2007-04-10 11:53:02 - Kuala Lumpur, April 9th, 2007 - After several months of discussions and preparation, NPTV, one of the leading providers of interactive TV software solutions, and Vision New Media, the leading content provider in Malaysia, have established a joint venture, New Vision Partners, to address the content and technology needs of the burgeoning mobile phone market in Asia.

The new company will provide the market with solutions to create instant, downloadable, rich-media applications that will work on all Java-enabled mobile phones. The applications will benefit from the Bando Player for Mobile (BPM)™ technology. Initially a solution for Digital TV platforms, Bando Player™ has already been successfully deployed on more than 10 million set-top-boxes worldwide. In the same way

that NPTV's Bando technology has already addressed the problem of making applications work on all variants of 'standardized- digital TV middleware, BPM is designed to work on all Java-enabled phones, regardless of the software implementation.

This approach, of creating a fully customizable player that will allow all manner of applications to be deployed, regardless of handset manufacturer or operator; will open up the market for creative deployment of content applications and services. The technology is potentially disruptive as the services that will run on BPM are going to be easily created, using either simple online, web-based tools or more complex SDK-like toolkits. The applications and associated content are going to be easily transferred from one user to another, over mobile networks, and the viral nature of this type of distribution will encourage rapid adoption.

Huoi Seong Low, the CEO of Vision New Media, expressed his delight with the partnership, saying that 'the combination of a technology and a content company really brings home the point that convergence has become a reality and that the markets are finally realizing the value of content, applications and services in the monetization of the opportunities created-.

Laurent Chouraqui, the Managing Director of NPTV, added that 'the partnership is not just of content and technology, but also of Europe and Asia, the most exciting markets for the launch of mobile technology and content services.- In this context, the 'Asian market will be where we will first be deploying the technology. This is appropriate as some of the most exciting markets for mobile services are to be found here and this is where there is much innovation and potential for growth.-

From a content perspective, Low made a commitment 'to have Vision New Media be the first heavy users of the technology, rolling out mobile marketing and interactive advertising applications for our own clients - broadcasters as well as advertisers and sponsors. BPM is really going to allow us to offer our clients the ability to project their brand values and allow customers to enjoy the brand experience through highly interactive mobile applications-.

'The mobile phone has proven to be the most successful personal interactive device and BPM will allow creative content and service providers to really tap into its potential as a communication platform, a provider of information, as a gateway to content, a payment mechanism and as a facilitator of social networking- observes Chouraqui. 'In fact, the potential is limitless!-