Re Agreement
March 18 2003 - 1:02AM
UK Regulatory
RNS Number:8460I
Ambient PLC
18 March 2003
AMBIENT ANNOUNCES A NEW PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN ITS INTERNET SERVICES SUBSIDIARY
TOUCH (GoE) plc AND BT plc
London, 18th March 2003 - Ambient plc, the Aim-listed business and marketing
services group, announced today that its internet services subsidiary Touch has
signed a strategic and innovative agreement with BT plc for the distribution of
broadband and internet access solutions.
Since February 2003, Touch has also reduced its annual cost base by #750,000 and
is in the process of launching a number of other new products, which together
will make a significant contribution to its operational performance.
This agreement with BT enables Touch, via its telesales divisions in both
Burnley and Nottingham and its network of Touch partners, to distribute BT
broadband services via its unique UK-wide online community network. These
services will be co-branded and Touch will be able to use the terms "working
with BT" and "BT e-business solutions provider" in its marketing material and
campaigns.
In a further initiative BT is currently promoting a range of Touch services that
complement its multi-million pound investment in online network infrastructure
and broadband promotion. In particular, BT is offering Touch portal products to
clients who need interactive online community facilities for their users which
themselves require broadband access.
Of the partnership initiative with Touch, Mike Stone Director BT Stepchange
(part of BT Government) said:
"Touch have developed an imaginative set of Broadband enabled electronic
community tools and applications, that will bring internet services into the
local communities. The Touch platform provides the community with a facility for
all local online services, products and activities. We believe that the features
and benefits of this software are unique. We are delighted to be able to support
this partnership which is complementary to our 'Broadband Britain'
initiatives".
Of the partnership initiative with BT plc, Vincent Isaacs, Chairman of Ambient
said:
"The partnership with BT endorses the platform we have developed for online
communities in the UK. The broadband infrastructure, coupled with the Touch
portals, is a powerful combination for all users, and is available in a truly
cost effective manner. Broadband access is clearly an important and high growth
area for BT and it is good for Touch and Ambient to be a part of that growth."
Ends
For further information, please contact:
Ambient plc 020 7452 5200
Vincent Isaacs, Chairman
Andrew Stimpson, Group Managing Director
BT 0161 237 8753
Jeff Rose
Merlin Financial Communications 020 7606 1244
Paul Lockstone / David Simonson / Clare Maciocia
Background on Ambient plc (www.ambientplc.com)
Ambient plc ("Ambient") is a group of business and marketing service companies
which floated on the Alternative Investment Market in May 1998. The principal
activities of the Ambient group are carried out through its 4 subsidiary
companies that comprise:
* Moneybox (60.1% subsidiary) www.moneybox.co.uk - owner and operator of
convenience cash machines (ATMs)
* WMRC (100% subsidiary) www.wmrc.com - leading provider of business
intelligence and business publishing
* Touch (100% subsidiary) www.touchplc.com - provider of Internet
services to small and medium sized businesses and operator of local
portals
* EMP (100% subsidiary) www.emp.tv - provider of digital screen media
services to Sainsburys, Marks & Spencer and other leading businesses
Background on Touch (www.touchplc.com)
Touch, a wholly owned subsidiary of Ambient plc, operates in the marketing and
web services sector through 2 main divisions.
* Touch NW, the Telesales division, currently employs 60 sales personnel in
its offices in Burnley and Nottingham selling domain names, web hosting and
online advertising promotions principally to the SME market. The proactive
telesales personnel sell value-added bundled offerings giving the customer
online promotion across multiple third party sites as well as promoting the
local Touch community portals. An increasing amount of revenue is derived
from customer renewals and from the ability to upsell higher value products
and services into the existing database of customers. Touch NW currently
has in excess of 8,000 accounts with whom they conduct on-going business.
* The local Web Services Division has recently developed a more scalable
method of growing its distribution strength whereby it has granted exclusive
city territories to Managing e-Consultants ('MeC'). The MeC is responsible
for the creation of a team of e-Consultants who will sell the Touch suite of
integrated software products and services to end users within that
territory. These products range from a basic enhanced business listing on
the local portal through to a self-publishing website which are ideally
suited and priced for the SME market, up to a full portal offering which is
relevant for larger companies and other organisations including clubs,
societies and trade bodies who have large and often complicated communities
to manage. Each product sale comprises two elements - a set-up fee and a
recurring monthly service provision fee - both of which are shared between
the MeC, e-Consultant and Touch.
This division also operates local interactive community portals utilising
US-based software over which Touch has exclusive UK rights. 126 of these Touch
community portals have established for cities, councils and district territories
including touchnottingham.com, touchsouthampton.com and touchoxford.com.
Further local community portals will be established in the months ahead as Touch
take on more managing e-Consultants. Each community portal has a business
directory with full search functionality, news, chatrooms and self-publishing
capability allowing users to update their business listing or submit a
classified advert or event for publication.
This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
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