SAINT JOHN, NB, May 4 /CNW/ - Innovatia Inc., a leading technology
company working within Aliant's emerging business division, announced today
that it is giving residents in Saint John and Moncton the unique opportunity
to trial PC-TV, a new Internet-based innovation that combines television and
Internet through a fully convergent, interactive solution for their home
computer.
    "Customers have told us that they want a solution that gives them greater
choice and convenience for their information and entertainment needs," said
Joe Mosher, general manager of Innovatia's interactive television division.
"We've already developed this for the television - being marketed as
VibeVision by NBTel in New Brunswick. PC-TV is an extension of that service
for the home computer, with no extra equipment requirements or installations.
Customers simply download software that starts PC-TV, operating on our secure
and reliable Internet-based, high-speed broadband network."
    The three-month trial will begin in May, when approximately 40 households
will test PC-TV and work hand-in-hand with the company to further develop and
enhance this new service. Trial participants will receive 11 digital-quality
TV channels, including sports, weather, music, news and family entertainment,
allowing them to watch TV, surf the Internet and use computer applications
simultaneously on the computer, all while talking on the phone.
    PC-TV is enabled by SoftTV, a software product developed by iMagicTV, a
partner of Innovatia, both based in Saint John. "SoftTV offers a unique
advantage to companies like those of Aliant Telecom because it allows them to
deliver broadcast television to personal computers," said Marcel LeBrun,
president and CEO of iMagicTV. "This is not streaming video as consumers now
experience on their PC, but a high-speed, Internet-based solution for
providing real-time television delivered over a securely managed network. This
means a superior consumer experience with a video solution that can be sized
up to full screen and a virtual remote control for channel and volume
selection."
    Recognizing the significant potential of this new convergent medium,
several leading broadcasters have partnered with Innovatia to develop PC-TV.
Programmers like Headline Sports Broadcasting, Chum City Interactive, CBC,
CTV, RDI, TSN, Global and The Weather Network broadcast through PC-TV in a
secure, subscriber-based environment that gives Innovatia and content
providers valuable learning about customer needs, content delivery and
technological capabilities.
    To deliver unparalleled digital picture quality, PC-TV relies on the
video networking solutions of PixStream Incorporated, based in Waterloo,
Ontario. PixStream develops, manufactures and globally markets hardware and
software solutions that enable network service providers and enterprises to
reliably distribute and manage digital video. "We're very pleased to be
providing the Internet video head-end of this leading-edge service offering,"
said Ralph Calistri, president and CEO of PixStream. "By joining forces with
Innovatia's interactive television division, we're realizing shared benefits
while shaping new technologies in the converging domains of broadband, TV and
the personal computer."
    Headquartered in Atlantic Canada, Innovatia focuses on Internet-based
innovations from concept to creation. Through 200 highly skilled
professionals, Innovatia designs, develops and sells applications to service
providers worldwide. Using Internet protocol technology, Innovatia provides a
variety of advanced solutions. including IPTV, Web-based learning, e-business
technologies, electronic services and now PC-TV. Innovatia is a wholly owned
subsidiary of Aliant Inc. (TSE:AIT), a group of advanced technology companies
with a staff of 9,000 that delivers full service integrated solutions through
its four core lines of business: wireline and wireless telecommunications,
information technology, mobile satellite services and emerging business
solutions. From its base in Atlantic Canada, Aliant serves consumer and
business customers worldwide.
    For more information about Innovatia, visit www.innovatia.net and for
more details about Aliant, visit www.aliant.ca.



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For further information: Aliant Inc.: Robyn Tingley, Manager, Corporate 
Public Affairs, 1 800 267-2057, (506) 694-6445, (506) 333-3097,
robyn.tingley@aliant.ca