Taking IPTV to the mass market

Opera joins the Open IPTV Forum

Oslo, Norway – July 28, 2008

Opera Software today announced that it has joined the Open IPTV Forum. This global organization is comprised of key IPTV and TV stakeholders working to produce end-to-end specifications to take the next generation of IPTV services into the mass market.

As a part of the Forum, Opera will team up with other members, such as Samsung, Ericsson, Sony and Philips, to help create an end-user mass market for IPTV by developing specifications. These specifications will ease the creation, integration and deployment of compelling solutions and services.

"It is extremely important to Opera to be a part of the Open IPTV Forum, as we share common strategic goals: lower the integration cost, speed up time to market for IPTV services and enable choice for consumers," says Jon von Tetzchner, CEO, Opera Software. "Together, we will create a solution based on open standards."

The Open IPTV Forum accepts applicants who are actively committed to the Forum's goals for the IPTV market. Opera accepted the Terms & Conditions of the Open IPTV Forum Agreement and stated its commitment to the setting standards which will result in increased product choice in the IPTV market.

"The Open IPTV Forum is an important group in today's marketplace. Currently no standards exist for this market, resulting in diverse implementations that not only hinder growth but may serve as a risk for stakeholders," says Yun Chao Hu, Steering Group Chairman for the Open IPTV Forum. "With Opera Software now on board, we now have the opportunity to harness Opera's Web technology to help us meet our end goal of specifying a solution that will bring IPTV services to the masses."

About the Open IPTV Forum

The Open IPTV Forum is a pan-industry initiative with the purpose of producing end to end specifications for IPTV in order to take the next generation of IPTV into a mass market service. The forum, which is fully open to participation across the communications and entertainment industries, will focus on development of open standards that could help to streamline and accelerate deployments of IPTV technologies, and help to maximize the benefits of IPTV for consumers, network operators, content providers, service providers, consumer electronics manuf0acturers and home and network infrastructure providers. The Open IPTV Forum founding members are Ericsson, FT Group, Nokia Siemens, Panasonic, Philips, Samsung, Sony and Telecom Italia.

The full list of Open IPTV Forum members is now: Accenture, Alcatel Lucent, Amino Communications Ltd, ANT Software Ltd, Deutsche Telecom AG, Ericsson, FT Group, Funai Electric Co., Huawei, LG Electronics, Nokia Siemens Networks, Opera Software, Panasonic, Philips, Quative Ltd, Samsung, SES-Astra, Sharp Corporation, Sony, Sun Microsystems, Telecom Italia, Telefonica, TeliaSonera, Tilgin, Toshiba Corporation, Verimatrix, Inc, ZTE Corporation.

About Opera Software ASA

The worldwide World Wide Web — any device, any platform, any bandwidth, absolutely anywhere in the world. Opera Software was founded in 1994, based on the idea that access to the web should be a universal right. 250 million people (and counting) use the Opera web browsers for computers, mobile phones, TVs and other connected devices. Opera also delivers tools, distribution, engagement, monetization and market insights to developers, publishers and brands around the world. We are passionate about breaking down barriers, so everyone can share in the power of the internet. Our vision of one web for all remains at the heart of what we do, because we believe that participation changes everything. Opera Software ASA is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol OPERA. Learn more about Opera at www.opera.com.