REDMOND, Wash., and BONN, Germany, Jan. 31, 2000 — Microsoft Corp. and T-Online today announced that T-Online, the largest Internet service provider in Germany, has adopted Microsoft® Windows Media TM Technologies as a digital media platform and will use Windows Media for streaming and downloading digital media for its new broadband services.
T-Online will offer content in Windows Media in the coming months, which will include music-on-demand services, audio and video news broadcasts, and the integration of hosting services using Windows Media-based servers for their content partners in Germany. In addition, T-Online will distribute Windows Media Player through its leading consumer online service CDs and will promote Windows Media Player on its T-Online portal at http://www.t-online.de/ . The relationship with T-Online further extends the reach and consumer availability of the Microsoft Windows Media platform in Europe. More than 50 million users have downloaded the Windows Media Player worldwide, and it is available in 24 languages.
“As consumers rapidly adopt digital media into their everyday Web experience, high-quality audio and video delivery with reliability are absolutely critical to meet customer needs,”
said Eric Danke, member of the board of management at T-Online.
“Windows Media surpassed our initial expectations when we evaluated the technology, and it clearly will give us a competitive edge as we continue to develop our broadband Internet services.”
“Having T-Online, the premier online service in Europe, adopt Windows Media at such a deep level is a tremendous testament to our technology and a breakthrough for us in terms of worldwide momentum,”
said Will Poole, general manager, Marketing and Business Development, Digital Media Division, Microsoft.
“Growing demand for Windows Media around the world is validation of the key innovations and investments Microsoft has made to enable the digital media revolution.”
About T-Online
With its 4.15 million subscribers at the end of 1999, T-Online is Germany’s leading
Internet service provider. T-Online also operates the leading German-language Internet portal, http://www.t-online.de/ . T-Online is a subsidiary of Deutsche Telekom.
About WindowsMedia.com
WindowsMedia.com ( http://windowsmedia.com/ ), part of the MSN TM network of Internet services, is among the fastest-growing major audio and video guides on the Internet. WindowsMedia.com provides access to localized audio and video content worldwide, including major music and video events and entertainment from more than 1,000 content providers.
About Windows Media
Windows Media is the leading digital media platform worldwide, providing consumers, content providers, solution providers, software developers and corporations with unmatched audio and video quality. Windows Media Technologies, which includes Windows Media Player, Windows Media Services, Windows Media Tools and the Windows Media SDK, is available for free* download at http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia /. The Windows Media
Player, available in 24 languages, is the fastest growing media player. More than 50 million copies have been downloaded to date – growing by more than one every second.
About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq
“MSFT”
) is the worldwide leader in software for personal and business computing. The company offers a wide range of products and services designed to empower people through great software – any time, any place and on any device.
*Connect-time charges may apply.
Microsoft, Windows Media and MSN are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.
The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.
