Boeing

The telecommunications industry has honored DigitalXpress and The Boeing Company for its application of direct-broadcast technology in its merger communication activities.

In recognition of the live-via-satellite telecast centerpiece of "Day One" Boeing and McDonnell Douglas merger communication activities, DigitalXpress and Boeing were presented the award for "Best Direct Broadcast Satellite Application of a One-Time Event" at TeleCon XVII -- the annual telecommunications industry convention. Bill Bearry, president of DigitalXpress, accepted the award in ceremonies Nov. 6 in Los Angeles.

Thanks to DigitalXpress services, Phil Condit, Boeing chairman and chief executive officer, and Harry Stonecipher, president and chief operating officer of the new Boeing Company, were able to address more than 150,000 employees live from the National Air & Space Museum in Washington, D.C., on Aug. 4. More than 58 Boeing sites in 16 states and Canada received the broadcast beamed via satellite.

Small, low-cost antennas and integrated receiver/decoders were installed at participating Boeing locations prior to the telecast, ensuring a high-quality -- and secure -- transmission signal. Programming was broadcast in digital format from DigitalXpress operations in St. Paul, Minn., to a commercial satellite transponder. Programming then was downlinked to various Boeing sites.

"The DigitalXpress direct-to-desktop service is an integral part of the larger Boeing effort to be a leading player in the satellite communications industry," said James Evatt, president of Information & Communications Systems for Boeing. "This recognition of the kind of capability that DigitalXpress is bringing to the business world is very gratifying, and reflects well on the entire DigitalXpress team."

Boeing also uses DigitalXpress services for employee training and distance-learning programs.

DigitalXpress offers three distinct services: Xpress Video, which broadcasts corporate television, training and other video content from one location to any number of customer-designated receive sites; XpressData, which provides fast, easy transmission of large data files; and XpressAudio, which delivers CD-quality audio.

DigitalXpress was co-founded by Boeing Commercial Space Co., Conus Communications and Computing Devices International.