EXHIBIT 99.1
MIH
LIMITED
News Release
Mindport IBS expands broadband capability in merger with US based Noochee
Solutions
Noochee Solutions, a leading provider of e-business solutions for IP and
Broadband Service Providers
Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 28 November 2000 - International media and
technology group MIH Limited (NASDAQ & AEX: MIHL) announces that its
subsidiary, Mindport IBS, has merged with Noochee Solutions Inc., an Internet
infrastructure and application software company based in Colorado, USA. Under
the terms of the agreement, Mindport owns 70% of the merged entity and the
remainder is held by existing Noochee shareholders.
Combining Mindport's worldclass expertise in such areas as conditional access,
event-driven real time transaction billing and provisioning interfaces and
Noochee's e-business solutions for emerging IP and broadband service
providers, gives Mindport a clear strategic position in the industry. It is
now well placed to create a full complement of products to meet both the
midscale/complexity segment, with an end to end solution, and the new large
scale/high complexity segment of broadband services seeking best of breed
solutions.
The merger with Noochee, with its highly skilled and respected development
team, technology and patents, has greatly reduced time to market for several
Mindport products, including broadband provisioning access.
Allan Rosenzweig, board director of MIHL and CEO of Mindport commented:
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MIH
LIMITED
"While we do not know all of the services that will be available in the
broadband space, we do know that the management of those services will require
some of our core technology and expertise.
"Full broadband utilization may be many months away but the infrastructure
required is being installed now. This said, broadband technologies are complex
and operators will find it difficult to exploit the opportunities presented
without the help of new tools and systems to deliver their content and
services. The combined entity of Mindport and Noochee will greatly accelerate
our product development time and market penetration.
"The software needs in the broadband environment can be satisfied by an
abundance of products but we will focus on the areas where we believe we can
deliver best of breed solutions to broadband players. We will leverage our
strengths and knowledge in Security, Conditional Access, Event Billing,
Provisioning, Broadband Internet and Content Management to establish a leading
position in this emerging broadband market."
"Noochee is an excellent company which has developed award winning market
support solutions for e-businesses around the globe and we will benefit
greatly from its skills and experience," commented Jim Diggs CEO Mindport IBS.
"The strengths of the combined business affords us a respected place in the
broadband arena and it is our aim to quickly build on this very solid
foundation."
Ends
Contact:
MIH Limited
Anne Marie Bell
VP Corporate Communications
Tel: +31 23 556 2864
[email protected]
www.mih.com
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About MIH Limited
The company's activities are focused on three key areas:
1) Television platforms:
The Group provides terrestrial and cable analogue, digital satellite and other
pay television services to over 2 million households in Africa, the
Mediterranean and Asia.
2) Technology:
Through Mindport, its technology subsidiary, the Group provides conditional
access, security, provisioning, protection/insurance, commissioning,
Internet/IP technology, content management, billing and customer care and
interactive television systems (via OpenTV in USA) and other related services
to electronic media companies worldwide. Mindport IBS is the billing and
customer care division of Mindport and its headquarters are in San Diego,
California.
3) Internet:
The Group has recently invested in leading Internet operations in Africa,
Thailand and China:
A 16.8% interest in M-Web Africa. Listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange
(JSE), M-Web is the leading South African on-line service provider and content
portal. The company recently expanded its African Internet business to include
Internet service provider operations in several sub-Saharan African countries,
including Namibia, Zambia and Botswana. A 95% interest in M-Web Thailand which
owns Sanook!.com, Thailand's leading Thai content Internet portal.
M-Web.com.cn, the company's Internet business in China, was launched earlier
this year.
The Group has recently established an Internet business in Indonesia - M-Web
Indonesia.
About Noochee:
Noochee Solutions has been focused on developing Internet infrastructure and
application software since 1995, leveraging the company's telecommunications
and software heritage to develop and market Internet software solutions.
Noochee is a
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privately funded company and has more than 100 employees worldwide. The
company's headquarters are in Colorado Springs, Colorado. www.noochee.com
Except for historical statements contained therein, this news release contains
forward-looking statements relating to MIH Limited that involve risks and
uncertainties that could cause MIH Limited's actual results to differ
materially from those contemplated herein, including but not limited to, the
risk factors detailed in the Registration Statement on Form F-1 and other
documents filed from time to time by MIH Limited with the Securities and
Exchange Commission, as amended. MIH Limited undertakes no obligation to
update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new
information, future events, or otherwise.
