IP-PRIME and NHL Network announced that NHL’s 24-hour suite of hockey in both HD and SD will be available to IP-PRIME operators across the United States. This announcement represents a key addition to IP-PRIME’s bundle of more than 30 sports channels within its 300-plus SD and HD television lineup.

NHL Network gives viewers unprecedented year-round, 24-hour access to the most complete hockey coverage available today, including news, classic match-ups, documentaries, analysis, highlights and more. NHL Network will provide comprehensive coverage of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft on June 20-21 from Scotiabank Place in Ottawa and will broadcast 75 live games all in HD for the 2008-09 regular season.

“Signing this agreement with NHL Network just after an exciting Stanley Cup Final is great news for all fans of hockey,” said Bill Squadron, President of IP-PRIME. “Our superb HD video quality is ideally suited to the NHL Network programming; the shape of the rink, the movement of the players and their sticks, and the speed of the puck are all brilliantly captured in HD.”

“NHL Network provides fans across North America the hockey programming they want in HD 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. It is an important platform in the activation of our fans year-round by providing all-inclusive coverage that they cannot get anywhere else,” said Jody Shapiro, NHL Senior Vice President of Distribution for NHL Network. “We are pleased to be working with IP-PRIME to expand the distribution of NHL Network.”

NHL Network is the first network dedicated to the National Hockey League, giving fans unprecedented access to the most comprehensive hockey coverage—both on and off the ice. In addition to live NHL games, programming includes AHL, ECHL, and IIHF World Junior hockey, post-game press conferences, special event programming on-location from NHL events such as Winter Classic, All-Star, Entry Draft and Stanley Cup Final and the signature daily live highlight show – NHL on the Fly – which airs nightly throughout the hockey season.

The transport agreement between the two companies ensures that NHL Network will be available to all IP-PRIME operators throughout United States. Each operator then will have to sign an individual carriage deal with NHL Network in order to offer the Network to its subscribers.

Established as a division of SES AMERICOM, IP-PRIME is now delivering television signals into communities in 21 states. IP-PRIME is a complete turnkey IPTV solution that telecom carriers and cable operators can use today to provide their subscribers with the content that they demand including 32 channels of HD, plus another 275 SD channels; music and PPV channels. IP-PRIME minimizes the risks associated with a complex technical integration by simplifying program acquisition challenges and lowering companies’ financial risks for launching a TV service. In addition to being fully customizable to suit the specific needs of its customers, IP-PRIME protects customers’ brands by allowing the television service to be marketed and sold under each operator’s own brand.