PRESS RELEASE

UNDER EMBARGO: 19 APRIL 2010

THE GRID LAUNCHES SA’S FIRST LOCATION-BASED MOBILE MULTIPLAYER GAME

19 April 2010

The Grid, South Africa’s location-based mobile social network, today launches Legends of Echo, a multiplayer social game for mobile phones that allows players to trade, battle and communicate with other players across South Africa with their physical location as central point.

Legends of Echo, available via the Grid, make use of Vodacom’s Location-Based Services (LBS) to determine the player’s physical location. From their location, players can then explore their surroundings or move (virtually) to anywhere else in South Africa to interact with other players – in real time.

In the game, the Echo is a parallel virtual universe based on the South African map. Instead of cities and skyscrapers, however, players will find rolling green fields, rocky outcrops and valleys to explore and establish their base.

The Echo is entirely populated by players of the game, as well as their bases. Real-world place names are still used to navigate, e.g. a player can teleport from Belville in Cape Town to Randburg in Johannesburg to battle another player.

The objective of the game is to become a legend of the Echo (i.e. gain enough Legend Points to appear on the high score sheet). To do this, players need to battle other players, obtain advanced weapons and other items by exploration or trade with other players.

The game is unique in that it mirrors real-life locations in a multiplayer environment. Interaction is always location-bound i.e. a player is battling a player in close physical proximity to him/herself.

Says Vincent Maher, Portfolio Manager Social Media, Vodacom South Africa: “Legends of Echo combines the best in real-time Location-Based Services and mobile multiplayer gaming, in that it allows players across South Africa to interact in a virtual world that is linked to their real-life location – all via their cellphones. As such, it’s an exciting and entertaining extension of The Grid as the leading location-based social network in South Africa.”

The game is available for free as Java download to cellphones. Once installed, players can interact immediately with other players in the Echo universe. There is no cost for playing Legends of Echo apart from the standard data costs to the network provider. Players have the option to trade airtime for Elements, which in turn is exchanged for additional weapons to enhance their game.

To play Legends of Echo, SMS ‘ECHO’ to 33313 (50c/SMS) or visit http://www.legendsofecho.mobi/

Ends

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Issued on behalf of:
Shameel Joosub
Managing Director
Vodacom South Africa

Issued by:
Cow
Charles Miller
Tel: +27 21 422 5430
E-mail: charles@cowafrica.com

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NOTES TO EDITORS

The Grid is a location-based social network that uses your cellphone to connect you with people, places and events around you. From your cellphone you can see which friends are in your area, chat to people across South Africa and share photos and videos - wherever you are. All South Africans, irrespective of which network operator they are connected to, can join the Grid social network and play the Echo multiplayer game.

The Grid is overlayed on street maps, meaning you’re able to tag content to specific addresses, recommend venues (e.g. restaurants) and even find directions to venues recommended by others.

For your cellphone, the Grid is available as a downloadable Java application or, to those without Java capabilities, a mobi site at http://wap.thegrid.co.za. There is also a full-feature website as well as a handy desktop application for when you’re stuck behind your computer at http://www.thegrid.co.za.

To download the Grid JAVA application, SMS GRID to 33313 (50c/SMS)