Net pioneers to establish UK software beachhead

Two Internet pioneers collaborate to establish software beachhead in the UK

10 June 2005 - New Zealand technology company Ectus® has launched into the UK market, signing a distribution agreement for Ectus® MEDIA, its innovative online collaboration and learning software solution, with major distributor Advancemobile UK and Advancemobile Ltd (trading as E2M). The deal involves Advancemobile actively marketing and distributing Ectus MEDIA to Advancemobile's extensive corporate client base in the UK / NZ.

Ectus® MEDIA offers a complete On Demand Rich Media (ODRM) solution which uses patent pending technology to interlink video and audio with an online collaboration environment including discussion boards, chat, polling and brainstorming and learning tools. Ectus MEDIA seamlessly integrates video-conferencing into this environment allowing presentations to be recorded, replayed and extended over time. Ectus MEDIA is being deployed widely in corporate communications, and online learning.

Ectus MEDIA is a world-leading technology solution for collaboration and learning. It is a finalist in the New Zealand Computerworld Excellence Awards 2005 in two categories: Innovative Use of Technology and Excellence in the Use of IT in Education. (The University of Waikato: The Virtual Classroom - Ectus MEDIA Interactive Lectures). In this application The University of Waikato is using the software to eliminate the lecture from its international marketing courses, Rather than standing up to teach in a lecture theatre, setting essays, assignments and exams Senior Lecturer Dr Ken Morse turned to Ectus MEDIA and interactive video teaching.

“I broke the course down into 26 modules delivered over six weeks. Students could click on a module, watch me speak, do what was asked of them and replay what they couldn’t understand the first time.”

Dr Morse said for students the ability to replay was a plus. “They wouldn’t call out in a lecture for me to repeat something, but with Ectus they more readily participated in online discussion, writing rather than having to speak in a lecture or tutorial.”

Ectus's CEO, Dr Mark Topping, said that the UK was Ectus’ third international market entry this year and the agreement with Advancemobile signified a major thrust into Europe.

"Advancemobile knows the market well and we have been impressed by the wide access they have to potential Ectus clients across a full range of industries where MEDIA would be a real enhancement to business communications or educational facilities," Topping said.

“This is a great opportunity for Advancemobile, we are, excited to work together with Ectus in this emerging market. We see Ectus MEDIA in content and content delivery applications, video collaboration and education. This product is good for New Zealand and the world.” said Andrew McPherson, Advancemobile's CEO.

Both Topping and McPherson have pioneered internet developments in New Zealand. Topping managed the initial development of the NZ Internet Gateway at Waikato University while McPherson managed the creation of the first broadband wireless ISP in New Zealand Walker Wireless. Both see collaborative rich media as a natural progression for technology and the internet.

About Ectus

Ectus was established in June 2004 and is based at Hamilton's Waikato Innovation Park. The company specializes in ODRM and provides leading-edge solutions to help companies and organizations bring people together online, extending the boundaries of the physical workplace. With video streaming, conferencing and online collaboration, people can cross the divide of geography and time zones to meet, discuss and consult.

About Advancemobile

Advancemobile is a leading provider of SMS messaging services from desktop PCs to one or many mobile phones, advance system automaton and advance server notification. The markets Advancemobile covers include councils, banking, advertising, etc.

ENDS

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