The ZON Lusomundo’s large-scale digital cinema deployment will officially start August 20th.  28 cinema complexes for a total of 213 screens will be converted to digital before end 2010.

Out of 28 cinemas, 23 will be co-financed by the VPF mechanism. This represents a total of 178 screens: 111 screens will be installed in 2009 and 67 to be installed in 2010. 22 “non-VPF” screens will also be installed in 2009 leading to a total of 133 digital screens already converted this year. The VPF backed roll out is financed by ING Corporate Clients Belgium, in collaboration with ING Lease Belgium. 

Luis Roboredo Mota, Managing Director of ZON Lusomundo stated: ”This is the industrial revolution on the exhibition industry. It will be a new era in the cinema exhibition in Portugal. ZON Lusomundo will provide a better customer experience with operational benefits to the company. New contents will be showed to the Portuguese cinemagoers, like sport, music and gaming. We will increase the number of screens to 3D Digital and new locations. We are really confident, that together with XDC we will create a new landmark that will introduce ZON Lusomundo in a new stage ready for the future”. 

Under the terms of the agreement with XDC, Zon Lusomundo will exclusively install DCI-compliant digital projection systems: Barco 2K (and further 4K) DLP Cinema projectors and XDC’s CineStore^® Solo G3 D-Cinema servers. Zon Lusomundo will also implement a fully integrated and networked solution in each complex, thanks to XDC’s advanced Theatre Management System and Central Library, the XDC’s CineStore^® Plaza. A satellite content delivery network will also be implemented by XDC in order to allow distributors to deliver films directly by satellite to the cinemas, as well as to give the opportunity to Zon Lusomundo to perform live 2D and 3D transmissions. 

All the systems will be connected to the XDC’s NOC (Network Operations Centre) which will perform the hotline support and the preventative remote maintenance. Thanks to the sophisticated XDC’s CineStore Data web-based application, the frontline support (with the possibility to have a full remote monitoring of the digital systems) will be directly managed by the Zon Lusomundo’s technical staff. Last but not least, Videovisao Electronica, will carry out the installations and will perform the on-site maintenance. 

Fabrice Testa, VP Sales & Business Development with XDC concluded: “It’s really a pleasure working with Zon Lusomundo team. They understand the challenges of the digital cinema revolution. Indeed, on the one hand, they are committed to bring the most advanced experience to moviegoers. On the second hand, they have already experienced that digital cinema allows them to maximize their revenues and to reduce their operational costs. Hence, this project is part of a long term vision, and we are proud to be associated to this strategic move”. 

About XDC International 

As far as today, XDC has installed more than 500 digital screens in 10 European countries and is the leading service company, dedicated to building a pan-European digital cinema network. XDC provides end-to-end digital cinema solutions including equipment supply, financing (VPF, leasing, …), training, installation and maintenance, as well as content processing and delivery. The company is the first entity to have VPF digital cinema deployment agreements with all the 6 major US studios Warner, Fox, Universal, Paramount, Sony and Disney for a total of 8,000 digital screens in 22 European countries. Besides its financing program with ING Lease, XDC is setting up a global financing of 100 millions Euros with Fortis Bank to allow the VPF roll out of 2,000 digital screens for its European deployment program. Today, XDC has signed VPF deals with exhibitors for more than 750 screens spread over European countries (Austria, Portugal, Belgium, The Netherlands, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Poland) and has received commitment for 250 screens from exhibitors in Germany, Switzerland and Spain. 

XDC Digital Content Lab has been processing more than 500 different titles, and offers a full service including mastering, duplication, key management, 24/7 helpdesk, extranet tracking, physical/virtual delivery. Last but not least, XDC is also very active in Alternative Content by offering a full service from booking and promotion up to delivery, reporting and box office collection. XDC is a 47.2% subsidiary of EVS Broadcast Equipment (Nyse Euronext EVS.BR) and is supported by several leading financial investors. More info available at www.xdcinema.com. 

XDC Marketing & Communication Department - Tel.: +32 4 364 12 00 - Email: marcom@xdcinema.com 

About ZON 

ZON Multimedia is the leading Pay TV operator in Portugal with 1.6 million subscribers and 100% geographical Pay TV coverage with 3.1 million homes passed, 1.3 million already upgraded to 100 Mbps. Using the ZON NetCabo brand, ZON is the second largest Internet provider with the fastest Internet speeds in Portugal of up to 100 Mbps. With the launch of Voice and Mobile services (ZON Phone and ZON Mobile), ZON is now a Quadruple Play operator offering more comprehensive and attractive choices to its customers, meeting all their telecommunications and entertainment needs. 

ZON has an audiovisuals distribution and cinema exhibition business, ZON Lusomundo Audiovisuais and ZON Lusomundo Cinemas. These businesses negotiate exclusive rights to distribute DVDs and cinema exhibition of films, holding the largest cinema network in the country with over 200 screens. ZON is also a partner in a content joint-venture – Sport TV, the leading premium sports channel in Portugal. 

For more information, please contact Luís Roboredo Mota - Email: lrmota@zon.pt - www.zon.pt