ESPRESSO GROUP OPTS FOR CELL PHONE NUMBER AS SIMPLE, UNIVERSAL KEY TO ACCESS DIGITAL PAID CONTENT, WITH ALL OF REPUBBLICA’S PREMIUM OFFERING AVAILABLE IN ONE SINGLE PACKAGE TO BE PRESENTED ON 2 AUGUST

ITH "LA REPUBBLICA +" – NEW DIGITAL VERSION OF NEWSPAPER - VODAFONE LAUNCHES WORLD PREMIERE OF NEW SYSTEM USING ENCRYPTED CELL PHONE NUMBERS FOR BUYING AND ACCESSING PAID NEWSPAPER CONTENT ACROSS ALL DEVICES, OFFERING CHANCE TO BROWSE THROUGH REPUBBLICA ON PC, TABLET AND SMARTPHONE FREE OF CHARGE FOR 2 WEEKS

Milan, 21 July 2010 – The Espresso Group has opted for the cell phone as the simple, universal key to access paid content. On 2 August the publishing group will launch a single package of offerings that will enable all operators’ customers to use their cell phone number to access Repubblica’s paid-for content across all digital platforms: PCs, tablets and smartphones.

Vodafone will be the first in the world to offer its customers the new system for buying and accessing paid newspaper content across all devices. From today, all Vodafone’s customers can try out the new multi-platform system and browse through “la Repubblica+”, the digital version of the newspaper, free of charge for two weeks. From 2 August this will then form part of the single package of offerings.

This initiative provides further confirmation of Vodafone’s commitment to investing in innovation and services, providing publishers with the first ever payment system that enables customers to easily and securely buy newspaper content for use on any device (a cell phone, PC or an iPad/tablet), using their cell phone.

The customer can buy the paid-for digital content using their phone credit. Content can be readily and securely purchased with a simple click if accessing from a cell phone or, if using another device (a PC or tablet), by entering a cell phone number and the customer’s chosen password. Security is guaranteed by use of the most advanced security systems that process the data in encrypted form.

This secure, easy-to-use system aims to set a benchmark for the newspaper content market during its transition to new methods for accessing paid content.

"La Repubblica+" is the new brand name chosen by the Espresso Group for the new version of its daily newspaper available on new-generation tablets, PCs and TVs. After the launch on iPad at the end of May, for which Vodafone was one of the partners, the product is now also available on iPhone and any PC, offering the chance to read the national and local editions of Repubblica in an attractive multimedia format.

Contacts

Vodafone Italia
Direzione Media Relations and Corporate Communication
Silvia de Blasio
Tel + 39 06 50922511
e-mail ufficio.stampa@mail.vodafone.it

Gruppo Editoriale Espresso
Direzione Relazioni Esterne
Stefano Mignanego
Tel + 39 06 84787434
e-mail dir-relaz-esterne@gruppoespresso.it