INC.L Regulatory News (INC)

6 Dec 2006 07:44

Avanti Screenmedia Group PLC06 December 2006 For Release December 6th 2006 Avanti Screenmedia Group plc ("Avanti") Contract Award Avanti Screenmedia Group plc (AIM: ASG.L), the UK media and telecommunications business, is pleased to announce the award of a contract in its Networks Division. Avanti has been awarded a European Commission contract, as a Sub Contractor fora project called TANGO (Telecommunications Advanced Networks for GMESOperations). This is Avanti's first contracted involvement in the Global Monitoring forEnvironment and Security (GMES) project, which one of the largest satelliteprogrammes being undertaken in Europe. GMES is a European initiative to provideunified environmental and security-related information. The implementation ofthe space component of GMES (the earth observation satellites) is being led bythe European Space Agency. The development and assessment of services relyingboth on space borne and in-situ data is being led by the European Commission. For the TANGO consortium Avanti will develop software to integrate newtelecommunication services to expand GMES services and enhance their performancein the support of marine services and emergency response including risk & crisismanagement and humanitarian aid. Avanti's share of the contract is €444k overthree years. Commenting, David Williams, Avanti Chief Executive said "Avanti is now one ofvery few companies in Europe with satellite infrastructure and it is importantfor us to develop new applications that will utilise our capacity in future. Thework carried out on TANGO is important because it shows how we can build onAvanti's core experience in providing satellite based solutions to develop nextgeneration applications and services." Enquiries: Avanti Screenmedia Group plc 020 7749 1600David Williams, Chief Executive Smithfield 020 7903 0676Sara MusgraveTania Wild About Avanti: Avanti Screenmedia Group plc operates in two quite different divisions: Networksand Media. NetworksThrough its Networks division, Avanti is the only UK domiciled broadcastsatellite operator with its first satellite, HYLAS, funded and underconstruction for launch in 2008. In August 2005 Avanti was awarded by Ofcom the right to use the geo-stationaryorbital position at 33.5degreesW with 3.6Ghz of radio spectrum to operatesatellites. Avanti will use this to provide wholesale satellite services inEurope. MediaAvanti is the clear market leader in digital outdoor advertising, building anddeploying plasma screen networks in retail and leisure environments foradvertising, product promotion and customer entertainment. Avanti operates the UK's largest pub and shopping mall screenmedia network withapproximately 5,000 plasma screens installed throughout the country and inSeptember 2006 signed a groundbreaking deal to install plasma screens within 206SPAR convenience stores in the UK. In September 2006, Avanti won the advertising sales mandate for Setanta Sports.From August 2007 Setanta will broadcast English and Scottish Premiershipfootball into 45,000 pubs in the UK and Avanti has exclusive rights to selladvertising on this channel. Avanti listed on AIM, a market operated by the London Stock Exchange, on 9thJuly 2004, at an issue price of 130.0p. Avanti is included in the FTSE Mediasector and has a RIC code of ASG.L. About GMES GMES ('Global Monitoring for Environment and Security') is a European initiativewhich will provide tools to improve the environment and will help to keep theplanet safe and healthy. It represents a concerted effort to bring data and information providerstogether with users, so they can better understand each other and makeenvironmental and security-related information available to the people who needit through enhanced or new services in mapping, support for emergency managementand forecasting. GMES is the European participation in the worldwide monitoring and management ofour planet Earth, with the goal of addressing the information requirement forthe environment on a global scale. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange