Products

Argogroup Completes Sale of Freedom2 to Imparo

Imparo will focus on the Internet needs of UK Schools and Parents

Argogroup, the leading supplier of device intelligence to the Post PC Internet, has announced the sale of Freedom2 Ltd to Imparo Ltd. Freedom2 was formed from the existing ArgoNet business unit that has been run from within Argogroup for several months. Argogroup has sold Freedom2 to Imparo to allow each of the two separate businesses to better focus on the specific needs of two very different customer sets.

Freedom2 Ltd will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Imparo Ltd. Argogroup will retain a stake in Freedom2 via a shareholding in Imparo and will also receive royalty income from the sale of Freedom2 products.

"We are positioning Argogroup to continue our domination of the need for device intelligence by the wireless Internet industry. With the recent acquisition of AnywhereYouGo.com and the spin out of Freedom2, we have taken two large and decisive steps toward this goal," said David Frodsham, CEO Argogroup Ltd. "Freedom2 is now free to focus on the needs of the UK education market as part of a more focused group while Argogroup will continue to dominate device Intelligence."

Freedom2 will continue to provide Internet services to UK schools and educational authorities. Freedom2 has developed specialised expertise and capabilities to meet the unique Internet requirements of the education marketplace via its Passport2Learn product range. Freedom2 will remain headquartered in Chichester and the existing management team is being retained.

Andrew Foyle, Chief Executive Officer of Imparo Ltd, commented: "Imparo already has the ability to offer first-class content, via its Big Bus product, to the school and home market and can now complement that with an exceptionally high quality and safe classroom connectivity package in the form of Passport2Learn from Freedom2. We also believe the existing resources within Freedom2, and, in particular, the excellent team under the guiding hand of Matt Gray, MD Freedom2, are first class and will allow us to rapidly develop Imparo into a leader in the educational technology field"

"This is an excellent combining of talents," said Matt Gray, MD of Freedom2. "Schools are different - they need access to all of the wonderful educational resources of the Internet, but they need it in a way that protect our children. Freedom2 and Imparo have specialised in meeting these special needs. Our Passport2Learn product allows schools to quickly provide safe Internet access to all our school children whilst their Big Bus product provides a fun, content rich learning environment. The synergies are excellent."

Notes to Editors
Argogroup develops infrastructure software for the wireless Internet, delivering optimized content to wireless phones. By adjusting Internet content in real-time to the capabilities of individual devices, Argogroup protects against multiple, constantly evolving standards and device diversity, broadening the range of sources and devices that can exchange content. It enables network operators to offer higher quality data services over more handsets, content providers to write richer wireless applications once only, and end-users to access an enhanced collection of content and services.

 

Argogroup is headquartered near Guildford, UK, has field offices in the Silicon Valley, Tokyo and Hong Kong, and employs 80 people. Argogroup is a member of the WAP Forum, the W3C, GSA Global Mobile Suppliers Association, and part of the OpenGroup MMF, the Bluetooth(tm) Special Interest Group, Openwave Systems' (previously Phone.com) Alliance Program, the Nokia Artus, Ericsson, Motorola and Orange developer programs.

 

Freedom2 provides safe yet fast Internet access services to the UK educational market place. By partnering with companies such as Sun Microsystems, Ideal and Navaho Software, Freedom2 is able to quickly provide Internet access to all computers connected to a schools local area network without fear that children will be compromised.

 

Founded in 2001, Freedom2 is headquartered in Chichester, England and is wholly owned by Argo Interactive Ltd.

For further information please contact:
Paul Nerger, Argogroup, 01252-705705
email: pnerger@argogroup.com
or
Matt Gray, Freedom2, 01243-815815
email: mgray@freedom2.com

Louisa Judge/Gillie Tennant, Brodeur Worldwide on +44 (0) 1753 790700
Email: ljudge@uk.brodeur.com

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