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Telecom New Zealand and M7 Networks Announce Partnership to Bring Mobile Game Community to New Zealand

Posted on: Monday, 13 June 2005, 09:00 CDT

AUCKLAND, New Zealand and SAN DIEGO, June 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Telecom New Zealand Limited, New Zealand's largest telecommunications company, today announced it has selected M7 Networks, a leading trusted partner and enabler of advanced wireless services, to create and to manage Telecom New Zealand's virtual mobile gaming community. This will be the first carrier-sponsored mobile game community outside of North America and will enable Telecom New Zealand mobile customers to meet, interact, check scores, rate games, and share experiences with mobile gamers in New Zealand and the U.S.

Telecom New Zealand's virtual community will interoperate with other carrier-branded game communities managed by M7 Networks, such as the Cingular gameroom, The Game Lobby from Sprint and Amp'd Mobile's Games Connect, launching later this year. As a result, members are connected into a global mobile gaming community. Telecom New Zealand's community will launch in the second half of 2005 and will be offered as an enhanced service feature to Telecom New Zealand customers who purchase downloadable Java games.

"In our ongoing efforts to provide the most robust mobile offerings on the market, Telecom New Zealand is excited to be the first carrier outside North America to offer our subscribers access to this compelling gaming community experience," said Kevin Kenrick, General Manager of the Mobile Division of Telecom New Zealand. "We selected M7 Networks to architect, build and manage the community based upon their leadership, innovation and high quality of service in creating mobile communities. We see this innovation as another way to enhance the mobile game experience by allowing our game players to interact and have fun in a true community environment."

Telecom New Zealand's game community will be powered by M7 Networks' Application Community Platform which currently enables and inter-connects communities for several carriers including Cingular Wireless, Sprint and the soon-to-be-launched Amp'd Mobile. The M7 Networks platform provides a carrier-branded community experience and loyalty around mobile content. Recently, M7 Networks announced its loyalty module for the accumulation and redemption of points for community members who engage in community-centric activities. Last month, Sprint launched its Status Points Program using M7 Networks' loyalty technology -- the first carrier to deploy a loyalty program around downloadable content. M7 Networks' Application Community SDK is being used by leading mobile game publishers, including Namco America, Glu Mobile, I-play and Gameloft.

"M7 Networks is pleased to partner with Telecom New Zealand to globalize our mobile community offering," said William Erickson, CEO of M7 Networks, Inc. "Game community members on Telecom New Zealand will be able to interact with community members on other carriers. We believe this inter-operability is critical to the next phase of mobile communities, and we applaud Telecom New Zealand for leading the international initiative with their innovative and compelling offerings."

Key functionality of the Telecom New Zealand game community will include: * Single gamer identity across all game titles * Centralized listing of high score postings on mobile and fixed web * Ability for users to manage their identity and determine what profile information, such as pictures, is stored in their profile * Opportunity to rate, review and recommend games to friends * Creation of buddy lists for taunting and chatting with other community members * Interoperability with other carrier-branded communities for cross-carrier buddy communication, game ratings, and leaderboards in a growing global community About Telecom New Zealand

The Telecom group is a leading provider of telecommunications and IT services in New Zealand and Australia. It is the principal supplier of telecommunications services in New Zealand. Telecom provides local, national and international telephone services and a range of other telecommunications and IT services including leased circuits, Internet services, data communications, directories, and mobile communications. Telecom operates the major national telephone network in New Zealand, with more than 95 percent of inter-city trunk routes on fiber optic. Telecom is listed on the New Zealand, Australian and United States stock exchanges.

About M7 Networks

M7 Networks is a neutral, trusted partner providing solutions and services for the creation and management of intelligent mobile communities. M7 connects wireless carriers, content providers and end users around a wide variety of data-related content such as games and music. M7's services provide a foundation for increased brand awareness and loyalty, an enhanced end user experience, and incremental revenue streams. Based in La Jolla, California, M7 Networks was founded in 2000 with funding from QUALCOMM, Enterprise Partners, and Sienna Ventures. For more information, visit http://www.m7networks.com/ or email info@m7networks.com.

M7 and M7 Networks are registered trademarks and Application Community Platform is a trademark of M7 Networks Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Contact: Phil Love Telecom New Zealand +64 04 498 9155 phil.love@telecom.co.nz Katy Lim or Valerie Christopherson Bock Communications, Inc. +1 714 540 1030 ext. 19/17 klim@bockpr.com, or vchristopherson@bockpr.com

M7 Networks, Inc.

CONTACT: Phil Love of Telecom New Zealand, +64-04-498-9155, orphil.love@telecom.co.nz; or Katy Lim, ext. 19, klim@bockpr.com, or ValerieChristopherson, ext. 17, vchristopherson@bockpr.com, both of BockCommunications, +1-714-540-1030, for M7 Networks, Inc.

Web site: http://www.m7networks.com/

Source: PRNewswire

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