Swiss

MPAA: Swiss, Belgian Authorities Shutter Large eDonkey Server

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on February 22, 2006 - 4:18am.

Los Angeles - One of the largest hubs on the eDonkey peer-to-peer file-sharing network has been shut down, in a joint operation carried out by police and prosecutors in Belgium and Switzerland, the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) said on Wednesday. The "Razorback2" network hosted over 170 million files, and counted an average of 1.3 million mostly European simultaneous users. According to the MPAA, Swiss authorities arrested the site's operator, while Belgian authorities shut down the site's servers in Brussels. In addition to movies, music, games and software, the MPAA said the Razorback2 network offered "child pornography, bomb-making instructions and terrorist training videos." "This is a major victory in our fight to cut off the supply of illegal materials being circulated on the Internet via peer-to-peer networks," said MPAA chairman and CEO Dan Glickman. "By shaving the illegal traffic of copyrighted works facilitated by Razorback2, we are depleting other illegal networks of their ability to supply Internet pirates with copyrighted works which is a positive step in our international effort to fight piracy." The MPAA claims that since November 2004, it has worked with authorities to close down all of the major eDonkey servers in the U.S. and Europe.

3i Invests $23 Million in Swiss Online Payments Provider Webpay

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on January 23, 2006 - 10:59am.

Menlo Park, Calif. - Private equity firm 3i said on Monday that it has invested $23 million in Switzerland's Webpay AG, whose Click & Buy online payment system is used by more than 5 million consumers in Europe. Webpay International opened a New York office in 2004, and has plans to further expand into other markets in the U.S., as well as in Canada, South America, Asia and Eastern Europe. The company said that it will use part of the funding to expand into the U.S. publishing, games and online music industries. The software allows merchants to outsource the complex billing of content, services and physical goods, as well as the processing of local currency and credit cards, to Webpay. The service is used by Apple's iTunes Store in 14 European countries. "We believe this will take Click & Buy's leadership position in Germany and Europe to an international level," said Robin Murray, a partner at 3i US.

tags: Internet | Swiss | 3i Invests |

Disney, Swiss Firm Kudelski to Develop Video-on-Demand Service

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on September 1, 2005 - 6:38am.

Zurich -- The Walt Disney Company has partnered with Swiss security software firm Kudelski, to develop a video-on-demand service for global digital TV operators that would deliver movies and TV programs to the hard drive of a digital video recorder, Reuters reported. The companies said the service will be compatible with satellite, cable, terrestrial and IPTV digital video recorders. However, the service will not be offered in the U.S., Canada or Japan.

THQ Wireless Buys Controlling Stake in Swiss Mobile Firm Minick

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on May 5, 2004 - 3:02am.

Calabasas Hills, Calif. -- THQ Wireless, the mobile games unit of the video game publisher, announced on Wednesday that it has acquired a controlling interest in Swiss mobile games, applications and billing software provider Minick. Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed, although the companies have been partners for two years and THQ already held a 25% stake in the company. Minick has created SMS, EMS and MMS messaging, information, multimedia and voting applications for customers including T-Mobile, Telefonica, MTV, Channel 4 and Universal Music.