NEWS

C-STEM Press Release
When Richard Phillips from Communication-STEM (C-STEM), sold a telephone system to music legend Peter Gabriel's Realworld recording studio, in Box, Wiltshire, he couldn't have imagined that 10 years later, C-STEM would be providing a state of the art communication platform to Peter Gabriel's latest venture, On Demand Distribution (OD2), one of the world's leading digital media companies.

OD2 was started by Peter Gabriel and businessman Charles Grimsdale 3 years ago and operates in the rapidly expanding world of music download from the Web. They have recently been taken over by the giant American digital media provider ''Loudeye'' and as a result they now have a library in excess of one million licensed music tracks. OD2 are moving 80 staff into extensively refurbished offices in the Arnolfini Building, Bush House, Prince Street in Bristol's revitalised docks area.

Mike Jones, OD2's Information Systems (IS) Director, said, ''As a company we are really going places and we need to get there fast! We recognised that we had to find a supplier who could partner with us and supply an integrated communication platform that would meet our immediate needs and our long-term business objectives. We liked C-STEM's refreshing 'Vendor Independent' unique technique. Essentially, they 'interviewed' us, found out about our business and then gave us a choice of different manufacturers products for us to choose from. C-STEM's approach has enabled us to select the very best solution for our company. With C-STEM's assistance, I am confident that we will be able to work with them and develop our communication platform to be the very best''.

Richard Phillips said ''We are really pleased to be working with Mike and his team at OD2 and we are looking forward to building our ongoing partnership with them and applying communication technology to their business''.

Mike was also very enthusiastic about the move to the new building - ''We are all really looking forward to moving into Bush House and, being on the top floor we will have a panoramic 360 degree view over the docks and the wonderful city of Bristol''.

One thing is for certain, with one million music tracks to choose from, when it comes to sourcing material for OD2's Telephone System's 'Music On Hold' Mike won't be short of material. We understand that he has rejected both of Richard's ideas - 'The Who' singing ''I can see for miles and miles'' and 'David Soul's' 70's hit ''Don't 'hang' up on us baby''. Mike simply refuses to be influenced by others and as the IS Director he is single minded in his selection - he says it will be Frank Sintara's ''I did it my way''!