BSD.L Regulatory News (BSD)

31 Oct 2005 07:01

Emblaze Ltd31 October 2005 Emblaze Mobile signs handset agreement with UK's Virgin Mobile Virgin and Emblaze co-branded handset to be sold by Xmas via Dixons, Virgin Megastores and virginmobile.com London, 31 October 2005: Emblaze Ltd (Emblaze or "the Company") (LSE: BLZ)announces that its Group company, Emblaze Mobile, the handset design andmanufacturing house announces an agreement to supply handsets to Virgin Mobile,the UK's leading mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) with more than fivemillion customers. The advanced Sting 6 device is especially customised for the 16-24 group agewith top features. The handset will be branded both with Emblaze and VirginMobile insignia and will be available in Virgin Mobile Stores within VirginMegastores, virginmobile.com and Dixons Stores in the UK and Ireland in time forthe Christmas period. Laurence Alexander, CEO of Emblaze Mobile, said: "We have completed the TypeApproval tests of the Virgin network for the Sting 6 and are now working onadditional unique models for other Virgin market segments. Virgin Mobile isknown for its flair for innovation and value deals for its customers. The matchbetween our companies is such that we believe it will lead to great new ideasand services over the years. We are delighted to co-promote our phones with aleading brand and operator in the UK for Xmas." Graeme Hutchinson, sales and marketing director, Virgin Mobile, said: "VirginMobile is extremely pleased to be working with Emblaze Mobile who has such abold and fresh approach to our market. Emblaze's attitude and outlook is veryakin to our own and they understand that Virgin has a reputation for focusing onthe needs of the customer. We are confident the Sting 6 will be in high demandas one of the best value megapixel camera phones on the market for Christmasexclusive to Virgin Mobile." Emblaze Mobile has expanded its international position with headquarters inLondon incorporating marketing, sales and management. Until recently, it soldhandsets mainly to open channels in the Far East but now has started penetratingEuropean countries including France, Greece, Germany and Russia. Emblaze Mobilehandsets are currently in final trials with all the major network operators inEurope. Images of the Sting 6 device can be viewed at the following web address: http://www.emblaze.com/press/releases/images/67/moreViews.htm More information can be found at www.emblazemobile.com. Enquiries: EmblazeHagit Gal/ Doron Cohen + 972 9 7699339 / 301 Emblaze MobileClaire Cranton +44 7966 369 426/+44 20 7958 9568 Corfin CommunicationsHarry Chathli, Neil Thapar + 44 20 7929 8989 Virgin MobileJo Baker + 44 7941 233 300 Notes to Editor About The Emblaze Group (Emblaze LTD) Emblaze Ltd is a group of companies sharing a common mission to provide telecomoperators with technologies, products and solutions for next generationservices: Emblaze Mobile, a new breed in handsets design and manufacturing;Adamind (LSE: ADA), a global leader in content adaptation (transcoding) forwireless operators; Visual Defence (LSE: VDI), a provider of wireless and IPvideo solutions for military and homeland security markets; Emblaze VCON,recently created from the merger of Emblaze Systems and VCON , is a leadingprovider of wireless video communications technologies and conferencingsolutions for operators and enterprise markets over IP networks and OrcaInteractive (LSE: ORCA), provider of Interactive Television IPTV middleware forVideo On Demand (VOD) and broadcast services, aimed at Telecom, cable and xDSLoperators. Emblaze Group is traded on the London Stock Exchange (LSE: BLZ) since 1996 andhas offices in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, China, Korea andIsrael. www.emblaze.com About Emblaze Mobile Emblaze Mobile was founded in 2001. It is headquartered in London with operatingfacilities in Israel as well as design and production capabilities in Korea. Itis part of Emblaze group of companies which share a common mission to provideTelecom operators with technologies, products and solutions for next generationservices. Emblaze Mobile produces media-rich handsets with sophisticated voiceand data solutions that are individual, cool and stylish. Emblaze Mobile knowsthat its customers are sophisticated individuals who have busy lifestyles, andneed multimedia devices which are precisely tailored, simple, stylish andversatile to meet their different and constantly changing needs. Theseinnovative devices offer operators the ability to provide additional value-addedservices and a richer, even more intuitive, multimedia experience.www.emblazemobile.com About Virgin Mobile: Virgin Mobile Holdings (UK) plc, the UK's largest mobile virtual networkoperator, is majority owned by Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Group and usesT-Mobile's network. Since its launch in November 1999, Virgin Mobile hasattracted more than 5.6 million customers. In the UK, Virgin Mobile phones are available direct on 0845 6000 600; on theweb at www.virginmobile.com or on the high street at approximately 5,000 outletsincluding Virgin Mobile Stores within Virgin Megastores, The Carphone Warehouse,The Link, Dixons, Phones 4 U, Curry's, Comet, Tesco, Asda, John Lewis, Argos,TOMO, Woolworths, Toys R Us and Ryman plus hundreds of independents mobilephones dealers and available via Shop Direct, Littlewoods, Grattan and Empirehome shopping channels. Virgin Mobile Pay Monthly is currently available in selected Virgin MobileStores, The Carphone Warehouse and at www.virginmobile.com. Virgin Mobile employs approximately 1,400 staff at three sites, Trowbridge,London and Daventry, and has an outsourced customer service centre operated byapproximately 200 staff in Middlesbrough. Virgin Mobile's customers were found to be the most-satisfied mobile consumersin the pre-pay sector for two years running in 2005 and 2004, according to thesurveys by J.D. Power and Associates. Virgin Mobile is also featured in 'TheSunday Times 100 Best Companies to Work For' list 2005 and is part of theFTSE4Good Index. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange