| Thomson Forges Agreement with Kroger
for Development
And Implementation of a Video Network for
Interactive Distance Learning
Company’s Convergent Media Systems Business to Design and Manage Private Corporate Communications Network
That Reaches Kroger Locations and Employees Across
the United States
ALPHARETTA, Ga. and PARIS, France — December 13, 2006 — Reinforcing its position
as the world’s leading provider of digital video technologies, Thomson (Euronext Paris: 18453; NYSE: TMS), through its
Technicolor Network Services business, today announced it has signed a landmark, long-term agreement with The Kroger Co. (NYSE:
KR), one of the largest retail grocery chains in the United States, to develop and implement a comprehensive interactive distance
learning (IDL) solution for Kroger stores and subsidiaries nationwide. The deployment will enable Kroger to rapidly deliver live,
interactive, and on-demand training content to its workforce of employees, while substantially reducing the costs associated
with traditional employee training programs.
The terms of the transaction, which were not disclosed, expand the scope of an existing relationship between Kroger and Alpharetta,
Ga.-based Convergent Media Systems Corporation, a unit of Technicolor Network Services, and part of the Services division of
Thomson. Under the existing agreement between the companies, Convergent manages a similar IDL initiative for Kroger, which operates
over 135 multi-department retail stores in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States.
“Convergent’s participation in this ambitious initiative solidifies its very important and esteemed relationship
with Kroger, and further strengthens the company’s position as the leading integrator of private video networks for major
brands,” said R. Bryan Allen, president and chief executive officer of Convergent Media Systems Corporation. “We
look forward to working with Kroger on this exciting project, and to assisting the company in achieving its employee training
and professional development objectives through interactive distance learning.”
The agreement with Kroger calls for Convergent to design and deploy a fully-integrated IDL solution based on the procurement, installation,
and maintenance of broadcast studio, VSAT, and distance learning hardware in each Kroger location. Convergent will also manage
space segments, uplinks, encoding for the system, and oversee disaster recovery and helpdesk services through the company’s
state-of-the-art network operations center in Alpharetta. For the contract’s implementation, Convergent will integrate products
from Spacenet Inc. for the VSAT terminal and hub equipment, Arel Communications and Software, Ltd. for IDL hardware and software,
and Stratacache, Inc. for its content distribution system. The equipment deployment will begin in the third quarter of 2006, with
all locations scheduled to be operational by the end of 2007.
# # #
Certain statements in this
press release, including any discussion of management expectations for future periods, constitute forward-looking statements
within the meaning of the “safe harbor” of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking
statements are based on management’s current expectations and beliefs, and are subject to a number of factors and uncertainties
that could cause actual results to differ materially from the future results expressed or implied by the forward-looking
statements due to changes in global economic and business conditions, consumer electronics markets, and regulatory factors.
More detailed information on the potential factors that could affect the financial results of Thomson is contained in Thomson’s
filings with the SEC.
About Thomson — Leader
In Digital Video Technologies
Thomson (Euronext
Paris: 18453; NYSE: TMS) provides technology, services, and systems and equipment to help its Media
& Entertainment clients — content creators, content distributors, and users of its technology — realize their business goals and optimize
their performance in a rapidly-changing technology environment. The Group is the preferred partner to the Media & Entertainment Industries through
its Technicolor, Grass Valley, RCA, and Thomson brands. For more information: http://www.thomson.net.
About Technicolor Network
Services
Technicolor
Network Services and its Convergent Media Systems unit, part of the Services
division of Thomson, provide clients with broadcast playout services by offering an online digital content distribution network
that supports multiple origination platforms, including cable, broadcast, and direct-to-home. In addition, Technicolor Network
Services addresses the out-of-home marketplace with a full range of network design and management services. For more information: http://www.technicolornetworkservices.com
Media Contact Information
|
