ARRIS in Exclusive Agreement with Sling Media to Deliver Sling Technology to Global Cable & Telco Providers

SUWANEE, Ga. and FOSTER CITY, Calif., Oct. 16, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- ARRIS Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: ARRS) and Sling Media, Inc. have entered into an agreement to make ARRIS the exclusive worldwide distributor of Sling technology to cable, telco and wireless service providers worldwide. Under the agreement, ARRIS will be the sole provider of Sling technology for both video gateways and standalone devices intended for such service providers.

This marks the latest development in the companies' recent collaboration, which kicked off last month with the launch of the ARRIS MS4000, bringing multiscreen, placeshifting capabilities to the ARRIS Whole Home Solution with MOXI.

The agreement positions ARRIS as the premier source of placeshifting multiscreen solutions for global service providers. The company is leveraging its global scale and solutions expertise in ODM, video, and software/systems integration to deliver Sling technology to providers in three main ways:

• Standalone devices – offering turnkey Sling-based hardware solutions, like the MS4000 multiscreen device
• Video gateways – integrating Sling technology into its industry-leading portfolio of headed and headless gateways
• Multivendor devices – licensing Sling technology to third-party manufacturers

ARRIS is planning a phased rollout of the Sling Media technology to global service providers, with the launch of the MS4000 in early 2014, followed by video gateway offerings and technology licensing for multivendor devices.

"Our exclusive agreement with Sling Media further solidifies our position as the leading provider of transcoding solutions for the future of multiscreen…everywhere," said John Burke, SVP Corporate Strategy & Development; President Cloud Solutions Business, ARRIS. "We selected Sling Media for their complementary expertise in placeshifting technology. This collaboration rounds out our broad multiscreen portfolio in the cloud, network, and home to give global providers a variety of ways to let consumers enjoy their media, their way."

According to the Fourth Annual Media Engagement Barometer by ARRIS, most global consumers now expect these types of "your media, your way" services: the average consumer uses multiscreen services away from home four days a week, and over a quarter download TV programs to their mobile devices on a daily basis. Sling Media technology gives subscribers the ability to watch their live and recorded content on tablets, smartphones, and other mobile devices – in the home and on-the-go.

This research is corroborated by a recent Sling Media customer survey, which found that nearly two-thirds of Slingbox 350 and 500 users have Internet-connected streaming devices in the home, and three-quarters of Sling usage takes place away from home.

"We are very pleased to announce this agreement with ARRIS -- which will enable our two companies to closely collaborate on a range of integrated and standalone video solutions that deliver HD-quality content across multiple mobile devices, accessible anywhere. In addition, Sling Media is very pleased with the worldwide leadership and industry experience that the company's relationship with ARRIS provides," said Michael Hawkey, Vice President and General Manager Sling Media. "Customers are demanding access to their pay TV content on the personal mobile devices they are spending more time in front of, and we believe Sling Media's proven and award-winning technology offers a smart, fast way to deliver multiscreen video solutions that extend the entertainment experience beyond the living room TV."

The Future of TV Transcoding
ARRIS empowers its service provider customers with many options for delivering tomorrow's multiscreen experiences. Its recent integration of Sling technology rounds out its industry-leading transcoding portfolio at the device level, while several cloud transcoding options give providers even more choices for delivering the latest video experiences. The latest ARRIS whitepaper on "Transcoding Choices for a Multiscreen World" can be found here. 

For more information on ARRIS and Sling Media solutions for service providers, visit ARRIS at SCTE 2013 - Booth #868 More information is available online.

About Sling Media
Sling Media, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of EchoStar Corporation (Nasdaq: SATS), is a leading provider of video placeshifting products and services for consumers and television service providers. Sling Media's product family includes Slingbox, which provides consumers with the ability to watch and control their living room TV shows at any time, from any location, using Internet-connected PCs, Macs, tablets and smartphones. For more information, visit www.slingbox.com.

About ARRIS
ARRIS is a premier video and broadband technology company that transforms how service providers worldwide deliver entertainment and communications without boundaries.  Its powerful end-to-end platforms enable service and content providers to improve the way people connect – with each other and with their favorite content.  The Company's vision and expertise continue to drive the industry's innovations, as they have for more than 60 years. Headquartered north of Atlanta, in Suwanee, Georgia, ARRIS has R&D, sales and support centers throughout the world. For more information: www.arrisi.com  

ARRIS and the ARRIS Logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of ARRIS Enterprises, Inc.  All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. © ARRIS Enterprises, Inc. 2013.  All rights reserved.

SOURCE ARRIS Group, Inc.