[Satellite TODAY Insider 08-15-11] EchoStar has decided to shut down its satellite-based, triple-play IPTV delivery service, ViP-TV, at the beginning of September, the company announced Aug. 11.

            EchoStar launched the MPEG-4 IPTV video streaming package in 2007. The service had limited success, even after EchoStar competitor SES Americom shut down its IP Prime service in the middle of 2009. Following its shutdown, SES Americom management said that the IP Prime service lacked the subscriber base needed to continue the service. IP Prime maintained about 70 small phone company customers at the time of its dissolution.

            EchoStar spokesman Michael Hawkey said that company is planning to help ViP-TV customers migrate to other services, including those offered by competitors. “EchoStar does not have a unified product as an option, but the company is working with its customers on a company-by-company basis on alternatives,” Hawkey said in a statement.

While EchoStar did not disclose the size of its IPTV market, the company had announced customer service agreements with U.S.-based companies CT Communications, Duncan Cable, BTC and Canby Telcom. EchoStar’s termination of ViP-TV leaves two major satellite-delivery IPTV companies in the market — Avail-TVN and Comcast Media Center.

            In a separate statement, Avail-TVN COO Jon Romm said his company has already transitioned three former EchoStar customers and is working with others. “There’s no need to panic. In many cases, EchoStar clients have all the capabilities they need in place for Avail-TVN to accomplish a migration remotely. Avail-TVN would like to reassure ViP-TV customers and the industry that Avail-TVN is here to support ViP customers during this transition.”

            Romm added that Avail-TVN would host a Webinar on Aug. 15 to explain the options available to EchoStar customers looking to make the switch.