VITA.L Regulatory News (VITA)

28 Jan 2010 11:30



28 January 2010 

Cellcast Asia named as one of the World's Top 100 private technology companies

Cellcast plc (AIM: CLTV), the interactive digital broadcaster, today announced that Cellcast Asia (a 37.5% associated company) has received the Red Herring 100 Global Award and has been named as one of the world's top 100 private technology companies.

Cellcast Asia is the leading supplier of participation TV formats and applications in the Indian subcontinent. In 2009, transactions per month grew from 2 million in January to over 10 million by December. This reflects the success of Cellcast Asia's new services, expanded distribution and the continuing strong growth of the mobile market in India, which added over 2 million new subscribers per month over the past year. Cellcast Asia is the first multi-platform participation TV company to be a recipient of the Red Herring 100 Global Award.

Red Herring's lists of top private companies are an important part of the publication's tradition of identifying new and innovative technology companies and entrepreneurs. Companies like Google, eBay, Skype and Youtube were spotted in their early days by Red Herring editors, and touted as technology leaders that would change the way we live and work.

The Red Herring media group considered 1,200 private companies, chosen from among the finalists and winners of the regional awards Red Herring 100 Europe, Asia and North America. For the past three years, the award has been given to the top 100 global technology companies based upon their technological innovation, management strength and strategy, market size, ecosystem integration, investor record, customer acquisition and financial health. "This year was especially difficult," said Alex Vieux, publisher and CEO of Red Herring. "Despite the global economic situation, there were so many great companies producing really innovative and amazing products that we had a difficult time narrowing the pool and selecting the finalists".

In response to news of the award, Pankaj Thakar CEO and co-founder of Cellcast Asia said, "To be named a Red Herring Global Award Winner is a tremendous honour, and we would like to thank the judges for recognising Cellcast Asia's innovative and proven business model. The award reflects the huge opportunity in India and across Asia arising from the convergence of the rapidly growing broadcast and mobile markets. It recognises Cellcast Asia's success in providing unique solutions to capture and monetise this opportunity, evidenced by our rapid traffic growth. None of this could have been achieved without the significant contribution of our principal founding shareholder Cellcast plc, whose investment, technology, and creative innovation ensured the successful launch and development of the venture." 

Cellcast plc CEO Andrew Wilson commented: "This award is very important for the Cellcast Group, and proof of the consumer demand for our formats, technology and services across multiple and diverse markets."

For further information:

About Cellcast Asia

Cellcast Asia is the leading participation TV broadcaster in the Indian subcontinent. The company was an early entrant and innovator in the interactive TV services business and has developed unique multi-platform expertise which spans format inception, development, production and broadcasting in combination with a billing platform built on a unique network of technical and commercial relationships with mobile and fixed line operators across the region. 

About Red Herring 

Red Herring (www.redherring.com) is a global media company which unites the world's best high technology innovators, venture investors and business decision makers in a variety of forums: a leading innovation magazine, an online daily technology news service, technology newsletters and major events for technology leaders around the globe. Red Herring provides an insider's access to the global innovation economy, featuring unparalleled insights on the emerging technologies driving the economy. 

About Cellcast PLC

Cellcast plc (AIM: CLTV) provides interactive mobile content for today's dynamic multi-platform digital entertainment sector. Cellcast's services enable broadcasters, content developers, media ventures, 3G services and mobile networks to profit from the convergence of television, IT and telecommunications. The company develops, aggregates, and distributes a portfolio of mobile and participation TV applications and produces live interactive pay-to-play programming matching the needs of broadcasters. The company distributes its programmes on various channels and platforms, including BSKYB, Freeview and Freesat in the United Kingdom, and across the Middle East and India through its associate companies Cellcast ME and Cellcast Asia Holdings.