Universal deliver record breaking number of video streams - Renewed UK commitment to Interoute as preferred streaming partner

Universal ink two year deal with Interoute for Media Manager platform

London, UK, 22 March 2007 – 2006 was widely seen as the year when online content dominated the entertainment markets, with community and web 2.0 websites making it easier than ever for millions of consumers to access a staggering selection of content.

Universal Music UK, one of the largest names in content, saw the demand for online streaming video increase by over 500% in 12 months alone. Universal UK was able to meet the increased demand by using Interoute’s Media Manager platform. Universal today confirmed a renewed commitment to working with Interoute for digital content delivery over the next 24 months.

Universal Music UK and Interoute have been working together for five years, to support such innovations as the groundbreaking and hugely popular ‘Tongcast’ from superstar DJ Pete Tong. Interoute’s Media Manager platform enables Universal to automatically upload audio and video content, instantly generating video streams and Podcast feeds.

Interoute also provide an innovative tokenized delivery system to ensure content can only be delivered to approved websites. The Content Protection Gateway (CPG) can stop unauthorised third party websites featuring Universal videos by individually generating an access token for each approved site visitor. If the request is from an unauthorised site, access to the stream is denied, so users need to visit approved artist and label websites to access the video content.

PJ Dulay, Head of Digital Operations for Universal Music UK stated: “Demand for Universal Music’s digital content is increasing rapidly every week, and Interoute‘s Media platform enables us to deal efficiently with current demand and ensure that, as the number of streams continues to rise, we can maintain our excellent standards of content delivery. Many of our international territories are now looking at Interoute for these services based on the success story of the UK.”

Gareth Williams, Interoute President of Global markets added: “We are delighted with Universal Music UK’s renewed commitment to Interoute.We are focused on working with leading entertainment brandsand have invested millions in our content delivery network to ensure we stay at the forefront of high demand content delivery.” A fact that was recognised when Media Manager was awarded the World Communications Award for best content service in December 2006.

Interoute, owners and operators of Europe's most advanced voice and data network, have a number of advanced media distribution services. Media Manager, Media Live Stream and Share are the digital media platforms of choice for many of the UKs largest media companies including Universal Music, Chrysalis, EMI, SRH, EMAP and Virgin Media Television’s ‘Most Haunted Live’.

About Universal Music UK

Universal Music UK is a division of Universal Music Group, the world's largest music company with wholly owned record operations or licensees in 75 countries. Its businesses also include Universal Music Publishing Group, one of the industry's largest global music publishing operations.

Universal Music Group consists of record labels Decca Music Group, Deutsche Grammophon, Interscope Geffen A&M Records, Geffen Records, Island Def Jam Music Group, Lost Highway Records, Machete Music, MCA Nashville, Mercury Nashville, Mercury Records, Philips, Polydor Records, Universal Music Latino, Universal Motown Records Group, and Verve Music Group as well as a multitude of record labels owned or distributed by its record company subsidiaries around the world. The Universal Music Group owns the most extensive catalog of music in the industry, which is marketed through two distinct divisions, Universal Music Enterprises (in the U.S.) and Universal Strategic Marketing (outside the U.S.). Universal Music Group also includes eLabs, a new media and technologies division, and Universal Music Mobile.

Universal Music Group is a unit of Vivendi, a global media and communications company. www.umusic.co.uk

About Interoute
Interoute is Europe's fastest growing communications technology provider and owner operator of Europe's most advanced and densely connected voice and data network, encompassing over 40,000kms of fibre. Its full-service next generation network serves more than 14,000 customers from retail to aerospace, every major European incumbent as well as the major operators of North America, East and South Asia, governments, universities and research agencies. These organisations find Interoute the ideal partner for managing business critical systems, firewalls and information security solutions, disaster recovery and corporate access. With established operations throughout mainland Europe and in North America, Interoute also owns and operates dense city networks throughout Europe's major business centres. More than €1 billion in e-commerce transactions flows through its data centres each day, making Interoute a key part of Europe’s Digital Supply Chain. www.interoute.com