MindArk and Telia Strike a Deal
13 February 2003
Original press release[edit]
Headline: MindArk and Telia Strike a Deal
Date: 13th February 2003 Author: MindArk Public Relations Dept.
Content:
MindArk and Telia Strike a Deal
Gothenburg, Sweden - February 13th, 2003 - Telia, one of Europe's largest telecom and Internet providers, and MindArk, the creators of Project Entropia, have entered into an agreement where Telia provides MindArk with access to the Internet backbone at various locations around the world.
In addition to Internet backbone access, Telia provides server-hosting services for servers to be used for Project Entropia. Project Entropia is a three dimensional virtual universe available to download free of charge at http://www.project-entropia.com.
Jan Welter Timkrans, MindArk Managing Director, explains:
- Project Entropia is aimed at interactive entertainment and features some unique facilities like a real economy with its own currency exchangeable to any major currency in the world.
- Project Entropia incorporates vast 3D landmasses with cities and wilderness where participants from all corners of the world, represented by an avatar of their own design, may meet, explore, socialize, trade and interact in endless ways.
- Project Entropia is dynamic and is continuously under development. The first continent is now complete and is soon to be followed by the first complete planet. Space-travel, space stations and other planets will follow.
Since the gold release of Project Entropia on January 30, 2003, Telia has been hosting the server structure in its highly secure facilities in Stockholm.
Benny Iggland, MindArk Chairman, welcomes the improved Internet quality:
- The Telia Internet backbone access is part of an important improvement of Project Entropia. While previously used connections to the Internet with up to 13 router jumps gave rise to noticeable delays in the system, what we call "lag", the Telia connection is considerably faster. The number of router jumps has been reduced to fewer than 6 due to the consistent layout of the Telia backbone.
MindArk expects the improved Internet quality will meet the acclaim of its users. Since Project Entropia was publicly launched January 30, the number of participants has increased steadily. The popularity of Project Entropia is shown by the fact that beta testers put in their own money in order to test the economy system during the test phases. Present payment patterns indicate that early adopters are prepared to pay several Euros per hour for the enjoyment of Project Entropia.
Project Entropia is designed to cater to up to one million simultaneous users in three server centers around the world. Expectations are for registered number of users to ultimately reach 25 million.
Telia is part of the TeliaSonera Group. Telia and Sonera create the leading telecommunications group in the Nordic and Baltic regions - TeliaSonera. TeliaSonera is listed on the Stockholm Exchange, the Helsinki Exchange and Nasdaq Stock Market in the USA. Pro forma net sales in 2001 amounted to SEK 80.9 billion (EUR 8.9 billion). The number of employees was 30,000 on June 30, 2002.
TeliaSonera's home market comprises the Nordic countries and the Baltic region. TeliaSonera operates under the Telia brand in Sweden and Denmark, under the Sonera brand in Finland, and under the NetCom brand in Norway. In the Baltic regions TeliaSonera operates through subsidiaries and associate companies.
MindArk is a leading software development company. It's main product is Project Entropia, a dynamic virtual universe browser suitable for interactive entertainment. MindArk is a privately held company with 65 employees.
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