Madge.web Launches Global Content Distribution Services
Economist.tv from The Economist Announced As Lead Customer
siliconinvestor.com
WEXHAM SPRINGS, United Kingdom, Mar 21, 2001 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Madge.web(TM), a global provider of rich content applications and managed network services, and a subsidiary of Madge Networks N.V. (Nasdaq:
MADGF chart, msgs), today launches its Content Distribution Services (CDS), which deliver rich content -- high value content in multiple formats such as text, still and dynamic graphics, animations, photographs, streamed audio/visual material and interactive content -- across Madge.web's global private network.
Currently, the public Internet's performance is erratic with inherent problems such as slow delivery, congestion, unreliability and lack of security. Businesses that are using the Internet as a new channel for cost-effective access to global markets face these issues. The result is lost business opportunities, damage to brand and loss of customers.
CDS bypasses the public Internet, optimizing the delivery of rich content. CDS pushes content to servers at the edge of Madge.web's private global network while keeping it under the control of the content owner. This ensures that web content is delivered from servers closer to the end users, as and when required, improving web page delivery speeds by up to 75 per cent. Reliability is also improved by mirroring central web sites or replicating content globally in multiple edge servers. This results in an improved web experience that builds customer loyalty and strengthens the brand and allows more efficient distribution of internal company data.
Economist.tv, provider of streaming video analysis from The Economist, is the lead customer to deploy Madge.web's CDS solution. The solution will provide a reliable, secure and scalable briefing service to Internet viewers with faster download times and reduced global variations in service delivery. Economist.tv will now be able to develop further business and revenue opportunities through online expansion.
Tony Wales, director of Economist.tv, commented: "The Economist has a well established brand in print which has now extended its global reach through TV and broadband analysis of the important issues shaping the world. We chose Madge.web's CDS as it allows us to protect The Economist brand by providing quality and reliability as we grow rapidly and globally through the Internet."
"While there has been tremendous build-out of network capacity in Europe and globally over the last few years, business and consumer users still face unpredictable experiences with the Internet," said Scott Smith, director of Internet Strategies Europe at the Yankee Group. "This is unacceptable when global brands, mission critical content and business data are at stake. Robust content delivery facilities and supporting business services are a must for the development of a mature Internet market."
Madge.web operates hosting and distribution services across its own global private network. It is one of the first European companies with multiple global data centers around the world with the capability to securely control the entire content management and distribution process end-to-end, with full tracking and reporting functionality. In addition, Madge.web's CDS gives the content owner control and the ability to ensure that content is up-to-date and consistent globally using Inktomi Network Products technology.
"Inktomi and Madge.web formed a strategic alliance last August when Madge.web announced it would integrate Inktomi Network products technology across its global private network. With the launch of its Content Distribution Services, Madge.web reinforces its strategy of becoming a leading global player in managing and distributing rich content," said David Peterschmidt, president and chief executive officer of Inktomi Corporation. "Today's announcement is a great step forward for the delivery of compelling content over the Internet and we look forward to continuing to work closely with Madge.web on the roll-out of new services."
Madge.web's CDS offers significant benefits in business-to-employee as well as business-to-consumer applications. Multinational corporates are beginning to experience an explosion in business data across their networks. This has cost implications and puts increasing pressure on network response times. This directly impacts corporate efficiency and productivity, creating a need for CDS on intranets. Organizations will benefit from enhanced intranet performance in terms of speed, reliability and security. In addition, direct control over content at the edge servers gives global operations competitive advantage -- anyone, anywhere in the company will be able to access the most up-to-date company information at any time.
Robert Madge, chief executive officer, Madge.web, said: "Business can no longer tolerate slow web sites and companies are becoming aware that service delivery is a critical performance issue for business-to-employee and
business-to-consumer applications. Madge.web's CDS and the extended reach we can give with our Content Bridge Alliance partners, delivers a tailor made solution to support content distribution that brings content `closer' to the end user, while keeping it under the control of the content owner. The launch of CDS together with our global managed hosting and network services uniquely position us to actively help companies grow their online business models and revenue streams and manage their internal data more efficiently."
Technical Note to Editors:
Madge.web's Content Distribution Services run across the company's private global network. The CDS network operates across 21 Content Distribution Points in 15 countries, allowing customers to deliver content on an international basis. By pushing content to the edge of the network using Inktomi's Traffic Server and Content Distribution Suite, full content control and management over delivery resides with the content originator.
About Economist.tv (www.economist.tv)
With a global agenda and The Economist's unique style, Economist.tv gives incisive and forward-thinking coverage on business, politics, technology and the world in which we live. Produced in conjunction with Mentorn Barraclough Carey, the UK's largest independent producer of factual programming, Economist.tv is information rich and visually compelling, with an easily accessible and fast moving format.
About The Economist
Edited in London since 1843, The Economist is a weekly international news and business publication, offering clear reporting, commentary and analysis on world politics, business, finance, science, technology, culture, society, media and the arts. Printed in six countries and published on the Internet, worldwide circulation is now in excess of 750,000. Because of its international editorial perspective, it is read by more of the world's political and business leaders than any other magazine.
About Madge.web
Madge.web is a global provider of rich content applications, content distribution and managed network services. These services are delivered via the company's Overnet, bypassing the public Internet, to more than 30 countries around the world. Rich content services from Madge.web -- architected to handle online video, audio, images and interactive media -- include encoding services, virtual private networking, managed hosting, storage, streaming media distribution, marketing services and workflow management. Further information about Madge.web can be accessed at www.madgeweb.com.
About Madge Networks N.V.
Madge Networks N.V. (Nasdaq: MADGF chart, msgs) is a global provider of advanced Internet-centric network services and products, and mission-critical enterprise solutions. The company operates through three primary subsidiaries: Madge.web, a global provider of rich content applications, content distribution and managed network services; Madge.connect, a global supplier of Token Ring LAN product solutions for mission-critical enterprise networks; and Red-M, a pioneering developer of Bluetooth networking solutions that enable access to a range of voice, video and data from a range of mobile devices. The company's main business centers are located in Wexham Springs, United Kingdom; New York City and Milpitas, California. Information about Madge's complete range of products and services can be accessed at www.madge.com.
Madge Networks N.V. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act Statement
Investors should take note that certain statements in this press release are forward-looking and may not give full weight to all of the potential risks (e.g., difficulty of providing complex IP-based services, the ability to guarantee delivery and performance, the ability to launch such new services and to launch in new countries within the time currently estimated and other risks related to the relatively new field of IP-based services). Forward-looking statements included in this press release include statements which refer to the deployment by Economist.tv of Madge.web's CDS solution providing a reliable, secure and scalable briefing service to Internet viewers with faster download times and reduced global variations in delivery, Economist.tv being able to develop further business and revenue opportunities through online expansion, Madge.web's CDS allowing Economist.tv to protect The Economist brand by providing quality and reliability as it grows rapidly and globally through the Internet, Madge.web reinforcing its strategy of becoming a leading global player in managing and distributing rich content by launching CDS, Inktomi looking forward to continuing to work closely with Madge.web on the roll out of new services, organizations benefiting from enhanced intranet performance in terms of speed, reliability and security, direct control over content at the edge servers giving global operations competitive advantage - anyone anywhere in the company being able to access the most up-to-date company information at any time, the launch of CDS together with Madge.web' s global managed hosting and network services uniquely positioning Madge.web to actively help companies grow their online business models and revenue streams and manage their internal data more efficiently and other statements which are not completely historical. Actual results, actions or events could differ materially. For more information on risks, please refer to Madge's SEC filings.
Trademarks
Madge, the Madge logo, Madge.web, the Madge.web logo, Madge.connect and Red-M are trademarks, and in some jurisdictions may be registered trademarks of Madge Networks or its affiliated companies. Other trademarks appearing in this release are those of their respective owners.
Contact:
Madge.web (UK, Europe and Asia Pacific)
Nicola Hynes, +44 1753 661518
nicola.hynes@madgeweb.com
or
Madge.web (US)
Brett Bekritsky, 212/709-1000
bbekritsky@madgeweb.com. |
