, 2007
USDTV is shutting down its digital television service, after a four-year-long attempt to build a competitor to cable TV.
The Salt Lake City-based company said in a prepared statement released late Monday that the closure was due to the withdrawal of a major financial backer who had experienced a financial setback in another business that was not related to USDTV. The cessation of service will affect subscribers in Albuquerque, Salt Lake City, Las Vegas (Nev.), and the Dallas/Ft. Worth area.
"We are greatly saddened that we have to discontinue the USDTV service," said Steve Lindsley, chief executive officer of USDigital. "Our customers have been very loyal. We want to thank them for their support and apologize for any inconvenience this may cause them."
Lindsley went on to thank the company's colleagues and friends for supporting the business, saying the firm had accomplished many "historic firsts in the broadcasting industry."
USDTV officials said they have made arrangements with a third party installation company to convert the USDTV set-top box so customers will be able to receive free, over-the-air local digital and high definition TV channels without the USDTV cable service. Customers have the option to return the set-top boxes (receivers) to the company and it said its customers can learn more on the company's Web site at: www.usdtv.com
The cable television competitor was formed in 2003 and offered consumers an alternative to cable television with subscriber rates as low as $19.95 per month. It used the digital signals of local TV station partners. The USDTV service included local affiliates of national networks like ABC and CBS as well as Fox News, ESPN, the Discovery Channel, Lifetime Movie Network and HGTV, among others.
Source: nm business weekly
New Mexico Business Weekly - 5:18 PM MST Monday, March 5, 2007
USDTV is shutting down its digital television service, after a four-year-long attempt to build a competitor to cable TV.
The Salt Lake City-based company said in a prepared statement released late Monday that the closure was due to the withdrawal of a major financial backer who had experienced a financial setback in another business that was not related to USDTV. The cessation of service will affect subscribers in Albuquerque, Salt Lake City, Las Vegas (Nev.), and the Dallas/Ft. Worth area.
"We are greatly saddened that we have to discontinue the USDTV service," said Steve Lindsley, chief executive officer of USDigital. "Our customers have been very loyal. We want to thank them for their support and apologize for any inconvenience this may cause them."
Lindsley went on to thank the company's colleagues and friends for supporting the business, saying the firm had accomplished many "historic firsts in the broadcasting industry."
USDTV officials said they have made arrangements with a third party installation company to convert the USDTV set-top box so customers will be able to receive free, over-the-air local digital and high definition TV channels without the USDTV cable service. Customers have the option to return the set-top boxes (receivers) to the company and it said its customers can learn more on the company's Web site at: www.usdtv.com
The cable television competitor was formed in 2003 and offered consumers an alternative to cable television with subscriber rates as low as $19.95 per month. It used the digital signals of local TV station partners. The USDTV service included local affiliates of national networks like ABC and CBS as well as Fox News, ESPN, the Discovery Channel, Lifetime Movie Network and HGTV, among others.
Source: nm business weekly
