Intel Corp is one of the named investors in a $17m private placement just completed by Zug, Switzerland-based multimedia broadcasting company Fantastic Corp. Other disclosed investors include the German venture capitalist, T-Venture, which is owned by Deutsche Telekom, Reuters and JAFCO, the Japanese venture capitalist. News of Intel’s investment in Fantastic emerged at the end of last year (CI No 3,316), but the amount invested was not revealed. At the same time the two announced plans to work on delivering content to personal computers via broadband infrastructures including satellite, digital terrestrial and digital subscriber line. Fantastic will use the new cash to continue to expand its broadband, multimedia distribution system. The company will be announcing new partners and demonstrating its high speed multimedia services at the National Association of Broadcasters ’98 conference today. So far Fantastic has launched its services in Europe. Services in the Middle East, South America, the US and Asia will be deployed this year. The company announced an agreement with Astranet at Milia in February to deliver content using IP Multicast protocol over satellite (CI No 3,347). The agreement with Astranet was a move to widen the availability of IP Multicast transmission services to business users throughout Europe.
