* NEWS *
MYSTIC, CONNECTICUT - February 9, 2000 - USA Video Interactive (OTCBB: USVO; CDNX: US; www.usvo.com) and Vianet Technologies, Inc. (OTCBB:VNTK) have signed a contract to co-develop Unix-based Wavelet streaming video applications. The agreement gives USA Video Interactive exclusive marketing rights for the education and corporate training environments on Unix platforms. Unix-based operating systems such as those used by Sun Microsystems (Nasdaq: SUNW), Hewlett-Packard (NYSE: HP) and Silicon Graphics (NYSE: SGI) are widely used in education, corporate training, industrial and other business applications where scalability, performance, reliability, and security in large enterprise-based client operations are required.
USA Video Interactive's engineering team -- consisting of some of the country's leading experts in Internet technology, video and compression -- will develop and engineer streaming video solutions directly targeted at the Unix platforms. “This agreement puts us in the forefront of Wavelet being established as the standard for high-quality compression in all forms of Internet video,” said Edwin Molina, President of USA Video Interactive. “This tightens our relationships with our strategic partners, positioning us to be ever more competitive in this rapidly expanding market.”
The core technology stems from Vianet's Lightning Strike Wavelet compression algorithms used for video and imagery applications. The two companies announced in December a far-reaching strategic relationship that integrates Vianet's wavelet technologies into USA Video Interactive's streaming video product line.
“We're very pleased to see continued ongoing adoption of our Lightning Strike wavelet video compression technologies,” commented Peter Leighton, CEO and President of Vianet Technologies. “USA Video Interactive is a strong marketing partner and we are very pleased with their knowledge and understanding of the Wavelet technology and its place in the streaming video market. Continued adaptation of our Wavelet technologies reaffirms our corporate strategy of being a premier supplier of advanced solutions to the Internet and corporate Intranet environments.”
The co-developed technology will be marketed as USA Video Interactive's Lightning Strike Wavelet technology and allows users in both low- and high-bandwidth environments to view high-quality streaming video without losing image or motion integrity. Working together, the engineers and technical experts of Vianet and USA Video Interactive will develop an enhanced Wavelet compression that operates within the Unix-based operating system, thus expanding the USA Video Interactive's Lightning Strike technology to an even broader base of applications.
About USA Video Interactive
USA Video Interactive is an international designer and supplier of high-tech Video-on-Demand™ systems, services and solutions. The USA Video Interactive technology gives users full-motion video; the unique flexibility of standard, VCR-like controls of play, fast-forward, reverse and pause; and the convenience of a standard internet-browser format for access. Its Lightning Strike Wavelet technology provides video images significantly faster and at a higher degree of resolution than with previously available methods; significantly overcomes bandwidth restrictions; and eliminates the blockiness and slowness of current technologies, all at a lower cost. An essential feature of the USA Video Interactive technology is that it allows extremely high compression ratios while retaining near-broadcast quality. For more information on USA Video Interactive, visit www.usvo.com.
About Vianet Technologies, Inc.:
Vianet Technologies is an innovator in the development and integration of streaming video and image delivery technology and systems. The company offers outstanding solutions in the private and public networks including network access, value-added services, e-commerce applications and visual media communications. The delivery of broadband services and deployment of new technologies continues to be restricted by bandwidth limitations in both the public (Internet) and private (Intranet) sectors. Vianet is solving these issues with the development of next-generation networking equipment and visual media technologies. Vianet is a leader in wavelet technologies in the video and imagery delivery market. Vianet is a publicly held company based in New York City, NY. Vianet is traded under the ticker VNTK. For more information about Vianet and its products and services, please visit the Web site at www.vianettechnologies.com.
USA Video Interactive Corporate Headquarters Office: 70 Essex Street; Mystic, CT 06355; (800) 625-2200; (860) 572-1560. Canada Office: 837 West Hastings Street; Suite #507; Vancouver, B.C. V6C 3N6. Trading symbol on the US NASD OTC BB: USVO; SEC 12g3-2(b) Exemption: #82-1601. Trading symbol on The Canadian Venture Exchange: US. Standard & Poors Listed. CUSIP 902924208; USA Video, USA Video Interactive, Video-On-Demand and Video Yellow Pages are trademarks of USA Video Interactive. The Canadian Venture Exchange (CDNX) has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Tony Castagno, Media Relations, 860-572-1560; Kevin Yorio, Investor Relations, 860-572-1560; info@usvo.com
Vianet Corporate Contact: Todd Viegut, VP Marketing; viegut@infinop.com; Jennifer Hamlet, Marketing Coordinator, jennifer@infinop.com; (972) 702-1767; Media Contact: Stacey Gaswirth, sgaswirth@sheltongroup.com; Stephanie Mayo, smayo@sheltongroup.com; Shelton Communications Group (972) 239-5119; Investor Contacts: Vickie Gorton, Cathy Grittner, Shelton Communications Group; (972) 239-5119; (972) 239-2292 fax
Forward-looking statements in this release are made pursuant to the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Investors are cautioned that such forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties.
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