Ithaca Energy Regulatory News (ITH)

10 Jul 2007 07:01

ITIS Holdings PLC10 July 2007 EXCLUSIVE LICENCE WITH 4 DIGITAL GROUP ITIS Holdings plc ("ITIS" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that throughits partnership with 4 Digital Group it has secured exclusive access to datacapacity (channel bandwidth) on the UK's second National Digital Radio multiplexfor 12 years. ITIS will provide a range of traffic information services aimedat factory fitted and portable navigation systems. This exclusive agreement will enable ITIS not only to provide a continuity ofits quality service to its existing customer base throughout the transitionperiod of analogue to digital radio switchover, but also to enrich and increaseits dynamic content offering. 4 Digital Group, a consortium comprising Channel 4, EMAP, UTV, BSkyB/Chrysalis,Carphone Warehouse and UBC, has recently been awarded the licence by Ofcom tooperate the UK's second National Digital Radio multiplex for a period of 12years. The development of the 4 Digital Group's transmission infrastructure will berolled out over the next 18 months and ITIS is already in discussion with anumber of its automotive and mobile device clients regarding the jointdevelopment of services which will utilise the licensed data capacity. Stuart Marks, Chief Executive of ITIS, commented "The UK has led the progressivedevelopment and roll out of digital radio and we are very pleased to have alicence with this consortium. ITIS has always recognised the potential ofdeveloping and operating services to support our customers using digital radioand we have been active in the pre-development of standards which are necessaryin our business to facilitate wide scale adoption. We bring a wealth ofexperience and knowledge of the automotive sector to 4 Digital as we alreadyoperate the UK's leading broadcast traffic data service using analogue based RDSTMC under a separate Ofcom licence. This new digital capacity will ensure thecontinuity and enhancement of our services whilst enabling ITIS to be at theforefront of new receiver technology." Nathalie Schwarz, Director of Radio for Channel 4 stated. "The 4 Digital Groupwill play an important part in digital radio in the UK and we are delighted tobe working with ITIS who will be using this digital capacity to launch the nextgeneration of traffic and travel information services to drivers." - ends - Contact: Stuart Marks, ITIS Holdings plc - 0161 929 5788 Ginny Pulbrook, Citigate Dewe Rogerson - 0207 638 9571 Kirsty Barr, 4 Digital Group - 07876 440648 Note to Editors ITIS background material ITIS Holdings plc, listed on AIM, is the UK's leading provider of trafficinformation and technologies. ITIS has invested in the development of a uniquesystem for the collection and analysis of traffic information, it combinesjournalistic information with ITIS' historic and real-time Floating Vehicle Data(FVDTM) to provide journey time forecasts and real-time updates. ITIS now operates the largest commercial application of FVD anywhere in theworld, and delivers the content over a variety of platforms including RDS-TMC(Alert C), digital radio and automated telephone services (IVR) under the AARoadWatch brand. ITIS traffic information is collated from a combination of journalistic andreal-time sources using its own FVD network. The data is then transmitteddirectly to the TMC receiver using a carrier of the Classic FM radio network,which provides coverage of 90% of the strategic road network. ITIS provide traffic data to all mobile phone providers. To receive up-to-datetraffic and travel information direct from your mobile 'phone call 64644 fromany network; 2222 from Vodafone; 2020 from T-mobile. Calling the 64644trafficline gives you access to so much more than up-to-the-second trafficupdates for any road in the UK. Studio broadcasts and Live studio broadcastsfrom our traffic studio detail incidents and jams and give you a far morerounded picture of any problem on the roads. Visit www.keepmoving.co.uk for moreinformation. For further information visit www.itisholdings.com 4 Digital Group background material 4 Digital Group is a multi-media alliance combining leading UK radio,television, publishing, retail and technology companies. Led by Channel 4 Radio,the other shareholders are Emap Digital Radio Ltd, UTV Radio (GB) Ltd, BSkyB /Chrysalis, The Carphone Warehouse Group plc and UBC Media Group plc. Proposed national stations: • E4 Radio, run by Channel 4 Radio, will be an interactive music and entertainment station targeting 15 to 29 year-olds on the look-out for the best of what's new in music, comedy and entertainment. • Channel 4 Radio, run by Channel 4 Radio, will be a contemporary speech-based station with public service values infusing a blend of lively debate and entertainment targeted at 30 to 54-year-olds. • Pure4, run by Channel 4 Radio, will be a knowledgeable, accessible radio station for music lovers, home of the original radical artists from the worlds of music and culture. • Talk Radio, from UTV Radio, will be an all-speech service featuring opinionated presentation and lively debate. • Emap's proposed station, Closer, will be a broad mix of current and classic chart music with lifestyle conversation aimed at women aged 30 and over. • Sky News Radio, a joint venture between BSkyB and Chrysalis, will bring Sky News' admired approach to 24-hour rolling TV news to radio. • Sunrise Radio UK will be a personality-led, music-dominated station serving Britain's growing appetite for Asian music and culture. • Virgin Radio Viva, run by SMG, will be a new station for fun-loving, fearless women between the ages of 15 and 30. • Operated by CanWest MediaWorks, Original will be an album-led music station aimed at 40 to 59-year-olds, mixing music with meaningful speech. • Radio Disney will be the UK's first national radio station devoted to children, mixing music, entertainment and education. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange