News & Events

Open Media Network Selects VeriSign to Bring Full Screen, DVD-Quality Television Programs from the Internet -- Right to TV Screens

Consumers can now watch their OMN-downloaded television shows on their living room TV, in addition to their PC

LAS VEGAS, NV, January 8, 2007 – VeriSign, Inc., (NASDAQ: VRSN), the leading provider of intelligent infrastructure for the networked world, today announced that Open Media Network (OMN) has selected its VeriSign Intelligent Content Delivery Network™ (CDN) to enable consumers to watch shows downloaded from omn.org directly on their television set.  Programming is delivered in DVD or HDTV quality. 

Using VeriSign’s advanced technology, viewers of OMN’s library of popular public broadcasting content are among the first consumers who can download quality programming from the Internet and watch it on intelligent TVs via set top boxes, including Hewlett-Packard’s entire family of MediaSmart® TVs and Tivo® DVRs.  The service supports playback on virtually any Windows Media Connect®-compliant digital media receiver (DMR) and also allows for synchronization with iPods® and Windows Mobile®-based portable media players.  

Founded by Internet industry pioneer Mike Homer, Open Media Network (www.omn.org) brings leading non-commercial films, shows and video blogs to the online public. OMN boasts a library of educational and documentary programming—free and fee-based—including download-to-own content from producers such as the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), National Geographic, thought-provoking podcasts from leading National Public Radio (NPR) affiliates, and leading independent producers.

“Watching downloaded video content right on a living room or classroom television set is no longer an industry vision, it’s a reality,” said Mike Homer, founder and CEO of OMN.  “Using VeriSign’s Intelligent CDN, OMN offers public broadcasters and independent producers the best way to bring their work into the living rooms of people around the world, while consumers can enjoy quality programming on the device they choose.  VeriSign and OMN are at the forefront of this emerging trend which we believe will, over time, fundamentally change the way we consume media.”

“OMN is a great example of how the power of the Internet is dramatically changing the landscape of possibilities when it comes to how, when, and on what devices viewers consume the content that matters to them,” said Todd Johnson, senior vice president of global marketing, VeriSign.  “The fact that non-profit public broadcasters like BBC and OMN are aggressively pursuing new media platforms to distribute their content is a huge signal as to where the industry is now.   The technological and financial barriers to delivering high quality, long form video over the Internet are significantly reduced.”

The VeriSign Intelligent CDN is one of the first content delivery networks to combine the attributes of a traditional CDN with the efficiencies of peer-to-peer technology, as an end- to-end managed service.  The scale of VeriSign’s global intelligent infrastructure combined with the patented Kontiki®  peer-to-peer technology enables media and entertainment companies to offer a high quality download experience for end users.  

About VeriSign 
VeriSign, Inc. (NASDAQ: VRSN), operates intelligent infrastructure services that enable and protect billions of interactions every day across the world’s voice and data networks. Additional news and information about the company is available at www.verisign.com.

About OMN 
OMN is a public service dedicated to bringing "media that matters" to the public via the Internet. It gives viewers easy TV Guide® -like access to previously hard-to-find content created by public broadcasters, educational institutions, non-profits and community-based organizations. Based on VeriSign's advanced media delivery technology, OMN provides free and paid audio and video downloads in HD- or DVD-quality. It lets viewers watch their programs on their computers or take their personal OMN libraries mobile.  More information can be found at www.omn.org.

Trademarks  
VeriSign, Kontiki, the Intelligent Content Delivery Network and other VeriSign trademarks, service marks, and logos are registered or unregistered marks of VeriSign, Inc. and its subsidiaries in the United States and in foreign countries. Copyright © 2007 VeriSign, Inc. All rights reserved.

Open Media Network, Hewlett-Packard, MediaSmart, Tivo, Windows, Media Connect iPod, Windows Mobile, BBC, TV Guide, Public Broadcasting Service, National Geographic and National Public Radio may be registered or unregistered marks of their respective owners.

For more information, contact:  
VeriSign Media Relations: Allison Flerl, aflerl@verisign.com, 650-452- 4867 
OMN Media Relations:  Barbara Krause, barbara@krause-taylor.com, 408-918-9081 
VeriSign Investor Relations: Nancy Fazioli, ir@verisign.com, 650- 426-5146

Forward-Looking Statement 
Statements in this announcement other than historical data and information constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause VeriSign's actual results to differ materially from those stated or implied by such forward-looking statements. The potential risks and uncertainties include, among others, the uncertainty of future revenue and profitability and potential fluctuations in quarterly operating results due to such factors as the inability of VeriSign to successfully develop and market new products and services and customer acceptance of any new products or services, including VeriSign’s Intelligent Content Delivery Network; the possibility that VeriSign’s announced new services may not result in additional customers, profits or revenues; and increased competition and pricing pressures. More information about potential factors that could affect the company's business and financial results is included in VeriSign's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including in the company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2005 and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. VeriSign undertakes no obligation to update any of the forward-looking statements after the date of this press release.