| RA'ANANA, Israel--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 13, 2004--Orca Interactive
(LSE:ORCA), a global market leader in developing applications for TV
over IP, announces that an agreement, reported to the LSE on November
23, 2004, has been entered into with Nordic system integrator
Industria to provide a turnkey IPTV service solution to Magnet
Networks, a new next-generation triple-play operator in Dublin,
Ireland.
Backed by Columbia Ventures Corporation, a global investment
company headquartered in Vancouver, Washington state, Magnet Networks
will establish a fiber network in the Dublin area to provide superfast
Internet, digital telephony, TV and video-on-demand (VOD). The first
customers are already being connected and the initial service will
include a package with a wide range of digital TV channels, an
electronic program guide (EPG) and VOD.
A second phase of the project is planned for launch during 2005.
It will include a significantly expanded selection of channels and
films, along with a new user-interface experience, games and other
services.
As part of the agreement with Industria, Orca Interactive will
provide the video server, encoder and content protection for the
deployment. Orca provides an end-to-end solution that simplifies the
system integration, thus lowering risk and costs.
"We have an ambitious project to roll out a fiber network to
provide TV over IP applications such as broadband, video, music,
games, video telephony and other interactive applications," says
Magnet Networks CEO Ingvar Gardarsson. "Orca has the proven expertise
that will enable us to quickly launch our first phases of the project.
RiGHTv provides an easily customisable user-interface and flexibility
that make it a good fit for our Dublin project and the awakening IPTV
market."
"The addition of Orca's RiGHTv to the services in Dublin with
Magnet is a great fit with the turnkey services offering from us,"
says Industria CEO Gudjon Mar Gudjonsson. "RiGHTv is a flexible
solution allowing us to install, upgrade and customize to the look and
feel and functionality that our customers require. This ensures a
lower cost of ownership and faster time to market. The system also has
flexible interfaces for integration to the billing system from
Industria that plays a central role in the overall solution."
"Orca looks forward to being a part of this deployment in Ireland
and others around the globe," said Alon Laor, VP Sales of Orca
Interactive. "Broadband has become necessary for the global company
and fiber is the emerging choice for its last mile architecture.
Ireland is one of the countries that is a true early adopter of these
technologies and is creating a model for other installations."
Orca's RiGHTv(TM) applications are highly scalable solutions that
facilitate the deployment of complete commercial iTV services.
RiGHTv(TM) XVOD allows operators to supply subscribers with video
content on demand and to incorporate advertisements and t-commerce
features in an interactive TV service. RiGHTv(TM) XBIP enables
operators to create and manage broadcast TV and NVOD channels over
broadband networks. RiGHTv(TM) XPVR for advanced PVR (Personal Video
Recorder) services allows the subscriber to view programs at any time
by ordering a recording directly from their EPG and watching it "on
demand" at a later time.
Orca's platform is Telco-grade to ensure service high-availability
and cost-effective scalability. The platform also supports
multi-device service delivery to enable heterogeneous environments of
set-top boxes as well as convergence by exposing some services to the
PC and wireless devices.
About Orca Interactive
Orca Interactive (LSE:ORCA) is a leading provider of middleware
solution to enable xDSL and FTTx operators to offer enhanced
entertainment services such as broadcast TV, video-on-demand and
interactive services. Our applications deliver compelling and
differentiated services to maximize the revenue stream of the
operators. Orca's user-friendly, end-to-end applications enable
delivery and management of VOD, TV channels, EPG, NVOD, Pay-Per-View
and e-commerce for related merchandise. Orca Interactive has formed
strategic partnerships with BitBand, GooMe, ECI, HP, Kasenna, Kreatel,
Microsoft, nCUBE, NDS, Nokia, Optibase, Pace, Samsung and more.
www.orcainteractive.com.
About Magnet Networks
Magnet Networks is an Irish company providing its customers with
the services required to enable them to enjoy the full experience of
digital living, offered at affordable prices and utilizing the latest
in fiber-to-home technology. The company is a fully owned subsidiary
of US-based international investment company Columbia Ventures
Corporation (CVC), and a partner of Nordic total broadband solutions
provider and systems integrator Industria. Magnet Networks launched
its service to enabled homes in Dublin, Ireland, in December 2004, and
is in the process of concluding partnerships with property developers
and house builders in the city and surrounding area, with a view to
expanding its network.
About Industria
Industria is a leading total broadband solutions provider and
systems integrator involved in the design, implementation and
operation of true broadband networks for utilities, local authorities,
and property developers and owners. The Industria range of turnkey
products and services enables network owners to connect to a range of
broadband services including video-on-demand, Internet, telephony,
security and to other broadband services from different service
providers. Industria is currently involved in the installation of
fiber-optic networks at a number of sites in the Nordic region and in
Dublin, Ireland, and in providing a comprehensive range of consulting
services to one of Denmark's largest electrical utilities.
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CONTACT: Orca Interactive
Haggai Barel , +972-9-7699444 (Investors)
Haggai.Barel@orcainteractive.com
or
INK Communications & Design (for Orca Interactive)
Tiffany Archambault, 617-488-0988 ext. 7 (Press)
tiffany@theINKstudio.com
or
Magnet Networks
Rab Christie, +353 (01) 436 4781 (PR and Marketing)
pr@magnetnetworks.com
or
Industria
Gudjon Mar Gudjonsson (CEO)
gudjon@industria.com
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