Celebrity paying off for iTouch

From todays mail

Celebrity paying off for iTouch
4 September 2002, Daily Mail

HE spectacle of Tara Palmer-Tomkinson shedding her dignity on the jungle game show I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here is paying mobile telecoms group iTouch handsomely.

The 370,000 calls made to vote off the contestants each day pass through iTouch's gateway, generating £220,000 to be shared between iTouch and programme maker Granada.

iTouch, backed by media tycoon Tony O'Reilly, said the show and the next series of Pop Idol will help it build on a year that has seen half-year sales more than double from £5.99m to £13.7m.


Losses rose from £7.6m to £8.5m, but iTouch reckons it is well on the way to make a trading profit in the autumn of next year. It raised £49m when it floated in 2000 and still expects to have £15m in hand when it goes into the black.

http://www.thisismoney.com/20020904/nm52712.html
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Also American Idol is on target to break world-records, achieving around 60 million votes with another three weeks to go to the final.
pop idol add 30 million calls

http://www.itouch.co.uk/news/current/index.php?body=0821a

www.itouchplc.com

Highlights From Yesterday Results.


• Revenue growth up 127%, H1 2002 v H1 2001.

• Q2 2002 revenue growth up 55% to £8.3m from Q1 2002.

• 17m Voice minutes and 23m Data Messages generated in H1.

• Headcount down from 465 at 31 March to 374 at 31 August 2002 reducing
cost base.

• Operating cash outflow £4.0m in H1 2002.

• Net cash of £32.1m.

• Acquisition of Telescope in August consolidated leading position in UK
IVR market.

• Restructuring of capital base to facilitate Telescope and future
acquisitions.



Commenting on the results, the Chairman, Ivan Fallon, said:

'iTouch has enjoyed another half of excellent progress, with revenues in the six
months to June up 127% on the same period last year. The Group has continued to
consolidate its leading position in the interactive voice (IVR) market with the
acquisition of Telescope, while developing its core mobile data technologies and
product range. With cash of £32.1m, the Group is well on track to reach
profitability ahead of expectations, set at the time of the IPO. We expect to
make further acquisitions during the next 12 months to reinforce our core
businesses. We have confidence in our products and service delivery and we
remain well positioned in the mobile sector with an international business, a
strong cash position and a fully funded business plan.'

http://www.uk-wire.co.uk/cgi-bin/articles/200209030701286661A.html



More info on www.itouchplc.com


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iTouch 'well on track' to reach profitability ahead of expectations
03/09/2002 08:29:04
LONDON (AFX) - iTouch PLC said it is "well on track" to reach profitability ahead of expectations.

http://www.nothing-ventured.com/news/getnews.asp?ArticleID=737934