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December 17, 2004

Thames Tech Wire - Dec. 17, 2004

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THAMES TECH WIRE - Dec. 17, 2004
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To Subscribe: http://www.thamestechwire.co.uk

o Ofcom Proposes Radical Overall of U.K. Commercial Radio
o 3i Director: U.K. Second-Best Place in World for Start-Ups
o Advent Venture Partners Announces First Closing of New Fund
o UTEK Buys U.K.-Based Pharmaceutical Research Exchange
o France-Based Thomson Acquires The Moving Picture Company
o Briefly Noted: Worldwide Incubator Network, Ian Burnett-HALCA
Mini-Fab Development, Cendant-Gullivers Travel-OctopusTravel.com
_____________________________________________

o Ofcom Proposes Radical Overall of U.K. Commercial Radio

London -- Ofcom, the U.K. communications and media regulator, has
proposed a radical expansion of the country's commercial radio
framework. Analysts say the proposal, the first of a two-part industry
review, could lead to the launch of more than 100 digital radio stations
and eventually the offering of services such as music downloads.
Industry experts say the most radical proposal will see two blocks of
spectrum -- tantamount to 20 new digital stations -- sold in an auction.
Ofcom said the spectrum would be open to all bidders, including
telecommunications operators wanting launch new mobile phone
services. "Radio is a dynamic medium at an interesting point of
development," said Ofcom Chief Executive Stephen Carter. "These
proposals seek responses to the prospect of more digital spectrum and a
new approach to content regulation." The closing date for comments on
the "Radio: Preparing for the Future" report is March 7, Ofcom said.
http://makeashorterlink.com/?P20214D0A
_____________________________________________

o 3i Director: U.K. Second-Best Place in World for Start-Ups

London -- According to Rod Perry, executive director of U.K.-based
venture capital giant 3i Group, the U.K. is the second-best country in
the world after the U.S. for start-up firms. 3i Group is one of the largest
VC firms in the world, boasting an investment fund of about £7 billion
(10.2 billion euro) spread across more than 400 technology companies
worldwide. "The big advantage in the U.K. has been the change
towards becoming more entrepreneurial, which happened especially
after the Thatcher years," Perry said in an interview with Computing
Magazine. "Various government schemes have boosted the U.K.'s
standing as a centre for start-ups, such as Chancellor Gordon Brown's
£2.5-billion investment in science and technology." Perry also cited the
introduction of the Sarbanes Oxley Act in the U.S. and the relative
flexibility of the U.K. labour market compared to the rest of Europe as
additional reasons why Cambridge, England, is becoming the new
Silicon Valley.
http://www.computing.co.uk/analysis/1160083
http://www.3i.com/
_____________________________________________

o Advent Venture Partners Announces First Closing of New Fund

London -- Advent Venture Partners, a U.K.-based venture capital firm
that focuses on the IT, communications technology and life sciences
sectors, announced this week that it has completed the first closing of
its latest fund. With total commitments of £128 million (186 million
euro), Advent Private Equity Fund IV's investors include Access
Capital Partners, the European Investment Fund, Pantheon, Westport
Private Equity, Alpinvest Partners and Swiss Re. The target for the
fund is £200 million (291 million euro), Advent said. "We are
particularly pleased to have the continued support of so many of our
existing investors, as well as having the opportunity to welcome new
investors," said Advent Chairman David Cooksey. "We believe that
now is a particularly good time to be investing in European-based
technology companies and that there are excellent opportunities to back
experienced management teams at attractive valuations."
http://www.adventventures.com/html/flash.htm
_____________________________________________

o UTEK Buys U.K.-Based Pharmaceutical Research Exchange

Plant City, Florida -- UTEK, a U.S.-based technology transfer business,
announced that it has acquired Pharma-Transfer, a U.K.-based
pharmaceutical research firm, in a stock transaction of undisclosed
value. Pharma-Transfer was founded in 1998 to track the R&D efforts
of leading universities, research institutions and life science companies
to locate and deliver advanced technology acquisition opportunities to
corporate subscribers in the pharmaceutical industry. The company
currently has more than 3,000 R&D opportunities in its database,
ranging from early stage, pre-patented, pre-clinical and clinical
research to finished products and enabling technologies. "As part of our
mission to become a world-leader in technology-transfer, it is necessary
that we have a robust and diversified supply of new technologies for
our customers to license," said UTEK CEO Clifford Gross. "The
Pharma-Transfer acquisition assists UTEK in achieving this goal."
http://www.utekcorp.com/index.cfm?articleID=128
_____________________________________________

o France-Based Thomson Acquires The Moving Picture Company

Paris -- Thomson, a France-based electronics and media services group,
announced that it has acquired The Moving Picture Company (MPC)
from ITV, a U.K.-based TV broadcaster. Thomson paid 76 million euro
(£52 million) for MPC, which provides visual effects and post-
production services to the motion picture and commercial advertising
industries. "MPC maintains great relationships with the creative
community worldwide, including local U.K. productions, and the
strengths of MPC fit strategically into Thomson's best-of-breed palette
of service offerings to our customers," said Thomson Services Vice
President Danny Raimondo.
http://www.thomson.com/corp/about/ab_home.jsp
_____________________________________________

o Briefly Noted:

(Cardiff, Wales) Andrew Davies, the Welsh Minister for Economic
Development and Transport, announced that a new Worldwide
Incubator Network linking Wales-based companies with knowledge-
based start-ups in Scotland and West Coast technology firms in the
U.S. will be operational early next year. "This innovative initiative will
create global opportunities for local companies through international
networks and link like-minded companies across the world, providing
vital access to knowledge and networks for companies and economic
development agencies," he said. Davies said the project would connect
more than 2,000 technology companies currently in business incubators
managed by the Welsh Development Agency, Scottish Enterprise and
the Pacific Incubator Network.
http://makeashorterlink.com/?E62413D0A

(London) Ian Burnett, a director at semiconductor equipment and
materials association JEMI UK, has called on the local chip industry to
collaborate with Europe and develop a version of Japan's mini-fab
computer-chip production technology. "We have an extremely strong
design base, and a lot of that design base is working on products that fit
the low-volume, short lifetime model, (for which mini-fabs are ideal),"
he said in a report for the U.K. Department of Trade and Industry's
GlobalWatch service. Burnett said the so-called HALCA mini-fab --
built at lower cost and with lower operating expense than traditional
fabs -- would better serve the production requirements of most U.K.
chip firms.
http://makeashorterlink.com/?D1C336D0A

(New York) Cendant, a U.S.-based provider of travel and residential
real estate services, announced that it has acquired two U.K.-based
travel services companies, Gulliver Travel Associates and Octopus
Travel.com, for £570 million in cash. OctopusTravel.com is an online
provider of lodging and destination services, selling directly to
consumers as well as through third-party affiliate and primarily low-
cost airlines. The companies source all travel and services inventory
directly from suppliers in 25 countries and operate as a merchandiser of
travel and tourism content for groups and individuals.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/041216/nyth061_1.html

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December 17, 2004 | Permalink

December 16, 2004

Thames Tech Wire - Dec. 16, 2004

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THAMES TECH WIRE - Dec. 16, 2004
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o U.K. Watchdog Ofcom Slashes Local Loop Unbundling Costs
o Serco Group to Acquire U.K.-Based ITNet for £235 Million
o U.K. VC Firm and Labour MP Call for New Innovation Law
o U.S.-Based @Road Agrees to Acquire U.K.-Based Vidus
o Report: Telecoms Betting on Mergers to Boost Market Share
o Briefly Noted: O2-Nortel Networks-HSDPA, Link-Morse-"Mobile
Cash Machine" Service, Computer Associates Ireland-Frank Kennedy
_____________________________________________

o U.K. Watchdog Ofcom Slashes Local Loop Unbundling Costs

London -- Ofcom, the U.K. communications watchdog, on Thursday
wrapped up a seven-month consultation process and confirmed a new
set of charges that will establish the future of local loop unbundling in
the country. With the news, the regulator essentially ended BT Group's
monopoly over the vitally important "last-mile", which connects
households and businesses directly to cable or telephone companies.
"This year has seen a lot of progress on local loop unbundling," said
Ofcom Chief Executive Stephen Carter. "This has been achieved
through a combination of industry investment, regulatory review and,
importantly, constructive engagement from BT." The new charges,
which have lowered the price rival operators pay to use BT's network
by as much as 70%, will come into effect on Jan. 1, Ofcom said.
http://makeashorterlink.com/?O2BB21A0A
_____________________________________________

o Serco Group to Acquire U.K.-Based ITNet for £235 Million

Birmingham, England -- Serco Group Plc., a Hampshire, England-
based public sector services contractor, announced on Thursday that it
has agreed to acquire ITNet Plc, a Birmingham-based computer
services firm, for £235 million in cash and shares. Earlier this year, the
U.K. Cabinet fired ITNet after the company repeatedly failed to meet
deadlines for an £83-million web hosting project. Serco said it made
the acquisition to take advantage of an increase in local authority IT
outsourcing. "ITNET fits well with Serco, and the enlarged group will
have a strong presence in the business transformation market," said
ITNet Chairman Oliver Whitehead. Separately, Serco also announced
that it would acquire RCI Holding Corp., a U.S.-based supplier of IT
services to the U.S. government, for £111 million.
http://www.serco.com/media/presspacks/2004/itnet.asp
_____________________________________________

o U.K. VC Firm and Labour MP Call for New Innovation Law

Cambridge, England -- A new report by David Connell, founder of TTP
Ventures -- a U.K.-based venture capital firm focusing on early stage
science and technology companies -- has called on the U.K.
government to introduce a new law similar to the Small Business
Innovation Development Act in the U.S. Connell's study argues that
governmental budgets and procurement processes are not designed for
buying feasibility studies and prototypes from early stage technology
companies, and that dealing with government customers is too time-
consuming and bureaucratic. "In the (U.S.), venture capital and
government procurement play a complementary role in developing
early stage science and technology companies," Connell said. "If the
U.K. is to build more and larger technology companies, the government
must pull its weight as a customer during the early stages."
http://makeashorterlink.com/?Q6EC24A0A
http://www.ttpventures.com/
_____________________________________________

o U.S.-Based @Road Agrees to Acquire U.K.-Based Vidus

Fremont, California -- @Road, a U.S.-based provider of mobile
resource management services, announced that it has agreed to acquire
U.K.-based Vidus Ltd., a provider of dynamic field service automation
products, for approximately £5.1 million in stock and the assumption of
£2.3 million in debt. @Road said the combination of the two
companies' products and services would help it to become a bigger
player in the mobile resource management arena. The deal is expected
to close in early 2005, when Vidus will become a subsidiary of @Road
and remain located in its current headquarters in Ipswich, England.
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/041215/155794_1.html
_____________________________________________

o Report: Telecoms Betting on Mergers to Boost Market Share

London -- Instead of trying to attract new customers,
telecommunications providers are increasingly looking to mergers and
acquisitions as the best means of boosting market share, according to a
new report by market analysis firm Canalys. "There are still too many
vendors in EMEA, and further acquisitions are inevitable," said
Alessandra Fitzpatrick, Canalys director and senior analyst. "Those that
do not have good IP strategies in place, and focus too heavily on box
shifting and too little on applications, will struggle." Canalys found that
the overall enterprise telephony market for the EMEA region (Europe,
Middle East and Africa) grew by 6% in the third quarter, with the lion's
share of the deals happening in Russia and the Middle East.
http://www.canalys.com/pr/2004/r2004121.htm
_____________________________________________

o Briefly Noted:

(London) O2, a U.K.-based mobile operator, and Nortel Networks
Corp., a Canada-based telecommunications equipment maker,
announced on Thursday that they have completed live mobile test calls
using a new technology called High Speed Downlink Packet Access
(HSDPA). The companies said HSDPA -- a migration technology for
the Universal Mobile Telecoms System (UMTS) wireless standard used
across Europe, Japan and North America -- is about three times faster
than 3G. "We are looking forward to deploying this broadband
technology in Europe and to delivering a newer and better experience
to our business and consumer customers," said O2 CTO Dave
Williams.
http://www.3g.co.uk/PR/December2004/8838.htm

(London) Link, a U.K.-based bank machine network, announced this
week that it plans to launch a "mobile cash machine" service early next
year that will allow users to check bank balances and top up pre-paid
mobile accounts using their mobile phones. The service will be run
jointly with Morse, a U.K.-based technology integration firm. Link said
the service will soon allow users to check recent account transactions
and eventually make money transfers. The four largest mobile
operators in the U.K. have already agreed to participate in the service,
Link said.
http://www.link.co.uk/

(Dublin) Computer Associates, the fifth-largest software firm in the
world, announced that it has appointed Frank Kennedy as its new
country manager for Ireland. Prior to joining Computer Associates,
Kennedy was a general manager for Fujitsu Consulting Ireland.
Computer Associates said the decision to appoint Kennedy was part of
its plan to invest heavily in Ireland in the coming year as part of its
push into the SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) market.
http://www.ca.com/

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> VP eBusiness Consulting

> BI Readiness: A key to ROI For Your Business Intelligence initiative

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December 16, 2004 | Permalink

December 15, 2004

Thames Tech Wire - Dec. 15, 2004

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THAMES TECH WIRE - Dec. 15, 2004
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To Subscribe: http://www.thamestechwire.co.uk

o Lord Sainsbury Supports European Software Patent Directive
o Report: U.K. Online Shopping over Holidays to Grow by 64%
o U.K.-Based Orthogon Systems Raises £4.1 Million in VC
o U.K. Video-Game Developer Elixir Studios Raises £1 Million
o Insight Direct Sells 45% Stake in PlusNet for £15.8 Million
o Swedish, Irish and U.K. Firms Best Users of IT, Report Says
o Briefly Noted: Scotland's Pathfinder Rural Broadband Programme,
Two Way TV-Zone4Play-ntl-Telewest Broadband, Nokia-Hologram
Battery Authentication System
_____________________________________________

o Lord Sainsbury Supports European Software Patent Directive

London -- Lord Sainsbury, the U.K. Minister of Science and
Innovation, has weighed in on the EU's controversial software patent
directive and denied that its current form would have an adverse impact
on the European software market. "Patents provide the confidence to
invest in R&D for technological industries, and the current draft
directive will ensure that Europe continues to strike the right balance
and provides clarity as to what can and cannot be patented with regard
to computer implemented inventions," he said. Lord Sainsbury also
denied that the directive would hurt the development of the open-
source community, one of the chief complaints of anti-patent group
FFII (the Foundation for a Free Information Infrastructure). The FFII,
among others, claims that the directive would give larger technology
companies greater legal powers that could be used to bully smaller
companies and the open source community in court.
http://makeashorterlink.com/?X5031280A
_____________________________________________

o Report: U.K. Online Shopping over Holidays to Grow by 64%

London -- According to a new revised estimate by the Interactive
Media in Retail Group (IMRG), shoppers in the U.K. are set to spend a
record £4 billion online this holiday season. The IMRG trade
association, which represents Internet retailers in the U.K., estimated
that online commerce over the months of November and December
would increase by 64% compared to the same period last year, when
approximately £2.5 billion was spent online. IMRG figures show that
shoppers are abandoning High Street retailers in droves, choosing
instead to stay at home and shop on the Internet. In fact, online
shopping in the U.K. is growing about 26 times faster than High Street
shopping, IMRG said. "There is a big migration from the High Street to
online shopping this year," IMRG analyst Andrew McClelland. "People
are now confident buying online, and are also comparing prices more
than ever before."
http://www.imrg.org/
_____________________________________________

o U.K.-Based Orthogon Systems Raises £4.1 Million in VC

Ashburton, England -- Orthogon Systems, a U.K.-based provider of
broadband wireless systems, announced on Wednesday it has raised 5.8
million euro (£4.1 million) in venture capital financing. The round was
led by Motorola Ventures, with existing investors Atlas Venture, the
Carlyle Group and Lighthouse Capital Partners also participating.
Orthogon said it would use the investment to fund the worldwide
commercialisation of its OS-Gemini product line. "We continue to meet
or exceed milestones in product development and sales," said Orthogon
CEO Phil Bolt. "The additional funding enables us to grow the
company exponentially and increase market share at an accelerated
pace." Separately, the company on Monday also unveiled a new
licensing agreement with Motorola's Canopy product line to provide a
high-bandwidth backhaul system compatible with Canopy's wireless
offerings.
http://makeashorterlink.com/?P1E62180A
_____________________________________________

o U.K. Video-Game Developer Elixir Studios Raises £1 Million

London -- In a new round of financing, U.K. video game developer
Elixir Studios announced that it has raised £1 million from existing
institutional and private investors. The company also said it plans to lay
off around 15 of its 60 employees in coming months as it shuffles its
development teams. The company recently completed "Evil Genius"
for publisher Vivendi Universal Games and is currently working with a
leading U.S. publisher on another title due for release in 2006. Elixir
said it would use the investment to fund current and future video-game
development projects. "We are very pleased to have closed our planned
fund raising and to have the full backing of our shareholders," said
Elixir CEO Mark Hewitt. "We are really focused on forging ahead and
completing our next title, which is an extremely exciting and innovative
game, with a great publisher, as well as seeing our other plans come to
fruition."
http://makeashorterlink.com/?D2115180A
_____________________________________________

o Insight Direct Sells 45% Stake in PlusNet for £15.8 Million

London -- Insight Direct, the U.K. division of U.S.-based reseller
Insight Enterprises, announced that it has raised £15.8 million by
offloading its 45% stake in PlusNet, an Internet service provider (ISP)
based in Sheffield, England, through a share placing. Separately, the
company outlined its future relationship with BT Group Plc, the largest
telecommunications company in the U.K. PlusNet said it agreed to
share technical knowledge with BT on the development and marketing
of each other's proposed Broadband products -- including fixed access,
wireless access, mobile services and Internet telephony (VoIP).
"Closely aligning PlusNet with BT Retail will help PlusNet to remain
at the forefront of developments in the broadband market in the U.K.,"
said PlusNet CEO Lee Strafford.
http://uk.insight.com/static/investor_relations.php
http://www.plus.net/press/aboutus/
_____________________________________________

o Swedish, Irish and U.K. Firms Best Users of IT, Report Says

Stockholm -- A new report commissioned by the U.K. Department of
Trade and Industry (DTI) and conducted by management consulting
firm Booz Allen Hamilton shows that businesses in Sweden, Ireland
and the U.K. are currently the world's most sophisticated users of IT.
Companies in the U.S. slipped from third place to seventh. The report
also found that more companies worldwide were beginning to shift
their IT focus from the costs of technology to the benefits thereof.
Global businesses have also shifted their attention from Internet access
to Internet speed and connection reliability, the DTI said. The
"International Benchmarking Study" took into consideration awareness,
adoption, deployment and impact of technology innovations and
examined people, technology and processes.
http://www.dti.gov.uk/bestpractice/assets/ibs2004.pdf
_____________________________________________

o Briefly Noted:

(Glasgow) The Scottish Executive announced this week that two
Pathfinder projects in the north and south of Scotland would receive as
much as £90 million to set up broadband Internet services for rural
schools and libraries. The projects will be launched in the Highlands
and Islands, the Borders and Dumfries and Galloway, Scottish
Education Minister Peter Peacock said. "Modern technology is making
the world a smaller place, and this has real benefits for people living in
rural Scotland," he said. "In our schools, it means pupils and teachers
can share ideas, expertise, projects and even lessons with schools
throughout Scotland, and beyond." The Scottish Executive said the
funds would be distributed over the next nine years as and when they
were required.
http://makeashorterlink.com/?P4392580A

(London) Interactive TV developer Two Way TV announced this week
that it has partnered with U.S.-based interactive TV game developer
Zone4Play to launch two fixed-odds, interactive TV betting channels
on U.K. digital cable TV platforms ntl and Telewest Broadband. The
Winner Channel and The Roulette Channel will allow U.K. residents to
place wagers using their TV's remote control. "Digital cable TV is
virgin territory for these types of service, and we believe that there is
significant unmet demand," said Two Way TV Commercial Director
Guy Templer.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/041214/uktu005_1.html
http://www.twowaytv.com
http://www.zone4play.com

(Helsinki) Nokia, the largest mobile-phone maker in the world,
announced on Wednesday that it has introduced an authentication
system using holographic labels on all its new batteries. The company
said the move was part of a campaign to raise awareness about the
dangers of using counterfeit batteries, which have been known to catch
fire and even explode. "With this new authentication programme, we
are directly attacking the counterfeiters who manufacture potentially
unsafe batteries," said Nokia's Razvan Olosu. "The hologram label
enables consumers to identify that the battery they are using is indeed
an original Nokia battery."
http://press.nokia.com/PR/200412/972290_5.html

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> VP eBusiness Consulting

> BI Readiness: A key to ROI For Your Business Intelligence initiative

> Receive THAMES TECH WIRE Every Day For Free

Please forward this edition of Thames Tech Wire to your colleagues
and suggest that they register on our Web site
(http://www.thamestechwire.co.uk) to receive their own copy.

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December 15, 2004 | Permalink

December 14, 2004

Thames Tech Wire - Dec. 14, 2004

============================================
THAMES TECH WIRE - Dec. 14, 2004
============================================
To Subscribe: http://www.thamestechwire.co.uk

o WSJ: Vodafone Gives Verizon Green Light on Sprint Bid
o Defence Contractor Lockheed Martin to Acquire Stasys Ltd.
o U.K.-Based Materials Firm Atraverda Raises £4 Million
o Digital TV Penetration in U.K. Nearly 56%, Ofcom Says
o U.K. Film Industry Calls for More Action Against Piracy
o Briefly Noted: Easynet-LLUStream-BT Group, BBC-Digital
Radio Switchover, Eircom-Free Wi-Fi Hotspots
_____________________________________________

o WSJ: Vodafone Gives Verizon Green Light on Sprint Bid

London -- Shares in Vodafone Group Plc, the largest mobile operator in
the world, fell by as much as 4% in afternoon trading on Tuesday after
the Wall Street Journal reported that the U.K.-based company has
thrown its support behind a bid by Verizon Communications, its U.S.-
based partner, for Sprint Corp. Sprint is currently the third-largest
mobile company in the U.S. after Cingular Wireless and Verizon
Wireless, and a successful bid would push Verizon to the top spot past
Cingular. What's more, an offer could scuttle Sprint's tentative $35-
billion (£18 billion) merger deal with Nextel, the fifth-largest mobile
firm in the U.S., the Wall Street Journal said. Quoting unnamed sources
familiar with the deal, the Wall Street Journal reported that Vodafone
would likely take a 45% stake in the new company, with Verizon
paying for the remainder of the £21-billion price-tag. So far, Vodafone
has refused to comment on the report.
http://makeashorterlink.com/?V2B15260A
_____________________________________________

o Defence Contractor Lockheed Martin to Acquire Stasys Ltd.

London -- Lockheed Martin Corporation, a U.S.-based defence
contractor, announced that it has agreed to acquire Stasys Ltd., a U.K.-
based technology and consulting firm specialising in network
communications and defence interoperability. Stasys provides services
including tactical data link integration, requirements management,
modelling and simulation and air traffic management consulting to
international defence organizations and civil governments. "Stasys is a
good fit for our long-term strategy in defence and government
information technology," said Lockheed Martin President and CEO
Bob Stevens. "They are an outstanding addition to the Lockheed Martin
team that will bolster our core competencies in net-centric operations
and systems engineering." Financial terms of the deal were not
disclosed.
http://makeashorterlink.com/?L1AF5250A
http://makeashorterlink.com/?F2BF4250A
_____________________________________________

o U.K.-Based Materials Firm Atraverda Raises £4 Million

Cardiff, Wales -- Atraverda, a unit of technology development group
Generics, announced on Tuesday that it has raised £4 million in venture
capital financing. The Mansfield, England-based materials division
builds batteries using a material called Ebonex that performs 40%
better than standard lead-acid cells. "This technology is the result of
several years concentrated R&D," said Atraverda CEO Andrew Loyns.
"Feedback from the market is strong, and we are now looking forward
to achieving our next goal of building substantial market share when
the product is launched next year." Atraverda said it plans to begin
production from a manufacturing site in South Wales in the second
quarter of next year. The funding round was lead by Scottish Equity
Partners and U.S. venture capital investor OnPoint Technologies, with
existing investors EnerTech Capital, the Generics Group and ITF also
participating.
http://www.atraverda.com/
_____________________________________________

o Digital TV Penetration in U.K. Nearly 56%, Ofcom Says

London -- According to a report released on Tuesday by U.K.
communications regulator Ofcom, nearly 56% of U.K. households now
own some form of digital TV. The Digital Television Update for the
third quarter of 2004 shows that U.K. households that own at least one
TV that receives digital broadcasts are increasingly buying additional
set top boxes to convert second sets in the same household. More than
1 million U.K. households now have two or more Freeview boxes for
different TV sets in their homes. The Update also found that Sky still
commands the lion's share of the market with more than 7 million
subscribers, followed by Freeview, a free-to-air digital terrestrial TV
service, with 4 million. Freeview is the fastest-growing form of digital
TV in the U.K., with 660,000 boxes sold in the third quarter. The U.K.
government wants 100% of the population to switch to digital TV by
the time they switch off the traditional analogue signal in 2012.
http://makeashorterlink.com/?J2A03460A
_____________________________________________

o U.K. Film Industry Calls for More Action Against Piracy

London -- A new anti-piracy report commissioned by the U.K. Film
Council recommends that the U.K. government take a number of
actions to stem film piracy in the U.K., whose black market for DVDs
was estimated at more than £400 million last year and is expected to
grow to £987 million within three years. The report recommends
cracking down on street market and car trunk sales of pirated movies,
introducing stiffer financial penalties for copyright infringement and
making the act of videotaping a movie in theatres a criminal offence.
The report also calls for increased public awareness campaigns and the
development of improved security procedures within the film industry.
Most of these steps have been undertaken to some degree in the U.S. by
the Motion Picture Association of America.
http://www.filmcouncil.org.uk
_____________________________________________

o Briefly Noted:

(London) Easynet, a U.K.-based local loop unbundling (LLU) operator,
announced on Tuesday that it has begun to offer wholesale broadband
services to telecommunications firms and Internets services providers
(ISPs) in the U.K. Using its LLUStream product, which utilises kits
installed on BT exchanges, the company says it will be able to offer
services 30-35% cheaper than BT Group. "The market is at an
inflection point with the imminent launch of new services across the
copper network," said Easynet CEO David Rowe. "This makes it the
right time to open our network to other providers in competition with
BT's (wholesale) IPStream and DataStream products."
http://www.easynet.net/

(London) In a recent report, the BBC claimed that the U.K. is not ready
for the switchover from analogue radio to digital radio and has called
on the U.K. government to hold off on forcing listeners to make the
change for at least another three years. The BBC said setting a
switchover deadline now would be "undesirable", unsettling the market
and alarming listeners. "Despite our commitment to digital radio as the
replacement technology for analogue radio, we contend that conditions
-- namely accessibility, affordability and take-up -- are not yet in place
for switchover," the BBC said.
http://makeashorterlink.com/?T1035160A

(Dublin) Eircom, the dominant telecommunications company in
Ireland, announced that it has launched 50 free Wi-Fi hotspots in
central Dublin in an attempt to fulfill its target of deploying 250 public
wireless hotspots across the country by next year. Eircom said it had
already launched Wi-Fi enabled 45 payphones in Dublin at Abbey
Street, Henry Street, College Street and Grafton Street. The remainder
of the hotspots will be rolled out before the end of the year, the
company said. Eircom said access to the Dublin hotspots would be
provided free of charge for at least the next three months.
http://makeashorterlink.com/?M2444160A

|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||

> VP eBusiness Consulting

> BI Readiness: A key to ROI For Your Business Intelligence initiative

> Receive THAMES TECH WIRE Every Day For Free

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December 14, 2004 | Permalink

December 13, 2004

Thames Tech Wire - Dec. 13, 2004

============================================
THAMES TECH WIRE - Dec. 13, 2004
============================================
Sponsored By: McFadyen Consulting - eBusiness Integrators
http://www.McFadyen.com

o EU: Satellite Programme GALILEO Operational by 2008
o Mentec International to Acquire Microsoft Partner Sytation Ltd.
o Vodafone Links Up with Boeing to Provide In-Flight Wi-Fi
o Frontier Silicon Voted "One to Watch" by VC Advisory Board
o Report: WiMAX Winning Market Share from 3G and DSL
> VP eBusiness - McFadyen Consulting
o Briefly Noted: London Borough of Newham-Hewlett-Packard,
Instrumentel-Steve Couchman, Innos-Andrew Monk
_____________________________________________

o EU: Satellite Programme GALILEO Operational by 2008

Brussels -- The European Commission announced on Monday that
GALILEO, the much-anticipated European satellite radio navigation
programme, will "definitely" become operational by 2008. GALILEO,
which will be interoperable with the U.S. GPS satellite navigation
system, will become the global standard for civil navigation by
satellite. "GALILEO is without a doubt the most wonderful European
technological project," said Jacques Barrot, vice president of the
Commission. "GALILEO will be as much of a technological revolution
as mobile telephony." Barrot added that the first satellites would be
launched early next year. The European Council has decided in favour
of moving on to the launching and operational phases of the project and
confirmed that the EU would contribute to the funding of those two
phases. The project will cost an estimated 3.7 billion euro, two thirds of
which will come from industry.
http://makeashorterlink.com/?J5FA2230A
http://makeashorterlink.com/?A24B2130A
_____________________________________________

o Mentec International to Acquire Microsoft Partner Sytation Ltd.

Dublin -- Mentec International, an Ireland-based provider of integrated
financial management, ERP and eBusiness solutions, announced on
Monday that it has expanded its Microsoft Business Solutions
operations with the acquisition of Sytation Ltd., a U.K.-based
consulting partner for Microsoft Great Plains. Mentec said the deal
would significantly expand its Microsoft-related operations
internationally and make it the second-largest Microsoft Great Plains
partner in Europe. "(Over the last five years), Microsoft Business
Solutions has emerged as the clear market leader in the mid-sized ERP
segment," said Mentec Managing Director Kevin Havery. "This
acquisition significantly enhances our product IPR and skills base and
provides even greater functional depth and breadth to our Microsoft
Great Plains delivery capabilities." Financial terms of the deal were not
disclosed.
http://www.mentec.com/MentecAcquiredSytation.asp
_____________________________________________

o Vodafone Links Up with Boeing to Provide In-Flight Wi-Fi

London -- Vodafone Group Plc, the largest mobile network operator in
the world, announced on Monday that it is working with the Boeing
Company through business unit Connexion by Boeing to deliver in-
flight Wi-Fi to business customers. Vodafone said the two companies
would begin trials later this month and eventually negotiate a full
partnership agreement if the trials are successful. "Following successful
trials and Vodafone entering into a commercial agreement with us,
Vodafone customers will be able to access the Connexion by Boeing
service on equipped commercial flights as we introduce high-speed in-
flight connectivity worldwide," said David Friedman, vice president of
Marketing and Direct Sales for Connexion by Boeing. Vodafone said
the service would most likely be available first on Germany's Lufthansa
jets in Europe. All Nippon Airways, China Airlines, Japan Airlines,
Scandinavian Airlines and Singapore Airlines will also start offering
Connexion by Boeing in the near future, the company said.
http://www.msmobiles.com/o/news/00218.html
_____________________________________________

o Frontier Silicon Voted "One to Watch" by VC Advisory Board

London -- Frontier Silicon, a Watford, England-based fabless
manufacturer of semiconductors for digital radio, TV and wireless TV
products, announced on Monday that it has been selected as the "Start-
Up to Watch" by the venture capital advisory board of the Fabless
Semiconductor Association, which represents fabless companies from
more than 21 countries. Frontier Silicon CEO Anthony Sethill said the
award was recognition the company's achievement in pioneering and
commercialising low cost technology for mass market digital radio
products in Europe. "To win this accolade from our industry peers who
are part of (this) global association is very satisfying," he said, adding
that his company hoped to achieve similar results for mass-market
digital radio products.
http://makeashorterlink.com/?R2F61230A
_____________________________________________

o Report: WiMAX Winning Market Share from 3G and DSL

London -- According to a new report by research firm TelecomView,
new wireless technologies such as WiMAX and TD-CDMA (UMTS-
TDD) are set to claim more market share from 3G and DSL than
previously predicted. In its "Wireless Broadband: Will it Replace 3G
and Fixed Broadband?" report, TelecomView predicted that the new
technologies would capture more than 40% of the global wireless
broadband market, leaving 3G with less than 60% by 2009. "Our
forecasts show that WiMAX will be the clear winner amongst the new
high-speed wireless technologies," said report co-author Ian Cox.
"WiMAX will pick up 70 percent of this new market segment by 2009
due to its higher performance and flexibility compared to the
alternatives." Cox also predicted that 3G would be important for its
mobility, but that WiMAX, which offers wireless services over a range
of about 30 miles, would compete directly with DSL.
http://www.telecomview.info/acatalog/Press_Releases.html
_____________________________________________

|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||

> VP eBusiness Consulting

|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
_____________________________________________

o Briefly Noted:

(London) The London Borough of Newham announced on Monday that
it has awarded Hewlett-Packard a 10-year, £14-million contract to
install and maintain its hardware and Microsoft software. Under the
contract -- which also covers a blade server farm, storage area network
technology and a rolling three-year refresh of all desktop and laptop
hardware -- HP will be responsible for migrating Newham to Microsoft
Windows and Exchange 2003 groupware. Newham IT Director Richard
Steel said that "a flexible per seat payment plan (that) ensures a fixed
monthly charge whilst reducing risks and maintaining flexibility and
scalability" was the key reason behind the borough's decision to go
with HP, as opposed to rivals Dell and IBM.
http://makeashorterlink.com/?U63523B09

(London) Instrumentel, a U.K.-based spin out from the University of
Leeds, announced on Monday that it has appointed Steve Couchman as
its new chief executive officer. "Because our needs were unique, we
were convinced we would not find an individual that had the breadth
and depth of knowledge required to spearhead the future growth of
Instrumentel," said non-executive director Mike Bowes. "We were
therefore delighted when our executive search partner, Eseon, found
(Couchman), who has had an enviable and successful career in
managing sensor companies." Prior to joining Instrumentel, Couchman
held senior positions with Polaron, AMP, TRW and RS Components.
http://www.instrumentel.com/

(Southampton, England) Innos, a Southampton-based research and
development (R&D) firm working in silicon, MEMS and
nanotechnology, announced on Monday that it has appointed Andrew
Monk as its chief executive officer. "Capitalising on the brand strength
achieved by Innos since launching in April 2004, we will continue our
sizeable programme of investment in the clean-room infrastructure and
expand our 30 strong team, making Innos a compelling proposition for
U.K. and European businesses with an R&D requirement," Monk said.
With the move, Monk replaces Steve Byars, who will continue as non-
executive director of the firm.
http://www.innos.co.uk/
_____________________________________________

|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||

> VP eBusiness Consulting

> BI Readiness: A key to ROI For Your Business Intelligence initiative

> Receive THAMES TECH WIRE Every Day For Free

Please forward this edition of Thames Tech Wire to your colleagues
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December 13, 2004 | Permalink

December 10, 2004

Thames Tech Wire - Dec. 10, 2004

============================================
THAMES TECH WIRE - Dec. 10, 2004
============================================
To Subscribe: http://www.thamestechwire.co.uk

o U.S. and U.K. to Work Together on Homeland Technology
o EU Invests £9.6 Million in U.K. Venture Capital Scheme
o Thomson Buys Moving Picture Company for £53 Million
o U.S.-Based Amazon Launches Online DVD Rental in U.K.
o Download Service Wippit Licenses Warner, Universal Songs
o Briefly Noted: Ofcom-David Edmonds, BT Group-Pierre
Danon-Ian Livingston, Neosera Systems-All-Ireland Seedcorn
Business Competition, Climax-U.S. Expansion
_____________________________________________

o U.S. and U.K. to Work Together on Homeland Technology

London -- The U.K. Home Office announced on Friday that it has
signed a Memorandum of Agreement with the U.S. Homeland Security
Department to cooperate on science and technology projects for critical
infrastructure protection and other homeland security concerns. During
the opening meeting of the fourth Joint Contact Group, Home Office
Secretary David Blunkett and U.S. Homeland Security Deputy
Secretary James Loy signed an agreement that will see their two
countries exchange both technology and personnel. "This agreement
demonstrates the strong relationship between the U.K. and U.S. to
further scientific research and development that will help advance the
security of our respective countries," they said in a joint statement.
Under the agreement, both countries will also assess risks posed to
communications networks, power supplies, roads and railways, and
work to protect automated computer networks.
http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/n_story.asp?item_id=1181
_____________________________________________

o EU Invests £9.6 Million in U.K. Venture Capital Scheme

Brussels -- Finance Southwest Ltd., a new U.K.-based business loan
and venture capital firm, announced this week that it has received its
largest grant to date. The £9.6-million investment is part of the
European Objective 2 Programme for the South West region of the
U.K. "This grant to Finance Southwest marks a significant investment
of European funds that will help encourage and nurture new and
expanding businesses throughout the Objective 2 area," said Phillip
Johnson, Government Office for the South West deputy director for
European programmes. "It will not only contribute to businesses'
investment plans, but … will provide sound business advice and
training along with the financial help." Finance Southwest said it
planned to split the investment between a Business Loan Fund and a
Growth Fund for start-ups and small and medium-sized enterprises
(SMEs) in the region.
http://makeashorterlink.com/?B22913EF9
_____________________________________________

o Thomson Buys Moving Picture Company for £53 Million

Paris -- France-based Thomson, a developer of video equipment and
services for the media and entertainment industries, announced that it
has acquired digital effects post-production firm The Moving Picture
Company (MPC) from U.K. broadcaster ITV for £53 million. London-
based MPC has worked on effects for films including "Alexander", the
Harry Potter films, "Alien vs. Predator" and "Lara Croft: Tomb
Raider", as well as commercials for Nike, Motorola and Coca-Cola.
The company generated sales of £45 million over the last 12 months.
Paris-based Thomson said the acquisition goes toward its renewed
focus on providing services to the media and entertainment industries,
adding to its visual effects offerings that include Hollywood-based
Technicolor and Toronto-based VFX.
http://www.thomson.net
_____________________________________________

o U.S.-Based Amazon Launches Online DVD Rental in U.K.

London -- Online retail giant Amazon.com has launched an online
DVD rental service in the U.K., confirming the company's reported
plans to enter the lucrative market that also includes Netflix,
Blockbuster and Wal-Mart. The company said it currently has no plans
to launch a DVD rental service in the U.S., while rival Netflix is due to
launch a U.K. service later this year. Amazon.co.uk will offer a basic
service for £8.12 a month, allowing two DVDs out at a time and a total
of four to be rented each month. "Amazon is determined to be the best
place to rent DVDs, online or off," said Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos.
Amazon will face competition for online DVD rentals in the U.K. from
Video Island, which offers branded services through U.K. retailers
Dixons, Tesco and Microsoft's MSN, in addition to Webflix and
Lovefilm.
http://www.amazon.co.uk
_____________________________________________

o Download Service Wippit Licenses Warner, Universal Songs

London -- Wippit, an independent music download service that features
some peer-to-peer elements, announced that it has signed agreements to
license songs from Warner Music and Universal Music, giving the
U.K.-based company agreements with all four of the major record
labels. Under the terms of the agreements, some songs will initially be
available either only in the U.K. or continental Europe. London-based
Wippit said the deals will increase its available library of songs to more
than 500,000. Neither label's songs will be available on Wippit's closed
peer-to-peer file-sharing service, which only allows authorised songs to
be traded among Wippit subscribers. The company also operates an a la
carte paid music-download service.
http://www.wippit.com
_____________________________________________

o Briefly Noted:

(London) Ofcom, the U.K. communications regulator, announced on
Friday that David Edmonds, former director general of
telecommunications at Oftel, would step down from Ofcom's board of
directors to "pursue public and commercial sector interests". Edmonds
will resign as one of six non-executive members of the board early next
year, Ofcom said. "(Edmonds) played an important role as an advocate
of the establishment of a new converged regulator -- Ofcom -- and as a
founding board member helped to bring this into existence," said
Ofcom Chairman Lord Currie of Marylebone. Edmonds will leave
before the end of his three-year term, which would have expired next
September.
http://makeashorterlink.com/?K52633EF9

(Dublin) Ireland-based Neosera Systems, a University College Dublin
(UCD) spin-out firm, announced on Friday that it has won
InterTradeIreland's All-Island Seedcorn Business Competition award
for the best seedcorn business plan stemming from a university spinout
or platform programme. Located at the Innovation and Technology
Transfer Centre at UCD, Neosera develops technologies for the
verification of silicon chips. "Neosera will shortly be seeking additional
venture capital funding, and winning this award will be of immense
benefit to the company when we go out and talk to the (venture capital)
community," said Neosera co-founder Damian Dalton. This year's
award included a 10,000-euro (£6,900) prize.
http://www.neosera.com/

(London) BT Group Plc announced on Friday that Finance Director Ian
Livingston would replace outgoing BT Retail Chief Executive Pierre
Danon, expected to leave the U.K.'s largest telecommunications firm
early next year. Livingston, who prior to joining BT served as financial
director for U.K. retailer Dixons, has been a member of the incumbent's
board since April 2002. BT Wholesale Chief Financial Officer Hanif
Lalani will replace Livingston. The fact that BT was able to make two
senior appointments from within the company is "proof of the strength
of BT's management", according to BT Chairman Sir Christopher
Bland.
http://makeashorterlink.com/?I16816EF9

(London) U.K.-based video game developer Climax this week
announced plans for a major expansion of its U.S. offices in Los
Angeles. In addition to relocating to new 16,000-square-foot offices in
Santa Monica, the company plans to hire 80 new staff. The company
also said that it has one title in development for the Sony PlayStation
Portable (PSP). Climax's L.A. staff has worked on "Tron 2.0" for
Buena Vista Games and plans to develop titles for current and next-
generation consoles and handhelds.
http://makeashorterlink.com/?T26552EF9

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December 10, 2004 | Permalink

December 09, 2004

Thames Tech Wire - Dec. 9, 2004

============================================
THAMES TECH WIRE - Dec. 9, 2004
============================================
To Subscribe: http://www.thamestechwire.co.uk

o OGC: New U.K. Standards Should Simplify IT Tender Process
o Ofcom Publishes Code of Practice for Premium-Rate Services
o IP Firm BTG to Scrap 60 Early-Stage Technology Projects
o Ireland to Invest 17 Million Euro in Nine Firms for R&D
o Irish Software Firm iQuate Secures 700,000-Euro Investment
o Briefly Noted: BitBand-IPTV Ireland, Synaptris Inc.-U.K. Office,
Virgin Digital-CVS-CellCards
_____________________________________________

o OGC: New U.K. Standards Should Simplify IT Tender Process

London -- The U.K. government on Thursday published a new set of
standardised contract terms that will "dramatically simplify" the
tendering process for IT contracts. Produced by the Office of
Government Commerce (OGC), the new contracts terms were designed
specifically to help small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)
improve their chances of winning government IT projects. In effect, the
new standard replaces a wide range of public-sector contract
requirements with two, easy-to-administer "standard" contract forms.
"These new Contract Terms will simplify the IT tendering process and
deliver significant time and money savings for suppliers and public
sector buyers," said OGC Chief Executive John Oughton. "The
publication of these new terms shows that the Government continues to
listen to the IT industry and is determined to simplify procedures and
reduce duplication and bureaucracy in IT contracting."
http://makeashorterlink.com/?H2D912BF9
_____________________________________________

o Ofcom Publishes Code of Practice for Premium-Rate Services

London -- Ofcom, the U.K. communications watchdog, published a
new Code of Practice for premium-rate services in a bid to crack down
on rogue Internet companies that re-route dial-up connections to
premium-rate numbers without customers' consent. Premium-rate
numbers are typically used for competitions, adult services, chat lines,
mobile ring-tone downloads and interactive TV games. "There is a
clear need for action here," said Ofcom Chief Executive Stephen
Carter. "These are necessary changes to ensure consumer confidence in
the premium-rate industry for the long term." On Thursday, the
regulator recommended that payment to all service providers be
delayed for at least 30 days, giving ICSTIS, the U.K. premium-rate
regulator, ample time to investigate scam complaints. Ofcom also
called on network operators to keep more detailed accounts of the
Internet service providers (ISPs) they deal with.
http://makeashorterlink.com/?Z2AD12BF9
_____________________________________________

o IP Firm BTG to Scrap 60 Early-Stage Technology Projects

London -- BTG, the intellectual property and technology
commercialisation firm formed by the privatisation of the U.K.
National Enterprise Board, announced on Thursday that it plans to lay
off as much as a third of its workforce. Moreover, the company said it
would scrap more than 60 of its early-stage technology projects,
particularly in nanotechnology and the physical sciences. Newly
appointed CEO Louise Makin said the cutbacks were part of her
strategic review of the troubled firm, which has reported more than 10
years of annual losses in a row. "It is always regrettable to announce
job losses, but the measures we are taking are essential to better align
our costs with our current revenues and to provide the platform for
BTG to become a profitable, growing business," Makin said.
http://www.btgplc.com/news/081204Businessupdate.html
_____________________________________________

o Ireland to Invest 17 Million Euro in Nine Firms for R&D

Dublin -- A new investment by Enterprise Ireland of 29 million euro
(£20 million) will create nearly 500 jobs in 17 companies across Ireland
over the next three years, the government agency announced on
Thursday. About 17 million euro (£12 million) of that amount will be
linked to research and development (R&D) projects for nine of the
companies, Enterprise, Trade and Employment Minister Micheal
Martin said. The R&D investments will be made in the following
companies: Burnside Hydracyl Ltd., Burnside Eurocyl Ltd., Combilift
Ltd., Dromone Engineering Ltd., H2H Care Ltd., JFC Manufacturing
Company Ltd., Mergon International Ltd, Prime Carrier Ltd. and Sigma
Wireless Technologies.
http://www.enterprise-ireland.com/
_____________________________________________

o Irish Software Firm iQuate Secures 700,000-Euro Investment

Dublin -- iQuate, an Ireland-based software firm, announced on
Thursday that it has secured 700,000 euro (£484,000) in venture capital
funding. Executive Venture Partners and Enterprise Ireland led the
round. The software firm said it would use the investment to support its
sales and marketing efforts and expand and enhance its product
portfolio. IQuate develops software that makes it easier for companies
to manage their computer networks in the CRG (Compliance, Risk and
Governance) market.
http://www.iquate.com/
http://www.enterprise-ireland.com/News/
http://www.evptnrs.com/
_____________________________________________

o Briefly Noted:

(Netanya, Israel) BitBand, an Israel-based provider of Video-On-
Demand (VOD) technologies for broadband IP networks, announced on
Thursday that its VOD technology is powering the first IPTV
deployment in Ireland. The triple-play services will be delivered
through a single fibre-optic cable to homes in Dublin and offer
telephony services, broadband Internet access, multi-channel TV and
VOD, with additional new services to be added early next year. The
deployment is being led by Magnet Networks, an Ireland-based
company owned by U.S. investment company Columbia Ventures
Corporation.
http://makeashorterlink.com/?E12952BF9

(London) Synaptris Inc., a California-based enterprise reporting
solutions firm, announced on Thursday that it has opened an office in
Hitchin, England. "The U.K. is a key market for us, and the setting up
of our office there coincides with the growing recognition and
acceptance of our products in the European region," said Synaptris
Chairman Shiv Kumar. Synaptris is the software product division of
Cybernet Software Systems Group. Synaptris currently boasts more
than 1,800 customers and 170,000 licensed users across 40 countries.
http://makeashorterlink.com/?T6ED24BF9

(Los Angeles) Virgin Digital, the digital entertainment unit of U.K.-
based Virgin Group Ltd., announced this week that it will distribute
pre-paid music download cards in the CVS pharmacy drug store chain
in the U.S. Sir Richard Branson's company has partnered with Illinois-
based CellCards to promote, market, distribute and sell the music
download cards through CellCards's national retail distribution
network. The £7.74 cards will include a redemption code good for 15
downloads from Virgin's catalogue of 1 million songs.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/041208/law032_1.html

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December 09, 2004 | Permalink

December 08, 2004

Thames Tech Wire - Dec. 8, 2004

============================================
THAMES TECH WIRE - Dec. 8, 2004
============================================
To Subscribe: http://www.thamestechwire.co.uk

o BBC Programme to Save £320 Million and Cut 2,900 Jobs
o Nokia's Venture-Capital Unit Launches 75-Million-Euro Fund
o Walsall Council Enters £650-Million Partnership with Fujitsu
o Ireland-Based Tech Firm Marrakech Raises 4.5 Million Euro
o Support Group for Women Leaders in IT Launched in U.K.
o Briefly Noted: Ofcom-iTrip-Griffin Technology, Technology
Services Group-ESCO, Vodafone Group-Teresa Elder
_____________________________________________

o BBC Programme to Save £320 Million and Cut 2,900 Jobs

London -- BBC Director-General Mark Thompson this week unveiled a
radical new programme for the broadcaster that will lead to £320
million in savings over the next three years and the elimination of at
least 10% of its workforce -- or 2,900 jobs. "My vision for the future of
the BBC has three parts: a bold new programme and content strategy
based above all around the idea of excellence; a transformation of the
BBC into a state-of-the art digital broadcaster; and an irreversible shift
in the culture of the BBC towards simplicity, opportunity and
creativity," he said. Thompson said he wanted to focus more on
"excellence" and transform the BBC into a simpler and more creative
digital broadcaster in order to better satisfy audience expectations and
their relationship with the BBC through interactivity and
personalisation.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4077075.stm
_____________________________________________

o Nokia's Venture-Capital Unit Launches 75-Million-Euro Fund

London -- Finland's Nokia, the largest mobile-phone maker in the
world, announced that its venture capital unit Nokia Venture Partners
has launched a new mid- to late-stage 75-million-euro (£52 million)
fund called Nokia Growth Partners. Nokia said the fund would
complement early-stage investor Nokia Venture Partners and invest in
mobile technology companies worldwide. Nokia Venture Partners
Managing Partner John Malloy said the fund represented an expansion
of Nokia's global, early-stage venture model, which will "increase our
ability to work with great companies at all stages and cycles of
innovation". Markus Salolainen and Rob Trice, based in London and
California, respectively, were both promoted to General Partner and
will co-manage the fund.
http://www.nokiaventurepartners.com/release120704.html
_____________________________________________

o Walsall Council Enters £650-Million Partnership with Fujitsu

London -- The Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council announced that
it has approved proposals for a joint venture worth £650 million with
London-based IT services vendor Fujitsu Services that will be the
largest partnership of its kind in the U.K. The Council said the "Putting
the Citizen First" project would revolutionise the quality of council
services and establish a regional business centre that would boost the
borough's economic prospects. Under the terms of the 12-year
partnership, Fujitsu will invest £115 million and create at least 750 new
jobs in the borough. The project is scheduled to start from the
beginning of the next financial year. "Nearly 30 companies expressed a
strong interest in this project, but Fujitsu emerged as the best choice for
us," said Walsall Council Chief Executive Annie Shepperd. "They
proposed a joint venture with the council to run and manage the
partnership, with highly innovative regeneration initiatives."
http://uk.fujitsu.com/news/newsarchive/2004/12/021204a/
http://makeashorterlink.com/?B289129F9
_____________________________________________

o Ireland-Based Tech Firm Marrakech Raises 4.5 Million Euro

Dublin -- Marrakech Ltd., an Ireland-based technology services firm,
announced on Wednesday that it has secured 4.5 million euro (£3.1
million) in a venture capital round led by Doughty Hanson Technology
Ventures, Cross Atlantic Capital Partners and AMT Sybex. Marrakech
said it would use the funds to expand its operations in the U.K. and
U.S. The company also announced that it has appointed John
Bantleman, an 18-year industry veteran who has overseen two
successful initial public offerings (IPOs) on the Nasdaq stock
exchange, as its new chief executive officer. Former IBM U.K.
Chairman Carl Symon has been appointed Marrakech chairman, the
company said. Marrakech connects and streamlines business processes
between buyers and suppliers, providing sourcing, procurement,
invoicing and supply chain communications over the Internet.
http://makeashorterlink.com/?E357529F9
_____________________________________________

o Support Group for Women Leaders in IT Launched in U.K.

London -- women@CL, a support-group project that aims to increase
the number of women in leadership positions in computing research,
was launched in the U.K. this week. "The aim of our group is at least
partially to fill that void by celebrating, informing and supporting
women in the U.K. who are, or plan to be, engaged in computing
research or academic leadership," said Ursula Martin, a professor at
Queen Mary University of London and the director of women@CL.
The group -- which is funded by the Engineering and Physical Science
Research Council and has the support of the British Computer Society,
Microsoft Research, Intel, Cambridge Research, Queen Mary College
University of London and the University of Cambridge -- offers
mentoring, support and information and provides career development
programmes.
http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/women/
_____________________________________________

o Briefly Noted:

(London) Ofcom, the U.K. communications and media watchdog,
announced on Wednesday that the iTrip, one of the most popular
accessories for Apple's iPod digital music player, is now illegal in U.K.
Ofcom ruled that use of the iTrip, which allows users to broadcast
music on their iPods to an external FM radio, was illegal because it
essentially functions like a small pirate radio station and therefore
violates the Wireless Telegraphy Act. Although the regulator said it
would pursue Griffin Technology, the makers of the iTrip, it also said
that violators of the Wireless Telegraphy Act could be fined and even
face jail time.
http://www.ofcom.org.uk/
http://www.griffintechnology.com/

(Glasgow) Newcastle, England-based Technology Services Group
(TSG) announced on Wednesday that it has agreed to acquire ESCO, a
Scotland-based networking reseller. Financial terms for the deal --
TSG's third acquisition in as many weeks -- were not disclosed. TSG
has now bought 10 resellers in northern England and Scotland over the
last 12 months. Graham Wylie, co-founder of accounting software
maker Sage Group Plc, set up TSG in 2003 to supply small- and
medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with IT services.
http://www.tsgrp.com/home.asp
http://www.escollc.com/

(London) Vodafone Group Plc, the largest mobile operator in the
world, announced on Wednesday that it has named Teresa Elder as its
new director of operations in Ireland, replacing Paul Donovan. The first
female chief executive officer to be appointed at Vodafone, Elder has
held senior executive positions with AT&T Broadband and Media One
and was also a senior manager with mobile group AirTouch, which
merged with Vodafone in 1999. She is expected to start on Jan. 10.
http://makeashorterlink.com/?S1D5219F9

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December 08, 2004 | Permalink

December 07, 2004

Thames Tech Wire - Dec. 7, 2004

============================================
THAMES TECH WIRE - Dec. 7, 2004
============================================
To Subscribe: http://www.thamestechwire.co.uk

o Pure Wafer Announces IPO on London's Alternative Market
o Berners-Lee Accepts Position at University of Southampton
o Interactive TV Firm YooMedia Buys DITG for $54 Million
o EU: More Competition Needed in Electronic Communications
o Survey: Two-Thirds of Artists Unthreatened by File Sharing
o Briefly Noted: Energis-Eammon O'Hare, Mirago-New European
Indexes, IBM-Lloyds TSB Group, Superscape Group-iaSolution
_____________________________________________

o Pure Wafer Announces IPO on London's Alternative Market

Swansea, Wales -- Pure Wafer, a Welsh firm that cleans and recycles
silicon wafers for large chip manufacturers, announced on Tuesday that
it is planning an initial public offering (IPO) on London's Alternative
Investment Market (AIM) before year's end. One of the few recyclers
in Europe capable of handling 300mm wafers, Pure Wafer debugs test
wafers and strips off patterning so they can be recycled. The company
said it was looking to raise as much as £8 million to increase Pure
Wafer's capacity. The company's existing shareholders -- Apax
Partners, IBM and HBOS -- are expected to reduce their shareholdings
at the IPO, which should value the Welsh firm at between £36 million
and £39 million. Apax Partners currently holds about 70% of Pure
Wafer, but will see its share fall to 50%, while IBM's 17% stake will
fall to between 5% and 10%. HBOS, which holds 10%, will also see its
share reduced, Pure Wafer said.
http://www.purewafer.com/
_____________________________________________

o Berners-Lee Accepts Position at University of Southampton

Southampton, England -- Sir Tim Berners-Lee, the man widely credited
with inventing the World Wide Web, announced that he will become
chair of computer science at University of Southampton's School of
Electronics and Computer Science. "We are delighted that (Berners-
Lee) has accepted this appointment," said Professor Wendy Hall, head
of the School of Electronics and Computer Science. "Many of the staff
have worked with him on the development of the World Wide Web
over many years, and we are now closely involved with the evolution
of the semantic web." Berners-Lee has described as "an extension of
the current web in which information is given well-defined meaning,
better enabling computers and people to work in co-operation". He also
said he planned to stay on as senior research scientist at the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and director of the World
Wide Web Consortium (W3C).
http://makeashorterlink.com/?V51A126F9
_____________________________________________

o Interactive TV Firm YooMedia Buys DITG for $54 Million

London -- YooMedia, a U.K.-based developer of interactive TV
content, announced this week that it has acquired the Digital Interactive
Television Group (DITG), a provider of interactive TV infrastructure
software, and its Gaming Channel subsidiary, for about 40 million euro
(£28 million). YooMedia also plans to raise 36 million euro (£25
million) through a secondary stock offering, the proceeds of which will
partly go to pay for its acquisition of DITG, with the rest allocated for
ongoing working capital requirements, the company said. The
acquisition is YooMedia's latest in a recent string of purchases that
includes MMTV, Whoosh, Fancy a Flutter and GoPlayTV. YooMedia
and DITG said they expected the merged company to be profitable by
next March.
http://www.yoomedia.com
http://www.ditg.tv
_____________________________________________

o EU: More Competition Needed in Electronic Communications

Brussels -- In its latest report on the electronic communications sector,
the European Commission praised the strong expansion of mobile and
broadband technologies in Europe, but emphasised that more
competition was needed. The Commission cheered the fact that 83% of
European citizens now use mobile phones and that 43% of the EU
population will be covered by 3G services by the end this year.
Nevertheless, the Commission said it was planning to warn eight
member states to bring their regulatory regimes for electronic
communications into line with common standards, or face legal action
in the European Court of Justice. Vivian Reding, EU Information
Society Commissioner, said the Commission was launching legal
action against the Czech Republic, Estonia, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania,
Poland, Slovenia and Slovakia for not having adopted appropriate
legislation. Similar proceedings against Belgium, Greece, Luxembourg,
Spain and France have already begun.
http://makeashorterlink.com/?A52B236F9
_____________________________________________

o Survey: Two-Thirds of Artists Unthreatened by File Sharing

New York -- Two-thirds of artists questioned in a recent survey said
peer-to-peer file-sharing poses little or no threat at all to them, in stark
contrast to the recording industry's claims that file-sharing hurts artists.
The Pew Internet & American Life Project survey found that 47% of
the artists agreed that file-sharing services are bad because they don't
ask permission to copy or compensate artists. However, 43% also said
file-sharing services aren't really bad because of the promotional value
and distribution opportunities presented by peer-to-peer networks. Only
about half of all artists said they believe it should be illegal for Internet
users to swap songs on file-sharing networks, and only 28% said they
consider file-sharing a major threat to creative industries.
http://www.pewinternet.org/PPF/r/94/press_release.asp
_____________________________________________

o Briefly Noted:

(London) Energis, a U.K.-based telecommunications group, announced
on Tuesday that Chief Financial Officer Eammon O'Hare has resigned
and moved on to his "next challenge". O'Hare joined Energis in 2002
about three months after a group of banks took over the company,
which had debts of nearly £700 million. It wasn't until the 2003-04
financial year that Energis reported its first-ever operating profit of £10
million. CEO John Pluthero insisted the business was still performing
well, despite analyst rumours to the contrary. "(O'Hare) leaves us with
a profitable business and a financially secure foundation," he said.
Energis said O'Hare would be replaced by Steve Cooke.
http://www.energis-squared.net/

(London) Mirago, a U.K.-based Internet search engine firm, announced
on Tuesday that it plans to expand its presence in Europe with new
indexes in seven European countries. "Opening these new indexes not
only gives us an ideal opportunity to move into new European markets,
but also allows us to take advantage of our presence by building new
partnerships with companies across Europe," said Mike James, Mirago
European Business Development Manager. Mirago said the new
indexes in Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Norway,
Denmark and Sweden were already working. The company also has
indexes in Germany, France, Spain and the U.K.
http://makeashorterlink.com/?C3E7156F9

(Armonk, New York) IBM announced that has won a contract under
which it will provide voice and data services to Lloyds TSB Group, a
major U.K.-based financial services firm. The new seven-year deal is
worth more than 723 million euro (£500 million). The new nationwide
network, which will be rolled out over the next 20 months, will support
voice, data and video, with direct links to mobile devices and call
centre services, IBM said. Lloyds TSB currently has more than 2,500
branches and about 1,000 other sites across the U.K.
http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/041206/ibm_lloyds_3.html

(Hook, England) Superscape Group, a U.K.-based mobile game
publisher, announced this week that it has signed a publishing
agreement with Taiwan-based iaSolution. Under the terms of the
agreement, iaSolution will distribute Superscape titles including "Van
Helsing", "Fight Club" and "Alien vs. Predator" with Asian wireless
carriers such as Chungha, Taiwan Cellular Corporation and Far East
Tone.
http://www.superscape.com
http://www.iasolution.net

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December 07, 2004 | Permalink

December 06, 2004

Thames Tech Wire - Dec. 6, 2004

============================================
THAMES TECH WIRE - Dec. 6, 2004
============================================
To Subscribe: http://www.thamestechwire.co.uk

o BT Chief Verwaayen Challenge Ofcom Report, FT Says
o UK Cinven Acquires 11% Stake in Eutelsat for £233 Million
o Orange Becomes Third Company to Offer 3G Services in U.K.
o Complaints Compel Lycos Europe to End Anti-Spam Campaign
o EU Invites Applications for 1.1 Billion Euro in IT Grants
o Number of European Internet Users Up by 12% to 100 Million
o Briefly Noted: Intel Chief Executive Officer Craig Barrett-Irish
R&D, DMG Information-Lewtan Technologies
_____________________________________________

o BT Chief Verwaayen Challenge Ofcom Report, FT Says

London -- According to The Financial Times, BT Group CEO Ben
Verwaayen has warned U.K. communications and media watchdog that
his company might resist the regulator's proposed structural changes if
the costs are too high. In November, Ofcom issued its review of the
U.K. telecommunications sector, in which it called on BT to give its
competitors equivalent access to its network. "You have to define what
(equivalence) is … otherwise, every invention that somebody in BT
comes up with immediately goes to the rest of the world," he told The
Financial Times. "That would be ridiculous." Verwaayen admitted that
he believed equivalence would be possible, but he added that it took
"two to tango" and that the whole U.K. telecommunications sector
would have to "tango with us". BT has until February to comply with
Ofcom's ruling; if it fails to do so, the company could be referred to the
Competition Commission, Ofcom said.
http://makeashorterlink.com/?A532264F9
_____________________________________________

o UK Cinven Acquires 11% Stake in Eutelsat for £233 Million

London -- UK Cinven, a European private equity firm, announced on
Monday that it has acquired an 11% stake in satellite firm Eutelsat from
DeaSat for £233 million (337 million euro). The Eutelsat board has
already authorised the deal, the company said. Cinven partner David
Barker said his company has been negotiating the deal for more than
six months. "We have been tracking Eutelsat's progress for some time,"
he said. "With a leading position in its markets, strong cash flows and a
highly experienced management team, Eutelsat is a highly attractive
investment proposition." Eutelsat is a satellite operator offering
services that include TV and radio broadcasting for the public,
professional video broadcasting, corporate networks, Internet services
and mobile communications.
http://makeashorterlink.com/?U1C6344F9
_____________________________________________

o Orange Becomes Third Company to Offer 3G Services in U.K.

Paris -- Orange, the mobile unit of France Telecom, has become the
third company to launch 3G mobile phone services in the U.K., after 3
UK -- a group owned by Hong Kong-based Hutchison Whampoa -- and
Vodafone, the largest mobile phone company in the world. With the
news, Orange pips Deutsche Telekom's T-Mobile and BT spin-out
mmO2. Orange UK said it would offer 12-month contracts for 3G
phones that offer video calls and clips, movie clips, music downloads,
film trailers, e-mail and mobile Internet access for £30 per month until
the end of next month. The company also unveiled four new 3G phones
and said it expected to sell as many as 2 million units in the U.K. by
2007. Phones will be priced from nothing to £199.99 pounds,
depending on the user's contract.
http://www.orange.co.uk/
_____________________________________________

o Complaints Compel Lycos Europe to End Anti-Spam Campaign

Brussels -- Internet portal Lycos Europe announced that it has stopped
its controversial campaign against unsolicited junk e-mails, or spam,
after the company drew fire from analysts, security experts and
spammers for acting as a vigilante and breaching unspoken rules of
civility on the Internet. The free "Make Love Not Spam" screensaver
was designed to counter-attack spammers by using their own
techniques against them, employing idle computers to launch
distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks against spammers'
websites. After just three days, however, the company disabled the
service when it received a flood of complaints that it had gone too far.
For its part, Lycos said it was satisfied the programme had raised
awareness and sparked discussion about the growing problem of spam.
Lycos said about 100,000 people downloaded the programme.
http://www.lycos.co.uk/
http://www.makelovenotspam.com/
_____________________________________________

o EU Invites Applications for 1.1 Billion Euro in IT Grants

Brussels -- The European Commission announced on Monday that it is
inviting applications for more than 1.1 billion euro (£761 million) of IT
grants. According to the Commission, the Information Society
Technologies (IST) Research Programme will fund five types of
projects: Integrated Projects (IPs), Specific Targeted Research Projects
(STREPs), Networks of Excellence (NoEs), Coordination Actions
(CAs) and Specific Support Actions (SSAs). The Commission said the
areas addressed would include applied IST research addressing major
societal and economic challenges, communication, computing and
software technologies, components and microsystems, knowledge and
interface technologies, knowledge and interface technologies, IST
future and emerging technologies. The closing date for applications is
March, 25, 2005.
http://fp6.cordis.lu/fp6/call_details.cfm?CALL_ID=174
_____________________________________________

o Number of European Internet Users Up by 12% to 100 Million

London -- The number of European Internet users has grown 12% over
the last year to 100 million, spurred by dramatic broadband penetration
data showing that more than half of European users now have a high-
speed connection, according to a report from Internet audience
measurement firm Nielsen/NetRatings. The report found that 54.5
million Europeans had broadband in October, an increase of 60% from
the 34.1 million reported a year earlier. The number of broadband users
leapt 120% in Italy, 93% in the U.K. and 70% in France. "Twelve
months ago, high-speed Internet users made up just over one third of
the audience in Europe, now they are more than 50%, and we expect
this number to keep growing," said Nielsen European analyst Gabrielle
Prior. "Websites will need to adapt, update and enhance their content to
retain their visitors and encourage new ones."
http://www.nielsen-netratings.com/pr/pr_041202_uk.pdf
_____________________________________________

o Briefly Noted:

(Dublin) Intel Chief Executive Officer Craig Barrett has called on Irish
government to increase spending on research and development (R&D)
in line with economic growth, The Irish Times reported on Monday. To
do anything less would put Ireland at a disadvantage, Barrett said. "You
either continue to grow your investment in this area, or you have the
possibility of falling behind," he told The Irish Times, emphasising that
he believed spending on basic scientific and technological research was
the "domain of the government".
http://www.ireland.com/business/

(Waltham, Massachusetts) DMG Information (DMGi), a U.S.-based
diversified provider of services to the financial information market,
announced that it has acquired Lewtan Technologies, a U.S.-based
provider of information and technology for the asset securitisation
industry. DMGi is a subsidiary of the Daily Mail and General Trust Plc,
one of the largest international media groups in the U.K. Under the
terms of the acquisition, Lewtan Technologies will continue to operate
independently under the business-to-business division of DMGi.
Financial terms were not disclosed.
http://www.Lewtan.com

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