SES-Americom to throw in towel on IP-PRIME

SES AMERICOM will stop offering its IP-PRIME IPTV service in North America by July, 31, 2009, the company said last week.

According to the company, the decision to cease the service was due in part to the slow adoption of IPTV service by small and medium-sized telcos, as well as the overall market outlook for the service.

Since launching the service more than two years ago, the company has contracted to deliver IPTV signals to 70 small telecom companies, 37 of which have begun offering IPTV as a commercial service, said Rob Bednarek, president and CEO of SES AMERICOM-NEW SKIES. However, fewer than 10,000 subscribers have signed up for services from the operators as of November, which “is insufficient to justify continuing operations,” he said.

For more information, visit www.ses-americom.com.