WealthTV in Digital & High Def Featured in NRTC’s MPEG-4 Programming Lineup

NRTC Announces First IPTV Programming Contracts - Telco distribution rights in Internet Protocol and MPEG-4 secured

DALLAS, TX. November 8, 2006 -- The National Rural Telecommunications Cooperative’s effort to secure Internet protocol television (IPTV) MPEG-4 programming rights for rural America’s telcos has produced great results and includes programmer announcements made during a pre-conference session of the TelcoTV conference in Dallas, TX.

NRTC has concluded final distribution agreements with A&E Television Networks, Fox News, Hallmark Channels, Lifetime Networks, Showtime Networks Inc., Starz Entertainment, Turner Networks including CNN, TBS, TNT and Court TV; and Comcast Network services including E!, Style, Golf Channel, Versus and PBS KIDS Sprout; as well as C-SPAN Networks, EWTN, Gospel Music Channel, The Inspiration Network, Inspirational Life Television, Jewelry TV, MavTV, The Outdoor Channel, Outdoor Channel 2HD, QVC, RFD-TV, Wealth TV, and The Weather Channel. All of the agreements entered into by NRTC include rights for telcos to deliver the programming in Internet protocol format and the use of MPEG-4 compression over copper, fiber, or coaxial cable. NRTC has also acquired rights to these channels’ high-definition services and, in many cases, video-on-demand rights.

“We greatly appreciate the cooperation and support we have received from these industry leaders in fashioning some of the first agreements in history to permit IP delivery by telcos in MPEG-4,” said Bob Phillips, NRTC’s president and CEO. “NRTC is in active discussions with other top-quality programming services to continue to build on the strength of this powerful program offering. Our staff is working diligently to conclude these agreements quickly.”

This IPTV initiative is built on a partnership with the National Telecommunications Cooperative Association (NTCA) to help ensure fair and ready access to programming for rural telcos.

“Rural telcos have been at the forefront of efforts to bring television choice to their communities,” said Michael E. Brunner, NTCA CEO. “The effort to expand choices for rural audiences will never end. It is exciting to imagine the potentially limitless array of program services that will result as IPTV technology and popularity grow. We are pleased to be a part of bringing this offering to market.”

MPEG-4 compression technology will allow telcos to deliver more channels simultaneously to the home, including high definition television. The NRTC IPTV programming contracts also include the rights to use MPEG-2 delivery in order to provide members with existing MPEG-2 infrastructure a full selection of available programming.

NRTC anticipates completing its program offering in the coming weeks and will soon begin offering the current and to-be expanded selection of signed network’s programming.

NRTC has 20 years of experience delivering the best available video entertainment and information to rural households. NTCA has spent several years promoting the IPTV concept and is opening a path for rural telephone companies’ ability to offer the full array of IP-based services in remote areas.

(Released by NRTC)

About WealthTV

WealthTV is the premier lifestyle and entertainment network —the destination for exclusive and original programming, simultaneously transmitted in high definition and standard definition.  WealthTV delivers informative shows to viewers that provide invaluable insights on what every American dreams of – from travel secrets to fast cars, from better etiquette to better investing, and much more.  Televised 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, viewers of WealthTV consider themselves to be successful wherever they may be in life.  The network fills a television vacuum by delivering intellectually stimulating, thought-provoking entertainment and always-unbiased news from an insider’s perspective.  For more information, please visit www.wealthtv.net.

About NRTC

NRTC leads and supports more than 1,300 member organizations by delivering telecommunications solutions to strengthen member businesses, promote economic development and improve the quality of life in rural America. The rural utilities that make up NRTC offer services to more than 30 million rural households in the United States. For more information, visit www.nrtc.coop.

About NTCA

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For more information, contact:

Charles Herring WealthTV 858-270-6900

Kelli Laski 703-787-7181