RealNetworks Helps Cingular Deliver Next Generation Video Service

RealNetworks Helps Cingular Deliver Next Generation Video Service

Real's Helix Platform Provides Cingular Video Subscribers a Personalized, Simple to Use Mobile Video Experience

SEATTLE, March 7 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- RealNetworks(R), Inc. (NASDAQ:RNWK), the leading creator of digital media services and software, said Cingular will be the first wireless carrier to commercially deploy Real's Helix(TM) OnlineTV(TM) platform. Cingular today launched its Cingular Video on-demand streaming video service in 16 cities across the country.

Cingular Video gives its customers fast and easy access to video from major content providers, including exclusive video clips from HBO Mobile and HBO Family, including the Sopranos and Sex and the City. Customers can also receive up-to-the-minute weather updates from The Weather Channel and easy-to- use access to video content such as Fox Sports and the Disney Channel, to name a few.

Built on Real's Helix platform, Helix OnlineTV is a comprehensive ASP service, which provides encoding, indexing, managing and delivery of content in a broad range of formats. By choosing to use RealAudio(R) and RealVideo(R) formats, Cingular Video will give customers a high quality video experience at the lowest bitrate, which means that consumers will receive an excellent experience in a wide variety of network conditions. Real's RealVideo codec is regarded as the highest quality video solution available. For instance, RealVideo was recently recognized as the best overall video format with consistent quality and the highest rating according to Jan Ozer's StreamingMedia.com report.*

"Cingular Video provides consumers a simple and easier way to access the latest news, sports, entertainment and weather clips whenever they want," said Sam Hall, vice president, Mobile Browse and Developer Program, Cingular Wireless. "Real's superior mobile technology foundation enables us to offer our customers the highest-degree of personalization and the widest selection of desirable content available today."

"Cingular's selection of Real to provide the foundation and delivery of its advanced video services is strong validation for the reliability and advanced capabilities of our Helix OnlineTV Platform," said John Giamatteo, Executive Vice President of World Business Products and International Operations, RealNetworks. "Cingular continues to address consumers' increasing expectations and we're pleased to partner with Cingular on such a large scale as they roll out services to deliver a best-in-class experience and the compelling content consumers demand."

In the coming months, Cingular Video customers will also have access to music videos from Real's Rhapsody(R) Video Picks, a feature of Rhapsody, the leading online digital music subscription service. Rhapsody's expert staff of music editors will feature the best of new and independent music, exclusive concert and mobile video programming, and music news produced exclusively for mobile.

Real's End-to-End Solution

Real is the end-to-end solution provider for Cingular Video, providing application development for packaging mobile content, hosting the mobile video service on behalf of Cingular, and delivering streaming content to a variety of new handsets for the carrier's 3G UMTS/HSDPA network.

Cingular's next-generation video service is hosted using Real's Helix Media Delivery System. Helix is Real's solution for both mobile and broadband service providers, enabling them to offer personal interactive TV to consumers' handsets or PCs. Components of the Helix Media Delivery System are currently deployed by more than 80 mobile carriers in over 40 countries around the globe and 60 million handsets.

For more information on Real's next generation video services, visit www.realnetworks.com.

About RealNetworks, Inc.

RealNetworks, Inc. is a leading creator of digital media services and software including Rhapsody, RealPlayer(R) 10 and casual PC and mobile games. Broadcasters, network operators, media companies and enterprises use RealNetworks' products and services to create and deliver digital media to PCs, mobile phones and consumer electronics devices. Consumers can access and experience audio/video programming and download RealNetworks' consumer software at http://www.real.com/. RealNetworks' systems and corporate information is located at http://www.realnetworks.com/ .

NOTE: RealNetworks, Helix, OnlineTV, RealAudio, RealVideo, RealPlayer and Rhapsody are trademarks or registered trademarks of RealNetworks, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

* StreamingMedia.com Proprietary CODECS 2006 February 2006

Source: RealNetworks, Inc.

CONTACT: Moe Farley of RealNetworks, +1-206-892-6653, or
mfarley@realnetworks.com; or Helen Chung of JLM Partners, +1-206-381-3600, or
helen@jlmpartners.com, for RealNetworks

Web site: http://www.realnetworks.com/

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