[Satellite TODAY 11-21-11] TiVUS has signed an agreement with an unnamed digital media services company to secure broadcast rights agreements for all needed cable channels and premium content providers to hotels, the company announced Nov. 18.

   The contract allows TiVUS HD content to be delivered via its private Ku-band satellite feed of hotel HD IPTV television content. The new deal replaces TiVUS’ former agreement with EchoStar, who shut down its satellite-based ViP-TV IPTV delivery service in September.

   “[Echostar’s] sobering announcement came at the same time we were nearing completion of the installation at the Host Hotel property in Philadelphia,” TiVUS CEO Shiva Prakash said in a statement. “We were incredibly surprised at how our new partner was able to provide our entire channel line-up in only a few weeks. By utilizing this prestigious partner, TiVUS gained enhanced technological resources as well; it now controls additional ad spaces adding ‘gutter-ad’ capabilities, as well as more TiVUS controlled queue-tones, which all lead to greater revenue potential.”

   Prakash said the company withheld its partner’s name for competitive reasons.