FRE Freeplay

RNS No 0549k
FREESERVE PLC
7 September 1999


 FREESERVE SELECTS TRIBAL VOICE'S POWWOW TECHNOLOGY AS BASIS FOR NEW, REAL-
                       TIME INSTANT MESSAGING SERVICE
                                      
    "Freeserve Communicator" will be interoperable with five million PowWow
                   and co-branded PowWow clients worldwide
                                      
                                      
Freeserve,  the  U.K.'s leading Internet Service Provider (ISP),  and  Tribal
Voice (TM),  the  leading  provider  of  instant messaging  and  online 
community software,  today  announced a licensing deal to bring an 
interoperable,  ad-serving   instant  messenger  service,  called  Freeserve 
Communicator,   to Freeserve's 1.32 million active users. Tribal Voice's
PowWow (R) is already  the technology  powering  AT&T  WorldNet (R) IM Here 
(sm)  instant  messenger.   The agreement with Freeserve means that PowWow (R)
instant messaging and interactive communications technology is now the choice
of two leading ISPs worldwide.

Freeserve Communicator, which will be completely free to use and work via the
Internet  without  a browser, will be a user-friendly and  fully  interactive
service  and will allow Freeserve members to chat in real time. Scheduled  to
be  launched by the end of 1999, Freeserve Communicator will be interoperable
with  other instant messaging platforms, including those from other  internet
service  providers  such  as  AOL's AOL Instant Messenger,  Microsoft's  MSN
Messenger Service, and co-branded PowWow based products.

"We  chose to build Freeserve Communicator with Tribal Voice because  PowWow
incorporates the latest technology and offers the very best instant messaging
service," said Freeserve Chief Executive John Pluthero.  It's great  fun  and
easy  to  use,  fits perfectly with our existing portfolio  of  communication
tools and further expands the range of services we offer our customers."

After  connecting  to the Internet and registering a username  and  password,
Freeserve  Communicator, users will instantly be able to chat  with  friends,
either  one-to-one  or  in  a group. Users can also  create  their  own  user
profiles, which can be viewed and amended as desired, and form 'buddy'  lists
that  let  them know when their friends are online. In addition to  searching
for  new  friends, checking stock prices and news, reading  email  and  using
Freeserve's diary and reminder services, Freeserve Communicator users will be
able to view all Freeserve content channels.

Instant messaging has emerged as one of the fastest growing segments  of  the
digital  economy. International Data Corporation (IDC) predicts that end-user
revenues  earned globally from this space will increase from $7.6 million  in
1998 to $1.9 billion by 2003.

"PowWow is now the real-time communications solution for the leading ISP  in
the U.K., Freeserve, and the number two ISP in the U.S., AT&T WorldNet," said
Tribal  Voice  President  and  CEO  Joseph  Esposito. "By  partnering   with
Freeserve,  we  are  moving  closer to our goal of  evolving  PowWow  into  a
ubiquitous, comprehensive IP technology platform for communications."

                                  
For further information please contact:

Julie Lindskog                     Richard Dym
Freeserve plc                      Tribal Voice
(0) 1442 - 354515                  (831) 430-4443
Julie.lindskog@dixons.co.uk        rdym@tribal.com

Julian Walker                      Lesa Wheeler
Citigate Dewe Rogerson             Edelman Worldwide
(0) 171 638 9571                   (650) 429-2742
julian.walker@citigatedr.co.uk     lesa_wheeler@edelman.com

                                      
Notes to Editors

Freeserve
Freeserve is a leading U.K. Internet service that delivers free Internet
access and,  as  a  portal  to  the Internet, an integrated offering  of 
U.K.-focused content,  e-commerce and services. At 26 June 1999, Freeserve had
1.32  million active registered accounts.

Freeserve was launched in September 1998 as a part of Dixons, the UK's 
leading consumer  electronics  retailer.  Freeserve  distributes  its  access 
software through  Dixons' network of more than 1,000 Dixons, Currys, PC World,
The  Link and @jakarta stores.

Freeserve offers:
*   a  free  and  simple subscription free internet connection, including  e-
    mail, personal Web space and on-line customer support;
*   a  variety  of  internet tools and services, including search,  chat  and
    domain name registration;
*   a  comprehensive selection of UK content, including news, information and
    content channels; and
*   a wide selection of UK-focused e-commerce offerings.

PowWow
PowWow  is  a  fully integrated instant messaging, interactive communications
and  online community solution that features the only instant voice messaging
and  integrated  voice chat capabilities available, as well  as  group  chat,
instant  messaging,  buddy  lists, and real-time peer-to-peer  communication.
PowWow  users  can  utilize a collaborative white board  and  bulletin  board
system,  conduct  Web tours, and share files, URLs and sounds.  In  addition,
PowWow's  highly  scalable distributed community server  (DCS)  architecture
enables  users  to  quickly and easily create, host, and moderate  their  own
private, personalized online communities.

The  PowWow  technology  platform is also the leading  choice  for  ISPs  and
companies  looking  to create their own branded instant messaging/interactive
communications  solutions. Companies using PowWow as  the  technology  behind
their instant messaging and online community offerings include AT&T WorldNet,
Ciudad  Internet  and  ISP  Channel. PowWow is fully  customizable  to  reach
partners' specific needs, and co-branded versions of PowWow are interoperable
with Tribal Voice's own PowWow software.

Tribal Voice
Tribal  Voice  is  the  leading  provider of instant  messaging,  interactive
communications and online community solutions based on its PowWow technology.
Founded  in  December,  1994, by anti-virus software guru  John  McAfee,  the
company is headquartered in Scotts Valley, Calif. and maintains a development
organization  in Woodland Park, Colo. More than five million worldwide  users
participate in over 18,000 communities via the company's PowWow software. For
more  information on Tribal Voice and to download its PowWow client software,
please visit http //www.tribal.com or call (831) 461-3100.

Pricing and availability
Freeserve  Communicator  will be available by the  end  of  1999  as  a  free
download from www.freeserve.net. Companies interested in working with  Tribal
Voice  to  develop  their  own  instant messaging/interactive  communications
solutions  should  visit http://www.tribal.com/isps/, e-mail sales@tribal.com
or call 1-877-4POWWOW. If you are outside North America, please call 831-461-
3100.

END

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