ZDF, DEUTSCHE TELEKOM AND THE FANTASTIC CORPORATION INTEND TO CO-DEVELOP REVOLUTIONAR - Broker-B
16:34 03.07.2000
ZDF, DEUTSCHE TELEKOM AND THE FANTASTIC CORPORATION INTEND TO CO-DEVELOP REVOLUTIONARY
WIRELESS BROADBAND SERVICES FOR GERMAN CONSUMER MARKET
ZDF, Deutsche Telekom and The Fantastic Corporation intend to jointly develop a series of wireless high-speed
broadcast services for delivery to consumers across Germany, based on Fantastic's software technology. These
services will offer a revolutionary approach to mass-media and will seamlessly combine digital TV and audio
broadcasts with interactive content. This is the world's first broadband mobile application for the
business-to-consumer mass market.
Mainz / Bonn / Zug, July 3, 2000 - ZDF, Deutsche Telekom and The Fantastic Corporation announced today their
intent to co-develop a series of exciting new media services for the German mass-market. ZDF, which is
Germany's leading broadcaster with a daily reach of 36 million households, will provide the content over a
bouquet of enhanced digital TV channels. Deutsche Telekom, Europe's largest telecommunications company, will
use its nationwide infrastructure to transmit the content across the country. The Fantastic Corporation will
provide its broadband content distribution and management software to enable the distribution of the content.
The three companies will jointly specify requirements for the receiving hardware and work with hardware
vendors.
The services will deliver all categories of digital multimedia to Internet enabled devices at high and consistent
speed. Fantastic's software allows end-consumers to experience a single medium whereby web content is
seamlessly integrated with televised content. The solution overcomes the bottlenecks of the Internet by
providing the bandwidth sensitive media elements through a delivery mechanism which is infinitely faster than
the World Wide Web.
The agreement between the three companies follows the completion of a series of successful wireless broadband
pilots conducted throughout 1999. One of these pilots, shown to the public at IFA 99 in Berlin, included the car
manufacturer BMW and demonstrated convincingly how the new technology could be utilized for effective
delivery of broadband multimedia into cars at a speed of 16 megabits per second - 1,400 times faster than the
data rates of GSM phones. Another pilot was conducted with mobile phone leader Nokia, showing handheld
devices, successfully receiving multimedia content. The communication speed was 14.95 megabits per second -
enough to support several simultaneous TV quality video streams in the palm of the user's hand. Both pilots were
based on unidirectional broadband content delivery combined with an option to dial back over a mobile phone.
Commented Reto Braun, Chairman and CEO of Fantastic: "This venture is the beginning of a new era for
Fantastic where we increasingly build on our international successes. As an enabler of corporate broadband
communication, this is a first important step into the much larger consumer arena. I believe that these services
will change the paradigms of Internet, broadcasting and mobile communication. This will stimulate a new wave of
innovative media applications and services in and beyond Germany."
Professor Dr. A. Ziemer, Executive Vice President Production & Engineering of ZDF commented: "We believe that
digital media has reached an inflection point where the distinction between broadcasting and the Internet will
break down. Electronic media will be broadband, always-on, and available everywhere. For the user, this will
mean a new and vastly improved experience: broadcasting and Internet becomes one. For content providers like
ourselves this will open up a new way to bring our services and content to our clients, even when they are not
at home. Together with our partners, we look forward to driving this step in reception technology in Germany."
Added Mr. Volker Steiner, spokesperson of management of Deutsche Telekom: "Europe has over the last few
years developed strong leads in digital broadcasting and mobile communications. We look forward to building on
our long-standing relationship with ZDF and our more recent alliance with Fantastic to provide innovative
services to the German consumer market.." Deutsche Telekom operates Europe's largest Internet service
provider, T-Online, Europe's largest cable network, Europe's largest telephone network and is a leading
shareholder in the world's two largest direct broadcast satellites operators.
The partners expect that the first services will be available to the consumer in the second half of 2001.
Deutsche Telekom, with revenues of EUR 35.5 billion in 1999, is Europe's largest telecommunications company
and the third largest carrier worldwide. Deutsche Telekom has over 14 million marketed ISDN channels, making
the company the world leader in ISDN. And with 5.5 million T-Online customers, the company is Europe's largest
Internet provider. Offering a complete range of products and services, Deutsche Telekom has more than 48
million telephone lines in service. We also serve around 21 million mobile telephony customers throughout Europe
(including majority and minority shareholdings). With our majority stake in the information-technology group debis
Systemhaus (upon cartel approval), we will become the number 2 player in Europe in providing information
technology solutions to multinational companies worldwide. Visit the Deutsche Telekom web site at:
www.telekom.de/international
The Fantastic Corporation (Zug, Switzerland) is the leading provider of end to end software solutions for
broadband data broadcasting. This is an emerging communications technology which combines
point-to-multipoint digital broadcasting with point-to-point Internet connectivity, in order to deliver rich
interactive media content to PCs, digital set-top boxes or handheld devices (including 3G mobile phones) over
any broadband IP network.
By merging the inherent bandwidth and speed benefits of broadcasting technologies with the interactivity of the
Internet, broadcast data provides superior content distribution and interaction in an increasingly IP-centric
world. Fantastic's end to end software supports the rapid growth of the "data broadcast" industry.
Fantastic's customers are typically in two categories. The first includes network operators, satellite companies
and any other company providing broadband data transmission services. The second category is content
providers, such as media or entertainment companies, or any organisation wishing to transmit large volumes of
digital data to target receiver groups quickly and efficiently.
Fantastic is a public company, quoted on the Frankfurt Stock exchange using the symbol: FAN
--------------------------------------------------
For further information, please contact:
The Fantastic Corporation
Cornelia von Dewitz
Public Relations
Tel +44 1483 77 00 76
Fax +44 1483 77 22 62
E-mail c.vondewitz@fantastic.com
Or visit our web site at www.fantastic.com
The Fantastic Corporation is a registered trademark. Channel Management Center (CMC), Channel Editorial
Center (CEC), CEC Master, and MediaSurfer are trademarks of The Fantastic Corporation.
16:34 03.07.2000
ZDF, DEUTSCHE TELEKOM AND THE FANTASTIC CORPORATION INTEND TO CO-DEVELOP REVOLUTIONARY
WIRELESS BROADBAND SERVICES FOR GERMAN CONSUMER MARKET
ZDF, Deutsche Telekom and The Fantastic Corporation intend to jointly develop a series of wireless high-speed
broadcast services for delivery to consumers across Germany, based on Fantastic's software technology. These
services will offer a revolutionary approach to mass-media and will seamlessly combine digital TV and audio
broadcasts with interactive content. This is the world's first broadband mobile application for the
business-to-consumer mass market.
Mainz / Bonn / Zug, July 3, 2000 - ZDF, Deutsche Telekom and The Fantastic Corporation announced today their
intent to co-develop a series of exciting new media services for the German mass-market. ZDF, which is
Germany's leading broadcaster with a daily reach of 36 million households, will provide the content over a
bouquet of enhanced digital TV channels. Deutsche Telekom, Europe's largest telecommunications company, will
use its nationwide infrastructure to transmit the content across the country. The Fantastic Corporation will
provide its broadband content distribution and management software to enable the distribution of the content.
The three companies will jointly specify requirements for the receiving hardware and work with hardware
vendors.
The services will deliver all categories of digital multimedia to Internet enabled devices at high and consistent
speed. Fantastic's software allows end-consumers to experience a single medium whereby web content is
seamlessly integrated with televised content. The solution overcomes the bottlenecks of the Internet by
providing the bandwidth sensitive media elements through a delivery mechanism which is infinitely faster than
the World Wide Web.
The agreement between the three companies follows the completion of a series of successful wireless broadband
pilots conducted throughout 1999. One of these pilots, shown to the public at IFA 99 in Berlin, included the car
manufacturer BMW and demonstrated convincingly how the new technology could be utilized for effective
delivery of broadband multimedia into cars at a speed of 16 megabits per second - 1,400 times faster than the
data rates of GSM phones. Another pilot was conducted with mobile phone leader Nokia, showing handheld
devices, successfully receiving multimedia content. The communication speed was 14.95 megabits per second -
enough to support several simultaneous TV quality video streams in the palm of the user's hand. Both pilots were
based on unidirectional broadband content delivery combined with an option to dial back over a mobile phone.
Commented Reto Braun, Chairman and CEO of Fantastic: "This venture is the beginning of a new era for
Fantastic where we increasingly build on our international successes. As an enabler of corporate broadband
communication, this is a first important step into the much larger consumer arena. I believe that these services
will change the paradigms of Internet, broadcasting and mobile communication. This will stimulate a new wave of
innovative media applications and services in and beyond Germany."
Professor Dr. A. Ziemer, Executive Vice President Production & Engineering of ZDF commented: "We believe that
digital media has reached an inflection point where the distinction between broadcasting and the Internet will
break down. Electronic media will be broadband, always-on, and available everywhere. For the user, this will
mean a new and vastly improved experience: broadcasting and Internet becomes one. For content providers like
ourselves this will open up a new way to bring our services and content to our clients, even when they are not
at home. Together with our partners, we look forward to driving this step in reception technology in Germany."
Added Mr. Volker Steiner, spokesperson of management of Deutsche Telekom: "Europe has over the last few
years developed strong leads in digital broadcasting and mobile communications. We look forward to building on
our long-standing relationship with ZDF and our more recent alliance with Fantastic to provide innovative
services to the German consumer market.." Deutsche Telekom operates Europe's largest Internet service
provider, T-Online, Europe's largest cable network, Europe's largest telephone network and is a leading
shareholder in the world's two largest direct broadcast satellites operators.
The partners expect that the first services will be available to the consumer in the second half of 2001.
Deutsche Telekom, with revenues of EUR 35.5 billion in 1999, is Europe's largest telecommunications company
and the third largest carrier worldwide. Deutsche Telekom has over 14 million marketed ISDN channels, making
the company the world leader in ISDN. And with 5.5 million T-Online customers, the company is Europe's largest
Internet provider. Offering a complete range of products and services, Deutsche Telekom has more than 48
million telephone lines in service. We also serve around 21 million mobile telephony customers throughout Europe
(including majority and minority shareholdings). With our majority stake in the information-technology group debis
Systemhaus (upon cartel approval), we will become the number 2 player in Europe in providing information
technology solutions to multinational companies worldwide. Visit the Deutsche Telekom web site at:
www.telekom.de/international
The Fantastic Corporation (Zug, Switzerland) is the leading provider of end to end software solutions for
broadband data broadcasting. This is an emerging communications technology which combines
point-to-multipoint digital broadcasting with point-to-point Internet connectivity, in order to deliver rich
interactive media content to PCs, digital set-top boxes or handheld devices (including 3G mobile phones) over
any broadband IP network.
By merging the inherent bandwidth and speed benefits of broadcasting technologies with the interactivity of the
Internet, broadcast data provides superior content distribution and interaction in an increasingly IP-centric
world. Fantastic's end to end software supports the rapid growth of the "data broadcast" industry.
Fantastic's customers are typically in two categories. The first includes network operators, satellite companies
and any other company providing broadband data transmission services. The second category is content
providers, such as media or entertainment companies, or any organisation wishing to transmit large volumes of
digital data to target receiver groups quickly and efficiently.
Fantastic is a public company, quoted on the Frankfurt Stock exchange using the symbol: FAN
--------------------------------------------------
For further information, please contact:
The Fantastic Corporation
Cornelia von Dewitz
Public Relations
Tel +44 1483 77 00 76
Fax +44 1483 77 22 62
E-mail c.vondewitz@fantastic.com
Or visit our web site at www.fantastic.com
The Fantastic Corporation is a registered trademark. Channel Management Center (CMC), Channel Editorial
Center (CEC), CEC Master, and MediaSurfer are trademarks of The Fantastic Corporation.