glowria, Continental Europe's leading
independent personalised on demand entertainment provider, announced
today that it had signed an agreement with the
Neuf Cegetel Group, the
largest alternative telecommunications provider in France, to provide a
Video on Demand (VoD) service to Neuf Cegetel's subscribers via TV over
DSL and PC.
Since its inception in 2002, glowria has developed extensive
partnerships with all the major movie studios and a vast majority of
independent video distributors, through its highly successful online DVD
rental service. As a result, the company has the broadest catalogue in
France and a solid experience in on-demand entertainment. "glowria's
strategy is to reinforce its position in the on-demand entertainment
market and to provide services on any format, for any device, whether it
be through the television or the PC." explains Mihai Crasneanu, CEO of
glowria. The company is able to provide Video on Demand either directly
through its Web site, www.glowria.com, or through ISPs and cable
operators such as Neuf Cegetel. Following glowria's recent acquisition
of German on-line DVD rental companies, inVDeo and DiViDi, this offering
will extend to Germany and, potentially, to other European markets in
the near future.
This agreement with Neuf Cegetel provides glowria with the opportunity
to expand and support its VoD offer. Neuf Cegetel is the leading
alternative telecommunications company providing Internet, TV, telephony
and mobile services to more than 3 million French households, of which
1.3 million are broadband subscribers. Furthermore Neuf Cegetel was the
first company in France to offer digital television on broadband back in
2005. "The group's aim is to provide its customers with an ever-wider
range of affordable, high-performance and quality services," explains
Xavier Gandillot, General Manager, Residential Division, Neuf Cegetel.
"Video on Demand was the next logical step and what our subscribers are
increasingly asking for. glowria was the most skilful partner to provide
us with a turnkey solution that could be fully integrated into our
current service offering and to allow us to deliver the best
entertainment and content service to our clients."
The glowria Video on Demand service will be available via Neuf Cegetel's
set top box direct to television from September 2006. In the meantime
Neuf Cegetel's subscribers can access glowria's extensive catalogue
through the Internet on their PCs.