Paris, France. August 31, 2010. Telekom Slovenia (www.telekom.si/en/) today announced the deployment of Netgem’s (http://www.netgem.com) smart Set Top Box technology and NetgemTV middleware to upgrade its legacy IPTV infrastructure. From September 1, 2010, Telekom Slovenia will use Netgem’s intelligent client solution to roll out tailored applications to customers, building upon the operator’s existing bouquet of entertainment services to ensure it fulfil its long term connected home roadmap.

Telekom Slovenia currently has around 120,000 IPTV customers and as a nation’s leading communications provider that is pioneering in bringing new solutions to Slovenia’s advanced market (as it was with IPTV or HD, for instance), this time wishes to expose its customers to the new experience of home entertainment. Netgem is working with Planet9 (www.planet9.si/), Telekom Slovenia’s multimedia and system integration subsidiary, to launch the SiOL iO service, which seamlessly blends broadcast, web and mobile content within a single, branded user experience.


Netgem
Initial applications include an online radio portal, weather news channel, livescore, Facebook connect, news channel SiOL.net and an innovative new application that enables subscribers to publish content shot direct from their mobile phone or webcam and share this content in the comfort of their living room. The deployment time and costs for these new services are minimised since Netgem’s open solution is able to integrate with Telekom Slovenia’s existing Content Management System, Back end systems and head end.

Simon Furlan, Marketing Director of Telekom Slovenia said: “Our previous server-based platform did not offer the capability to support our vision moving forward, we needed to future-proof our IPTV services and since digital switchover is approaching it seemed the right time to make the upgrade. Netgem’s hybrid technology slotted directly into our existing infrastructure, and also negated the need for costly reinvestment.”

The device-centric approach Netgem provides solved a number of the technical obstacles that Telekom Slovenia had previously faced through its ageing server-based architecture. The wide spread adoption of connected devices at home, the customers desire to share content in and outside of the home, their willingness to merge TV experience with web content, including social networks and to personalise their services, are strong forces calling for a renewal of solutions towards intelligent Set-Top-Boxes and away from the previous network centric approach.

Commenting on the deal, Christophe Aulnette, Managing Director of Netgem, said: “Our solution is a cost-effective way for operators to quickly introduce the broadest possible range of online and offline content to market, while being able to take advantage of new, long-term revenue streams made available by connected home and multi-screen services.”

-Ends-

NOTES TO EDITORS:
Netgem will be presenting its new products and services, including those implemented by Telekom Slovenia, at #IBC10 (www.ibc.org), Amsterdam, from September 10th-13th on stand 405, Connected World, Hall 9, The RAI Exhibition and Conference Centre.

About Telekom Slovenia
The Telekom Slovenia Group is Slovenia’s leading and most advanced telecommunications operator in all key segments of the well-developed and highly competitive Slovenian market, delivering a comprehensive portfolio of fixed, mobile, Internet and state-of-the-art integrated telecommunication solutions via its modern proprietary network. Beyond its clear number one presence in Slovenia, Telekom Slovenia Group is present in several high growth markets in Southeast Europe, in Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and Albania. The Group's acquisition of 50% stake in Gibtelecom, Gibraltar's dominant fixed, mobile and Internet operator, represents further steps in the strategy to extend Telekom Slovenije's geographic footprint into selected Southeast European and Mediterranean markets.

The Telekom Slovenia Group has more 2,3 million users of mobile services and more than 1 million of residential and commercial users of fixed telephony, VOIP, IP TV and Internet services in the region of SEE. The Group's key areas of activity are voice, data, Internet and multimedia services.

About Planet9
Planet9 is a limited liability company, which is a member of Telekom Slovenia Group. Its main activities are developing, supporting and creating new platforms and solutions for mobile, web and IPTV media as well as acquiring, editing and publishing content for mobile and web portals.

About Netgem
Netgem enables operators to deliver branded connected entertainment in the digital home, enriching the broadcast TV experience with the power of the internet. Installed in over 2.5 million homes around the world, Netgem is among the top 10 most deployed Hybrid Set Top Box solutions worldwide.

Netgem customers include: SFR, Telstra, Monaco Telecom, Elisa in Finland, Spec-Com for Algeria Telecom, Melita Telecom in Malta and FetchTV in the UK. Netgem is listed on Compartment C of Euronext Paris Eurolist (ISIN code: FR0004154060, Reuters code: ETGM.PA, Bloomberg code: NTG FP 7537). www.netgem.com
Twitter http://www.twitter.com/netgem/

Media contacts:
Telekom Slovenije: Darinka Pavlič Kamien, Head of PR Office, T: +38612341968, [email protected]
Planet 9: Martina Sever, PR manager, T : + 386 1 47 30 363, [email protected]
Netgem: Vanessa Vigar, Netgem Communications, T: +31611562218, [email protected]
AxiCom (for Netgem): Andy Riley, AxiCom, T: +44 20 8392 4072, [email protected]