United Internet acquires stake in virtual minds and adserving specialists ADITION

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investments

Montabaur (euro adhoc) - Montabaur, February 14, 2008. United
Internet AG has acquired a 48.65% stake in virtual minds AG (Freiburg
im Breisgau), a media holding company specializing in technology,
media and content/entertainment, as well as its subsidiary the
adserving specialist ADITION technologies AG.

Apart from ADITION, the profitably operating virtual minds holding
company owns a number of majority shareholdings, such as the data
center operator myloc, the advertising platform BannerCommunity, the
fiber optic network operator fibre one networks and the games portal
gamed.de. The management team, consisting of Andreas Kleiser, Torsten
Wenniges and Christoph Herrnkind, will continue to be responsible for
the operating business of the holding company and its subsidiaries.

ADITION technologies AG is the third-largest adserving supplier on
the German online market, after Doubleclick and Ad Tech. ADITION's
customers include Deutsche Bahn (DB), Tagesspiegel Online and
Tipp24.de. United Internet's strategic investment is aimed at
securing the continued independence and competitive neutrality of
ADITION via a minority holding. ADITION's role as a neutral service
provider is to be strengthened following the takeover of Doubleclick
by Google (subject in Europe to a decision by the EU Commission's
anti-trust authority) and Ad Tech by AOL and their integration into
the companies' respective marketing systems.

"Adserving is one of the core technologies and one of the most
data-sensitive areas in the growing digital advertising market. The
ongoing concentration process in the field of technology and data is
creating a restrictive competitive situation due to the market power
of the major global providers - not least due to the planned takeover
of the former neutral provider Doubleclick by Google, a move which is
highly questionable with regard to anti-trust and data protection
legislation. It is essential for an open, functioning and independent
digital media market in Germany and Europe that we preserve and
strengthen the position of neutral service providers," explains
Matthias Ehrlich, Board Member of United Internet Media AG, the
marketing specialist for all portals belonging to United Internet
Group companies.

Andreas Kleiser, Board Member of virtual minds AG, adds: "United
Internet's investment secures the independence and scalability of
ADITION so that we can offer attractive technology and product
alternatives to Doubleclick and AdTech to an even wider customer base
in future. In this way, ADITION can continue as a neutral adserving
provider and establish itself as a relevant player also in new, and
above all international market segments. This will also benefit the
entire adserving market and the digital advertising market as a
whole."

The adserver technology ADITION adserving has been in use since 2001
among companies of the internet holding group virtual minds AG and
was optimized for their own needs. In 2004 the technology was
entrusted to the specially founded subsidiary ADITION technologies AG
and has since been developed for the premium segment of online
marketing. Within just a short period of time, ADITION technologies
AG developed into a permanent fixture among adserver providers on the
German-speaking market: it already boasted some major-name references
before its official launch at the OMD 2006. This was made possible by
a carefully conceived back-end, amongst other things, which
guarantees outstanding real-time performance even with steadily
growing serving volumes, thanks to its modular structure. The active
integration of so-called adviser clients into the respective project
planning processes also ensures market-oriented alignment of all
areas and ultimately the customer's success. The aim of ADITION
technologies is to further establish itself on the German-speaking
market in 2008, in order to lay the foundation for successful
international expansion.

About United Internet With over 7.07 million customer contracts,
United Internet AG is a leading Internet Service Provider (ISP). In
its "Product" segment, the Group's value- added internet services and
fast internet connections are directed at private users, small/home
offices (SoHos) and small to mid-size enterprises (SMEs). These
groups are served by the brands GMX, WEB.DE, 1&1, InterNetX and
Fasthosts. In addition to its "Product" business, the Group is also
engaged in "Online Marketing" (via the brands AdLINK Media, affilinet
and Sedo).

end of announcement euro adhoc
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ots Originaltext: United Internet AG
Im Internet recherchierbar: http://www.presseportal.de

Further inquiry note:

Marcus Schaps

Head of Press and Public Relations

United Internet AG

Elgendorfer Straße 57

56410 Montabaur

Tel: +49 2602/96-1076

Fax: +49 2602/96-1013

E-mail: mschaps@united-internet.de

Internet: www.united-internet.de

Branche: Telecommunications Services
ISIN: DE0005089031
WKN: 508903
Index: Midcap Market Index, TecDAX, CDAX, HDAX, Prime All Share,
Technologie All Share
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