GMV Network Announces Success in Protecting MP4 Label From Trademark Opportunists
Newest Universal Standard for digital media remains intact after legal battle.

Chicago - February 2, 2001 - GMV Network (www.gmvnetwork.com), a leading developer of standards-based streaming technology, is also a leader in a fight to protect the public from confusion over standards-based technologies like MP4. The term MP4 is used throughout the digital media industry to refer to the MPEG-4 international standard for the coded representation and transmission of digital multimedia content for the Internet, mobile networks and advanced broadcast applications.

In June of 2000, an online music company based in San Diego, CA, filed an application with the United States Patent and Trademark office (USPTO) to trademark the term "MP4" for its own use in conjunction with its own digital media products. The company, however, had nothing to do with the development of the MPEG-4 format, nor were its products necessarily compliant with the MPEG-4 standard.

"The MP4 standard was developed in concert by hundreds of companies, inventors and researchers worldwide," said Michael Casey, CEO of GMV Network. "We're extremely opposed to any one company owning the term - especially a company that not only didn't participate in the global forum, but didn't have plans for their MP4 to comply with the existing universal standards."

Attorney Marcelo Halpern of Gordon Glickson LLC, a Chicago-based law firm specializing in information technology and e-commerce, represented GMV Network in opposing the trademark application. MIT also opposed the trademark. The USPTO consequently turned down the music company's request. "This is good news," said Rob Koenen, president of the MPEG-4 Industry Forum (M4IF - www.m4if.org), a global non-profit organization based in Switzerland that promotes the use of the MPEG-4 standard. "MP4 has been in use as the default extension for the MPEG-4 file format, and we want to keep it that way. On behalf of the MPEG-4 Industry Forum, I sincerely thank the companies and institutions who filed successful oppositions."

Halpern, acting as digital strategy and information technology counsel, noted, "this is not as much about denying a trademark as it is about preventing the misrepresentation of an industry standard. "A single entity should not be permitted to appropriate an industry term for its own products under any circumstances, but particularly when that entity's products may not comply with the standard," said Halpern.

Even though the USTPO had tentatively approved the MP4 trademark application, the efforts of GMV Network and those who rallied to position it successfully thwarted such a dangerous landmark decision.

About GMV Network
GMV Network develops standards-based software technologies for the most efficient and scalable delivery of audio, video and data content. The GMV Network Distributed Media Framework™(DMF) is the most advanced and intelligent solution to address the issues with content acquisition, distribution, and management for live and real-time Internet broadcasting. The DMF™ is designed specifically to interoperate with both existing and future streaming media technologies. This compatibility between streaming media platforms enables ease-of-use and assures end-users the highest quality experience. GMV Network is headquartered in Chicago, IL and can be contacted at 1-866-GMV-EDGE or via the website at www.gmvnetwork.com.

About Gordon & Glickson LLC
Gordon & Glickson LLC has been a leader in providing quality legal services to the information technology and e-commerce markets since the late 1970's. Today, Gordon & Glickson provides general corporate, financing, and litigation services for its entrepreneurial technology clients, and serves worldwide as digital strategy and information technology counsel for both private and public sector clients. Like their clients, Gordon & Glickson's professionals are entrepreneurs and innovators, business people who are active contributors to the information technology and e-commerce communities. In fact, Crain's Chicago Business has named Gordon & Glickson one of the top 100 technology organizations in Chicago.

Contact info:

GMV Network Jason Kirkingburg, Director of Marketing v: 312.357.0411 e: jdrive@gmvnetwork.com

Gordon & Glickson LLC Lynne Baker, Director of Marketing v: 312.379.2425 e: lmbaker@ggtech.com