Guetersloh, Germany - (SBWIRE) -- 03/03/2005 -- Interactive TV—added value services on the basis of the open standard MHP (Multimedia Home Platform) is gaining increasing significance in Europe. In Germany, ANGA, German Association of Private CATV Operators, has recently converted over to MHP. The number one in the widespread use of MHP is currently Italy with more than 1 million MHP Set Top Boxes in their households.

Consequentially, Telecontrol AG in Kriegstetten, Switzerland, a company leader in offering TV and audio panel systems, has decided to expand their product range to include systems capable of measuring and recording the behavior of MHP-based TV service users.

Nionex GmbH, a wholly owned subsidiary of the DirectGroup Bertelsmann, was commissioned to develop the first “audience measuring system” for MHP. Nionex is the German leader in MHP solutions and, in addition to many other innovative products, developed the world’s first HTML browser for MHP.

*MHP and DVB are registered trademarks of the DVB Project.

About Telecontrol AG
The Telecontrol group is active worldwide in developing and producing electronic measuring systems for recording audience behavior. Thanks to ongoing further development, the measuring equipment is based on the latest technical and demoscopic state-of-the-art. Continual updates make the system tried-and-true perfect for checking and analyzing viewer and listener behavior.

The equipment is meanwhile successfully installed in over 12 countries of the world and the system’s quality and precision is put to the test daily in the more than 18.000 households where the Telecontrol system for measuring TV viewing habits is in service. This includes more than 8 digital TV panels with over 2.500 participants.

About NIONEX GmbH
Nionex GmbH is one of Germany’s fastest growing IT service providers.The company is one of the leaders in offering custom solutions for content management, cross media publishing and portals, as well as customer relationship management, online shops and interactive TV. As a system integrator, the technology subsidiary of DirectGroup Bertelsmann offers the whole service spectrum: from the conception and technical implementation to the construction of complete Internet or iTV platforms. Nionex developed the product pontegra, the world’s first DVB-HTML based platform for MHP, which has since become excellently well established on the market. Nionex customers include Altana Chemie, Bertelsmann AG, CLAAS KGaA, Humboldt University in Berlin, RTL, RTL interactive, Telecontrol, Telenet, TRW Automotive, Verlag De Agostini, Verlag Walter deGruyter and wissen.de.