EchoStar Satellite Services announces an agreement to deliver its ViP-TV video transport service to Ringgold Telephone Company, a provider of converged communications to more than 11,000 access lines in northern Georgia. Ringgold will receive transport of up to 42 popular high definition TV channels to its IP headend.

RTC provides digital interactive video service NexTV to its subscribers along with telephone and Internet access, all via a broadband connection. The ViP-TV delivered IP channels will be available immediately to RTC subscribers. With the additions, RTC now offers a total of 48 high-definition channels.

EchoStar's ViP-TV transport service is capable of delivering a secure, MPEG-4 encoded IP stream of approximately 275 popular, broadcast-quality TV and music channels from a satellite located at 85 degrees W.L. ViP-TV can also provide satellite-delivered local TV channel aggregation in a telco's designated market area in both high definition and standard definition (where available).