Paris, 1 October, 1998 -- NetGem, the first European company to have designed and mass produced a set-top interactive terminal has retained Text 100 France to run its media relations campaign aimed at boosting its marketing activities in Europe and the United States.

NetGem has developed a simple, flexible set-top box, the NetBox, that can be used with an ordinary TV set as a full-blown Internet terminal. In partnership with the leading telecoms operators, retailers, banks and European media groups, NetGem is currently marketing the NetBox in France and some 44 other countries throughout Europe.

"NetGem needs to adapt its marketing strategy to its fast-paced international development," explains NetGem's President and CEO, Joseph Haddad. "At present, however, we do not have a physical presence in all the markets where the NetBox is being marketed, and we need to be able to leverage the feedback from a media relations campaign. Text 100 offered us an integrated, controllable solution that combines consulting and implementation aspects in a perfect blend of mainstream public relations techniques and on-line communication opportunities."

NetBox enables consumers to log onto the Internet without leaving their armchairs. The set-top box is simply connected to an ordinary telephone jack, the TV set's SCART socket and the mains for full access to the world of the Internet.

Thanks to its smart-card reader, the NetBox also opens up opportunities for businesses to develop new e-commerce strategies by creating genuine stakeholder communities in cyberspace.

"We are genuinely thrilled with NetGem's choice, because it is the outcome of in-depth preparations with NetGem's marketing team upstream of our proposal, as we sought to analyze their strategic goals and integrate all the factors that might hamper or boost their marketing operations," said Patrick Frison Roche, General Manager of Text 100 France. "To make up for the lack of international structures, we will use electronic advertising broadcast technology, relayed by NetGem's Website. At the same time, we will provide occasional back-up through initiatives supported by local Text 100 subsidiaries as we establish NetGem's technological edge, and showcase NetBox potential for users."

Notes for Editors:

Text 100 Globally

Text 100 Group plc is a global PR consultancy serving the technology industry. The company's clients include Microsoft, BT, Compaq, Orange, Samsung, The Document Company Xerox and Gateway. Text 100 was founded in 1981, employs over 300 people and has offices situated throughout Europe, Africa, South Asia, Australia and USA. Additional information about Text 100 and its services can be found at www.text100.com.

NetGem

NetGem SA is a privately-owned company founded in 1996 in Courbevoie, near Paris, by Joseph Haddad and Olivier Guillaumin. NetGem was the first company to demonstrate and mass-produce an interactive set-top box for businesses and consumers in Europe, the NetBox. In June 1998, NetGem opened its first international office in Madrid, Spain. Further information available at : www.netgem.com.

The NetBox

The NetBox has been specially developed to offer Internet access via an ordinary TV set. Based on software and hardware architecture developed by NetGem, the NetBox can be easily adapted to the needs of major telecoms operators, retailers, banks and media groups in Europe. In partnership with these corporations, the NetBox is currently being marketed across 15 countries in Europe.

Its greatest achievement is the quality of its full-screen display on the TV set thanks to its dedicated graphics capabilities of 640 x 480 pixels, as on a desktop PC. This means that website downloads are not deformed on screen. Internet access via NetBox is not restricted to proprietary on-line services.

Media contacts:

Patrick Frison-Roche/Carole Lollia-Simon
Text 100 Public Relations
50 rue de Bitche - 92400 Courbevoie - France
email : patrickf@text100.fr
Tél. : INT 33 (0) 1 49 04 41 50
Fax. : INT 33 (0) 149 04 41 51

David Ostroff
NetGem SA
31 rue Victor Hugo, 92400 Courbevoie - France
email : david.ostroff@netgem.com
Tél. : INT 33 (0) 1 46 91 98 88
Fax. : INT 33 (0)1 46 91 98 89