[July 29, 2004] Todito Launches Broadband Version of Todito TV; Wavexpress to Power DVD-Quality Online Video Service MEXICO CITY & NEW YORK --(Business Wire)-- July 29, 2004 -- Secure (Anti-Pirate) Online Distribution Will Offer the Best of TV Azteca Programming Todito, a leading Internet portal, ISP and ecommerce site for North American Spanish-speakers, today announced the launch of Todito TV Premium, an online service offering DVD-quality videos. Todito TV Premium is an expansion of Todito's three-year-old online video service --now called Todito TV Basic-- and uses the platform and player of Wavexpress, a leading provider of broadband technology and services. Wavexpress is majority-owned by Wave Systems Corp. (NASDAQ: WAVX), a leader in trusted computing. Todito TV: Secure (Anti-Pirate) Online Distribution for TV Azteca Content. "We launched Todito TV in 2001 as way of offering TV Azteca programming to viewers outside of Mexico," commented Tim Parsa, Todito's CEO. "We started by offering the content for free and gradually evolved to a 100% paid model. Todito TV Premium is the next step in this evolution--we believe there are a lot of Internet users who are willing to pay more to receive their favorite TV Azteca programs with the high quality and full-size image that only the Wavexpress player can offer." Todito TV offers Latin America's largest online video library comprised of TV Azteca-produced programs available through a searchable database, as well as live streaming of TV Azteca's flagship channel, Azteca 13. Todito TV's 1,500 existing subscribers pay either with a credit card or with Todito Card, Todito's innovative multi-service pre-paid card. One-month, three-month, six-month or full-year subscriptions are available. Due to the limitations of streaming technology, however, the sound and image of Todito TV has always been inferior to broadcast television and the size of the image was limited to a fraction of a computer screen. "Todito TV subscribers are Mexicans living outside Mexico who want to watch the excellent programs produced by TV Azteca, be it news or soap operas," commented Adrian Gonzalez, Todito's Chief Operating Officer. "Now, for a bit more money, those subscribers can watch full-screen DVD-quality versions of their favorite Azteca programs. We also believe that there is a large market of Mexicans living outside the U.S. with broadband connections who were put-off by the lower-quality image and small size of Todito TV Basic but who will now subscribe to Todito TV Premium." Todito TV Premium: DVD Quality Capitalizing on the Growth of Broadband. According to Cheskin Survey, 6.5% of the U.S. Hispanic homes now have broadband access to the Internet, totalling more than two million homes. This compares to 500,000 residential broadband Internet connections in Mexico, according to Select IDC. "In Mexico we have many subscribers who watch Todito TV using the broadband connection in their office," commented Mr. Gonzalez. "It enables them to watch soccer games or breaking news, for example, in an environment where they could not easily have a television." Todito operates Mexico's second largest dial-up ISP through Todito Card with more than 350,000 active users. Over the past twelve months, the company has evolved Todito Card into a multi-service card whose credit can be used for more than just connecting to the internet. Todito has begun offering long-distance telephone service through Todito Card. According to Mr. Gonzalez, by the end of 2004, Todito Card will be a form of payment for more than twenty online and offline services, including Todito TV. Todito is also a top website visited by Mexican and U.S. Hispanic Internet users. Todito's portal has an audience of more than 1.7 million unique visitors per month, with approximately 15% being U.S. Hispanics. "Todito's large audience, existing online video subscriber base and pre-paid card makes Todito TV Premium possible," commented Michael Sprague, president and Chief Operating Officer of Wavexpress. "We expect Todito TV Premium to become popular with Todito's existing base of 1.5 million registered users, and are delighted to be introducing our WX technology to the large and growing base of Spanish-speaking internet users in North America." Wavexpress: Secure, Anti-Piracy Technology. For only 1,500 Mexican pesos a year (about US$130), subscribers to Todito TV Premium have the best of TV Azteca programming delivered directly to their hard drives. They can select from among approximately fifteen video segments each day (over three hours of programming) all commercial-free. Subscribers of Todito TV Premium will also have access to the real-time, on-line video stream and library of archived videos available to Todito TV Basic subscribers. "In Wavexpress, we found the perfect platform and player for our broadband video service," commented Mr. Gonzalez. "Wavexpress provides security technology that protects Azteca programming from being copied and pirated, as well as experience in broadband content delivery, allowing Todito a risk-free way to generate cash flow from the broadband market with very low capital investment." Except for statements of historical fact, the concepts discussed in this official notice are concepts on the future that involve risks and uncertainty that can cause that the actual results to differ substantially from the projected ones. The declarations are based on the present expectations of the administration and are subject to uncertainties and variations in the circumstances. Company Profiles About Todito: Todito.com, S.A. de C.V., a leading Internet portal, ISP and e-commerce site for North American Spanish-speakers is jointly owned by Universidad CNCI (BMV: DATAFLXB) and TV Azteca, S.A. de C.V. (NYSE: TZA; BMV: TVAZTCA). About Wavexpress: Wavexpress enables secure broadband distribution of premium digital content. The company delivers full-screen, DVD-quality video, games, music and software. Wavexpress supports a variety of business models, including subscription, pay-per-view, and advertising services. More information about Wavexpress products and services is available from www.wavexpress.com. About Wave Systems Corp: Consumers and businesses are demanding a computing environment that is more trusted, private, safe and secure. Wave is the leader in delivering trusted computing applications and services with advanced products, infrastructure and solutions across multiple trusted platforms from a variety of vendors. Wave holds a portfolio of significant fundamental patents in security and e-commerce applications and employs some of the world's leading security systems architects and engineers. For more information about Wave, visit www.wave.com. Safe Harbor for Forward-Looking Statements Except for the statements of historical fact, the information presented herein constitutes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include general economic and business conditions, the ability to fund operations, the ability to forge partnerships required for deployment, changes in consumer and corporate buying habits, chip development and production, the rapid pace of change in the technology industry and other factors over which Wave Systems Corp. has little or no control. Wave Systems assumes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements. All brands are the property of their respective owners. Visit Todito's services: www.todito.com www.toditotv.com www.toditocard.com www.toditoshop.com www.digicentrotodito.com Visit Wavexpress www.wavexpress.com www.wave.com [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]