Australia's Network Ten Chooses TANDBERG Television In Digital Terrestrial Deal TANDBERG Television Announces First Australian Deal to Provide High Definition And Standard Definition Solutions for a National Digital Terrestrial Network SYDNEY, Australia, April 7 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ -- TANDBERG Television, a leading supplier of open digital solutions for digital broadcasting, is continuing its lead in the global digital terrestrial television (DTT) market with today's announcement that it has secured its first significant DTT contract in Australia. TANDBERG Television has been chosen by Network Ten Pty Limited as the provider of high definition and standard definition broadcast systems for its national DTT network. As part of the contract, TANDBERG Television will supply Network Ten with evolution 5000 compression, multiplexing and multiplex management systems for the entire national network. The system will include both network distribution and emission systems for five major cities -- Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth. The deal also includes a five-year maintenance and support contract, which will see TANDBERG Television work with Network Ten on the systems integration and ongoing development of the network. "As a major commercial television broadcaster in Australia committed to the introduction of digital television, we wanted more than just a product supplier. We were looking for a true technology partner and an organisation that totally understands digital terrestrial broadcasting. TANDBERG Television is able to offer us proven high definition and standard definition compression, transmission and broadcast management solutions, supported by the expertise of engineers, closely involved with the development of DTT," says Gerry Thorley, General Manager of Network Operations at Network Ten Pty Limited. TANDBERG Television has vast experience of digital terrestrial TV built on over a decade of pioneering research and development work and is the recognised DTT market leader with proven interoperability and reliability in real networks. The company has gained over 90% of the UK DTT transmission market serving all UK DTT broadcasters including the BBC and OnDigital, has secured DTT contracts in Finland and Spain and is involved in a number of key trials across Asia and Europe. "We are proud to have been chosen by Network Ten Pty Limited for this important broadcast system. The move to digital terrestrial TV in the Australian market is an exciting time. For TV viewers it will mean wider choice and a higher quality TV offering, as new services are introduced such as interactivity. For advertisers it means better targeting of viewers and interactive feedback," says Graham Murray, COO of TANDBERG Television. "We look forward to building on this major win, and on the current DTT networks and trials we are operating in many other European and Asian countries, to continue as the first choice in DTT technology and solutions." TANDBERG Television ASA, a Norwegian technology company listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange, has operations world-wide and employs 800 people in Asia, Australia, Europe and the US. The company provides complete solutions for digital broadcasting, specialising in products and systems for the management and transmission of digital TV signals. TANDBERG Television is a leader in digital video compression, multiplexing, transmission and reception and has proven systems integration and global support capabilities. The company is committed to open systems and plays a major part in developing open systems and international standards such as MPEG-2, DVB, ATSC, SMPTE and DTTV. TANDBERG Television's customers include major broadcasters and network operators in the digital cable, satellite and terrestrial TV markets as well as leading players in the mobile contribution, distribution, ATM and private network sectors. Current customers include BSkyB, BBC, BT, Cable & Wireless, Canal +, CCTV, China Telecom, Doordarshan, Echostar, Eutelsat, Fox, France Telecom, MediaKabel, NDS, NTL, NTU, Reuters, SES (Astra), ShinSat, SkyPerfecTV, StarTV, Telekom Malaysia, Telenor Satellite Services, Telewizja Polska S.A, Telia, TeleDanmark Cable and Tribune Broadcasting. SOURCE TANDBERG Television ASA CONTACT: Gay Platts, or David Bramley, +44-181-964-9149, [email protected], both of Platform for TANDBERG Television/