ITVN is the first company ever to win the award, which will be presented on an annual basis going forward in conjunction with the Digital Life consumer technology exhibition.
“There is a lot of innovation on display at Digital Life, but the most innovative, ITVN, promises to do for TV what Skype is doing for phone service: Give you a wide range of programming choices for a fraction than you’re paying now,” PC Magazine wrote in its coverage of the show. “The future of TV is broadband, and ITVN is right at the center of the revolution.”
With ITVN’s video-on-demand technology, consumers connect a set-top box to an existing broadband router, plug in the set-top connector to a television set and subscribe to the VOD channels, which now number 70, including mainstream channels Torque Sports, WebWorld TV and MusicVault TV, as well as ITVN Local News, ITVN File Share and ITVN Referral.
“ITVN is thrilled with this prestigious award, which not only validates our position as a leader in the growing IPTV [Internet-protocol television] industry, but as an innovative company in the entertainment, media and technology space,” CEO Charles Prast said. “ITVN is committed to remaining a leader in the IPTV market and in being the consumer’s choice for IPTV entertainment.”
So far, Prast said that the company has sold “thousands” of the set-top box since its debut earlier this year. Prices start at $29.95 a month for basic content; set-top boxes cost $99.95.
Prast said that the company has decided to roll out the product in select brick-and-mortar electronics stores nationwide. Currently they have 70 stores signed up that are included in a reseller program that pays $30 per set-top box sale, with a 10 percent recurring revshare.
ITVN also offers a webmaster affiliate program that pays $35 per set-top box sale, with 10 percent recurring revshare.
ITVN owns or controls all aspects of its business, including content licenses, billing and streaming software. It is a subsidiary of Radium Ventures, the company that earlier this year purchased iBill.