Music Labels Invited to Join Unique Digital Rights Management Pilot; Magex, Part of the Natwest Group, and The iGroup To Use InterTrust Technology For Internet Music Pilot.

SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 15, 1999--

Two MetaTrust partners, Magex, part of the NatWest Group, and The iGroup, the eBusiness division of Computacenter, today announced an innovative digital music pilot which is open to qualified music labels and distributors. The pilot incorporates digital rights management (DRM) technology from InterTrust Technologies Corporation and will run from July until the end of September 1999. Further information about qualifying for the trial can be obtained at the website www.cranberrygrove.net.

The pilot provides music labels and distributors with a unique opportunity to implement distributed digital rights management and to experience digital commerce in a secure environment. This enables the music industry to sell music electronically, generate new revenue streams from online royalties and small payments, and gather valuable consumer information.

Based on InterTrust's digital rights management Commerce 1.2(tm) system and PowerChord(tm) software, the pilot is being hosted by The iGroup, with Magex providing the pilot payment and fulfilment mechanisms for all transactions, however small. Participants will receive:

--InterTrust InterRights(tm) Point software

--InterTrust PowerChord software

--music player software from MusicMatch and Mediascience

--merchant and distribution accounts for value chain participants from Magex

--restricted access to website www.cranberrygrove.net for piloting content

--business consulting, content management and managed host services from The iGroup

--technical support for the pilot from The iGroup

"The pilot clearly demonstrates that our innovative solution can lead the digital commerce market for the music industry," commented Peter Beverley, Managing Director, Magex. "The combined strength of Magex, The iGroup and InterTrust technology delivers a compelling proposition for music companies wanting to exploit the digital economy with security and confidence."

"The pilot builds on our strengths to deliver a solution to the digital distribution issues the music industry is facing. The core team at The iGroup is continuing a tradition of technological innovation in the music industry. We were behind the first enhanced CD and the first Oasis webcast in 1996. The iGroup is ideally placed to help companies wanting to move rapidly to exploit DRM," added Simon Scott, General Manager, The iGroup.

"InterTrust is very pleased to have such a strong group of partners providing fundamental music solutions in 1999," said Victor Shear, InterTrust chairman and CEO. "Co-ordinated with programmes with major labels, this programme can help define a new commercial music paradigm."

InterTrust Digital Rights Management

InterTrust's sophisticated Digital Rights Management (DRM) system enables information companies, such as music labels, content publishers, and artists, to deliver products to consumers with persistent protection, superdistribution, flexible business rules, and content usage tracking opportunities. InterTrust's rules-based, distributed DRM system persistently manages and enforces the rights of all digital commerce participants, for both online and offline transactions. Through the use of the MetaTrust Utility and its DRM capabilities, these participants benefit from a neutral environment for the automation of digital commerce for all forms of digital information.

The PowerChord digital rights management software enables InterTrust partners to deliver an easy introduction to digital rights management for music labels and distribution companies. Users can easily define and protect their rights in digital music and related content, exploit new distribution channels and business models, and receive valuable consumer information and realise the benefits of true digital commerce. Unlike other secure distribution systems, PowerChord leverages the DRM capabilities of the MetaTrust Utility and provides persistent protection of content, superdistribution, flexible and customisable business models, and valuable end user information. Business models can have transactions occur online and offline, and content is extensible to new entertainment and information appliances such as portable player devices.

To register to take part in the pilot please call:

For UK enquiries: 0800 0285657

For USA enquiries: 1877 826 9879

For European enquiries: [phone]

Notes to editors:

Magex

Magex was announced on June 3, 1999 by the leading international bank, NatWest Group, to provide a new level of online copyright protection and simplify the process of collecting and processing payments for digital products. Magex is part of NatWest's Card Services division and builds on NatWest's expertise in managing card payment transactions. The Magex service goes live in October 1999.

Magex is based on technology created by InterTrust Technologies Corporation, with whom NatWest has formed an alliance to bring Magex to launch. The Magex development team has used InterTrust's core MetaTrust technology and combined it with NatWest's clearing house expertise to develop a highly effective online solution.

Magex combines the best in digital rights management with world class financial backing to provide a commercial solution, which will benefit consumers and business across the world. Consumers and content providers can find more details and register their interest at the Magex website http://www.magex.com.

NatWest Group is one of the world's 20 largest banks, with worldwide assets in excess of 186 billion pounds sterling. Its Card Services division now handles more card transactions in the UK than any other company. One in three of all UK transactions are processed by NatWest's advanced Streamline system.

NatWest was also the first company to develop an international card acceptance service and is now able to accept transactions from outlets in 160 different currencies and settle in 19 currencies within a three-day period.

The iGroup

The iGroup is the eBusiness division of Computacenter. Building on Computacenter's experiences in delivering innovative distributed IT solutions, The iGroup provides the creative, strategic and technical resources to enable organisations to develop existing or to build new e-business operations. The music industry is one of several vertical markets in which The iGroup has expertise - others include business publishing, retail and financial services.

Further information about The iGroup can be found at http://igroup.computacenter.com.

Computacenter is the largest UK-owned distributed IT systems and services company. The company's corporate and government clients are served by a network of 30 branches across the UK, France and Germany and, through the international joint venture ICG, at locations throughout Europe, Asia Pacific and North America. Visit Computacenter's website at http://www.computacenter.com

InterTrust Technologies Corp

InterTrust has developed, and is shipping, products and services that enable end-to-end digital rights management solutions delivered by MetaTrust Utility core partners. MetaTrust Utility core partners include Mitsubishi Corporation , Magex, part of the NatWest Group, Reciprocal, Inc. and Universal Music Group. Data centre builder partners include Samsung SDS. Application and Integration builder partners include Computacenter (UK) Ltd., Diamond Multimedia Systems, Inc.'s RioPort division, Digital Theater Systems, Fraunhofer IIS, Harris Corporation, Mediascience, Inc., MusicMatch Inc., PublishOne Inc., and Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC).

InterTrust Technologies Corporation, the MetaTrust Utility, provides an interoperable, trusted, and secure foundation for electronic commerce. InterTrust software products and services enable the efficient sale, fulfilment and protection of digital content over leading digital media, including the Internet, DVD. InterTrust technology also serves as a foundation for many other forms of trusted commercial interaction.

InterTrust's Strategic Technologies and Architectural Research Laboratory (STAR Lab) is a computer laboratory whose primary focus is electronic commerce and digital rights management. Founded in 1990, InterTrust is a privately held company with a staff of over 130, and has offices in Sunnyvale, California, Washington, D.C., and the United Kingdom. The company's website is at http://www.intertrust.com.

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