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Penthera Secures Mobile TV Contract With Modeo; Penthera Broadcast Center(TM) 1.0 Launched to Provide New Revenue Opportunities for Mobile Broadcasters and Operators

Posted on: Monday, 22 May 2006, 12:00 CDT

Penthera Technologies, Inc., a software provider for mobile broadcast TV and multimedia, today announced that Modeo(TM), which is developing a DVB-H broadcast network in the U.S., has purchased Penthera Broadcast Center(TM) for use in Modeo's network operations center, south of Pittsburgh, PA. In conjunction with this announcement, Penthera launched Penthera Broadcast Center 1.0, a carrier-grade, mobile broadcast control and data system that enables revenue-rich functionality such as interactivity, advertising, branding and metering. Penthera Broadcast Center is the only commercially available software solution for Windows-based, DVB-H broadcast transmission. These announcements indicate Penthera is now an integral part of mobile broadcast delivery to DVB-H-enabled devices in the U.S. and will be instrumental in creating new, differentiated revenue opportunities for DVB-H broadcasters, in addition to content providers and operators associated with mobile broadcast.

"Modeo is developing a world-class, mobile broadcast service that seeks to create unique value for content providers, operators, MVNOs, and retailers who want to address the millions of U.S. mobile device users," said Michael Schueppert, President of Modeo. "Modeo selected Penthera since they are executing on their vision to create high quality, revenue-generating mobile broadcast services. Their multi-function software provides more than just program scheduling data and access for users of our mobile broadcast service. Penthera's solution also offers us flexibility and access to a wide range of creative applications for unique, branded, revenue opportunities such as interactive advertising, televoting and eCommerce." Modeo recently announced a production-ready, integrated DVB-H smartphone and has also announced that it plans to deliver live mobile TV to the top 30 markets across the United States.

"Modeo's order for Penthera Broadcast Center places Penthera in the middle of one of the world's largest planned commercial DVB-H deployments," said Sam Leinhardt, CEO of Penthera. "Penthera is pleased that Modeo has selected our broadcast head-end system, which is one component of our end-to-end mobile broadcast suite."

Penthera's mobile broadcast suite also includes Penthera Viewer(TM), middleware and application software which is deployed in DVB-H enabled mobile devices. Penthera Viewer provides users with an integrated, Virtual Set Top Box(TM) in their device -- a familiar paradigm easily understood by anyone with home cable or satellite TV service. Penthera recently announced its first commercial contract for Penthera Viewer 1.0

Revenue-Generating Services and Content

Penthera Broadcast Center is a highly reliable, field-tested, mobile broadcast system that is deployed in a broadcaster's network operations center. The system provides two primary functions - it inserts the control information related to the programming content that is being broadcast, and it inserts unique value-add content associated with advertising, interactivity, branding, metering and uniquely licensed content. For example, the 1.0 system supports interactive elements (e.g. click-to-web, click-to-call, click-to-SMS, click-to-vote, click-to-buy) embedded in the broadcast stream. They can be embedded in the broadcast stream or inserted in advertisements that are customized and targeted to fit the preferences of individual users or groups of users. Penthera software also supports DRM-protected content and interacts with an external key-granting entity such as a Windows Media(R) DRM license server so broadcasters can create various subscription and pay-per-view business models on a per-device, per-channel or per-program basis. The system is also designed to transmit files for access to saved shows, songs, advertisements, etc. Ultimately, these interactive elements, filecasts, and other multimedia application broadcasts create new service opportunities to increase carriers' average revenue per user (ARPU).

Open-standards, Multi-vendor Flexibility

Penthera Broadcast Center, which complies with the Modeo Air Interface Specification (AIPS) and honors the DVB-CBMS standards, is interoperable with other specification-compliant elements such as IP encapsulators and media encoders. Further, it has been validated with client devices from a variety of manufacturers. Such interoperability enables broadcast reception to a very broad potential market since client software can operate on devices from multiple vendors, using varying operating systems and form factors, including cell phones, PDAs, laptops, portable media players, gaming devices, and in-vehicle entertainment systems.

Reliability and Security

To optimize the end-user viewing experience and ensure highly reliable transmission of media files such as ringtones, videos, music, and other applications, the system incorporates a RFC-3926-compliant FLUTE module with application-level forward error correction capability - ideal for unidirectional communications. Further, the system offers redundant elements, fail-over capabilities, SNMP monitoring and "five-nines" availability.

Penthera, in conjunction with Modeo, recently demonstrated Penthera Broadcast Center at the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) conference in Las Vegas.

About Penthera (www.penthera.com)

Penthera is a privately held company providing a complete software solution for broadcast mobile video including middleware and application-level software for the broadcast head-end and on handheld devices. Founded in 2005, Penthera's executive team previously founded and operated Eizel Technologies, Inc., a Carnegie Mellon University spin-out which built mobile web and email connectivity software. Eizel was acquired by Nokia in 2003. Penthera is based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

About Modeo - "For the Love of TV" (www.modeo.com)

Modeo LLC is a subsidiary of Crown Castle International Corp. Modeo plans to deliver a rich media service comprised of live TV channels, audio channels and podcasting content over its planned Digital Video Broadcast - Handheld (DVB-H) network to a variety of mobile devices in the top 30 markets in the United States. Modeo is a founding member of the Mobile DTV Alliance, which includes representatives from Intel Corporation, Microsoft, Motorola, Nokia and Texas Instruments.

Trademarks and Brands:

Penthera, Penthera Viewer, and Virtual Set Top Box are trademarks of Penthera Technologies, Inc. in the United States and other countries.

Other names, marks and brands may be claimed as the property of others.

(C) 2006. Penthera Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved

Source: Business Wire

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