Nixu ChargeGate creates new opportunities for digital commerce

Nixu Ltd. revolutionises Internet content charging Nixu ChargeGate creates new opportunities for digital commerce CANNES, France. - Feb. 19, 2002. The Finnish information technology company Nixu Ltd. launched today Nixu ChargeGate, a new system for collecting billing data. It offers new pricing models for Internet content producers and opens new business opportunities for service providers. The first companies to pilot the system include the Finnish media giant United Magazines Ltd. and Nordic countries' largest private weather service company Foreca Ltd, in co-operation with the Finnish service provider Net People. Net People users can now, for example, purchase individual articles from United Magazines periodicals or acquire local weather information through Internet. Nixu ChargeGate is a system for collecting Internet billing data. It offers service providers, content producers and private extranet providers new, alternative pricing models for Internet content. These include, for example small, non-recurrent fees for disposable web content such as magazine articles, individual music pieces or locally targeted weather services. Nixu ChargeGate can operate in both mobile and fixed Internet environments and it gives consumers the opportunity to make more targeted purchases. The user can download Internet content directly to his operating system and it is invoiced automatically through monthly Internet bill, credit card or e-bank transaction. Nixu ChargeGate can be installed in both service provider's or content producer's network architecture and the new pricing models can be configured to meet different demands. The consumer can now purchase Internet content in a way similar to retail trade, without delivery times, one article at a time. For content producers, Nixu ChargeGate creates substantial benefits by enabling them to charge for their content on basis of a flexible scale of value and use. By combining different pricing models Nixu ChargeGate creates new ways for selling and purchasing Internet content. United Magazines at the forefront The first companies to pilot Nixu ChargeGate are United Magazines and Foreca. United Magazines offers Net People subscribers the possibility to download individual articles from the company's magazines in PDF format. Feedback from the users, content providers and the service provider is collected and surveyed for future use. "United Magazines seeks to gain experience in consumers' Internet behaviour and technologies involved in charging and paying for web content. At the moment our customers are prepared to pay for print magazines. Through the Net People pilot we gain valuable information of their readiness to utilise new distribution channels. It is extremely useful to know, which payment models the consumers want to use in web, one-time payments or longer pricing periods. Part of our long-term strategy is also to seek skilful technology partners such as Nixu", says United Magazines Content Director Harri Saukkomaa. Local weather services on the Internet The Nordic countries' largest private weather service company Foreca wants to create localised weather services for outdoor enthusiasts in the Oulu region in northern Finland. Golfers, for example, will benefit from rain forecasts while yachters can use wind information. "Our mobile services have proved that a nominal content fee is not a barrier to consumers. We want to examine, whether outdoor enthusiasts have a need for more in-depth and precise weather information than what is normally broadcast in media. We believe, that the consumer-friendly web purchasing methods created by Nixu can broaden our customer base also on the Internet", says Foreca's Sales Director Annette Saarinen. "Nixu ChargeGate enables cost-efficient business operations in the Internet. For content producers, ChargeGate creates new ways of offering chargeable content in the web. Service providers will have new business opportunities by being able to offer new content charging services for their customers. For example, content charging can be managed centrally for several content producers, while the actual content is distributed all over the Internet. Consumers will benefit from easier, faster and more focused Internet purchasing", says Nixu CEO Tapio Sulkava. Additional information: www.nixu.com www.kuvalehdet.fi www.foreca.com www.netpeople.com Tapio Sulkava Harri Saukkomaa CEO, Nixu Ltd. Content Director, Yhtyneet Kuvalehdet Ltd. Tel. +358 40 769 Tel. +358 9 1566381 7592 Email: Email: tapio.sulkava.nixu.c harri.saukkomaa@kuvalehdet.fi om Annette Saarinen Sales Director, Foreca Oy Tel. +358 40 556 6537 Email: annette.saarinen@foreca.com [REMOVED GRAPHICS] Nixu Ltd. is a Finnish information technology company founded in 1988 focusing on Internet and information security technology products and services. Employer of some 90 people, Nixu has a strong technical background and a long experience in the implementation of both system integration projects and information security audits for companies. Nixu customers include Internet and mobile operators, suppliers of telecommunications technology, media companies, and providers of financial services. Solution deliveries, product development based on thorough TCP/IP know-how, and product sales are the main areas of Nixu business. By developing them and investing in professional sales organization, Nixu aims at continued profitable growth in its business in Finland and abroad. Nixu net sales in the fiscal period ending on March 31st, 2001 were EUR 6 343 000 and its business profit was EUR 793 000. United Magazines Ltd. (founded in 1933) is the market leader of Finnish magazines and periodicals. It publishes 33 periodicals in Finland, 4 in Estonia and over 30 customer magazines through its subsidiary Kynämies Ltd. United Magazines Ltd. is part of the Otava Books and Magazines Group Ltd, whose turnover in the year 2001 was FIM 1,24 billion and consists of, in addition to United Magazines Ltd., Great Finnish Book Club Ltd., Otava Publishing Company Ltd. and Otava Book Printing Ltd. The number of staff is 800. Foreca Ltd. is the largest private weather service company in the Nordic countries. Foreca produces state-of-the-art weather services for its clients around the world. Founded in 1996, Foreca has gained a strong foothold in the Finnish market. Foreca's strategy of internationalisation was first seen with the opening of the Stockholm subsidiary office in February 2001. During 2002, the company will expand its operations in Europe. In October 2000, the venture capitalist company Capman Oyj became a minority shareholder of Foreca. ------------------------------------------------------------ This information was brought to you by Waymaker http://www.waymaker.net The following files are available for download: http://www.waymaker.net/bitonline/2002/02/19/20020219BIT00500/bit0002.doc http://www.waymaker.net/bitonline/2002/02/19/20020219BIT00500/bit0002.pdf