Corporate | 8 March 2006 13:10

United Internet AG and ProSiebenSat.1 Group launch video-on-demand portal ‘maxdome’

Corporate-news transmitted by DGAP – a company of EquityStory AG. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. —————————————————————————— United Internet AG and ProSiebenSat.1 Group launch video-on-demand portal ‘maxdome’ Via DSL to the PC and via set-top box to the TV /// Presentation at 1&1’s stand in Hall 16 of the CeBIT 2006 fair Hanover/Montabaur, March 8, 2006. United Internet AG (1&1, GMX, WEB.DE) and the ProSiebenSat.1 Group are to launch the video-on-demand portal ‘maxdome’ in the second quarter of 2006. ‘maxdome’ will offer an extensive catalogue of films, comedy programs and TV series. Users will be able to access ‘maxdome’ either on their PC via broadband internet connection or on TV via set-top box. ‘maxdome’ is a strategic cooperation between the ProSiebenSat.1 Group and United Internet AG. With its 1&1, WEB.DE and GMX brands, United Internet AG is one of Germany’s largest internet providers with some 18 million active users. On the basis of a 50/50 commercial agreement, the partners aim to play a significant role in the development of Germany’s video-on-demand market. Guillaume de Posch, CEO of ProSiebenSat.1 Media AG, says: ‘DSL represents a new way for us to reach the viewer – especially the younger generations who have grown up with computers. ‘maxdome’ will open up additional exploitation possibilities for content belonging to the ProSiebenSat.1 Group, Germany’s leading private TV company. As a partner, United Internet AG ideally complements our own core competencies.’ ‘The strategic partnership between United Internet and ProSiebenSat.1 defines a new added value for DSL connections,’ states Ralph Dommermuth, CEO of United Internet AG. ‘In addition to our internet and telephony flat rate, ‘maxdome’ is the first extensive video-on-demand package which subscribers can receive for a fixed monthly rate.’ The ProSiebenSat.1 Group has already secured a wide range of video-on-demand rights for ‘maxdome’. Agreements with Paramount Pictures Global (e.g. ‘Mission Impossible 1’ & ‘2’, ‘Forrest Gump’, ‘Star Trek Nemesis’), Constantin Film Verleih (e.g. ‘(T)Raumschiff Surprise – Periode 1’, ‘Alexander’), Kinowelt (e.g. ‘Saw 2’, ‘Die Reise der Pinguine’) and Epsilon Motion Pictures (e.g. ‘Million Dollar Baby’, ‘Der ewige Gärtner’) will guarantee an attractive movie portfolio. The Group is also currently negotiating with further Hollywood studios. In addition, the ProSiebenSat.1 Group has video-on-demand rights to the KirchMedia Library (e.g. ‘Sieben Jahre in Tibet’, ‘Blade’). The ‘maxdome’ portal will also be used to access a variety of successful programs broadcast by the TV stations Sat.1, ProSieben, kabel eins and N24. Formats such as ‘Verliebt in Berlin’ or the new ProSieben telenovela ‘Lotta in Love’ are even previewed on ‘maxdome’ before being broadcast on TV. Users can access the programs either as subscribers of various packages or in individual streaming versions (24h pay-per-view). As with a DVD, the program can then be watched as often as the user likes. ‘maxdome’ will be available directly via www.maxdome.de and also integrated into the 1&1, WEB.DE and GMX portals. In spring 2006, 1&1 will launch a specially certified set-top box for TV streaming which is ‘ready for maxdome’. The plug-and-play device is installed between the user’s IP connection and a normal TV set. The certification ensures that all requirements regarding picture quality, encoding and security are met. As an open platform, ‘maxdome’ can be used with all broadband networks and is not restricted to any particular access type. As part of the strategic cooperation, 1&1 will be responsible for streaming, billing and customer management. ‘maxdome’ will be produced and operated by SevenSenses, a new subsidiary of the ProSiebenSat.1 Group in their ‘Diversification’ division. The company is responsible for the Group’s video-on-demand, IPTV and pay-TV activities. Both partners will support the launch of ‘maxdome’ in the second quarter of 2006 with extensive promotion, marketing and sales activities. In order to protect the video-on-demand programs from unauthorized data piracy, encoding and digital rights management are supplied by the leading US technology company entriq™. Presentation of ‘maxdome’ at CeBIT 2006 A preliminary version of the ProSiebenSat.1 Group’s new video-on-demand portal will be unveiled at the 1&1 stand in Hall 16 of the CeBIT 2006 fair during daily presentations. Highlights include the visit of actors from Sat.1’s telenovela ‘Verliebt in Berlin’ on March 11, 2006 and the four finalists of the ProSieben show ‘Germany’s Next Top Model’ on March 12, 2006. Marcus Schaps United Internet AG Press spokesman Phone: +49 2602/96-1076 Fax: +49 2602/96-1013 (c)DGAP 08.03.2006 ————————————————————————— language: English emitter: United Internet AG Elgendorfer Straße 57 56410 Montabaur Deutschland phone: +49 (0)260 296-1631 fax: +49 (0)260 296-1013 email: Investor-Relations@United-Internet.de WWW: www.United-Internet.de ISIN: DE0005089031 WKN: 508903 indexes: TecDAX stockmarkets: Geregelter Markt in Frankfurt (Prime Standard); Freiverkehr in Berlin-Bremen, Hannover, Düsseldorf, Hamburg, München, Stuttgart End of News DGAP News-Service —————————————————————————