AOL Launches Spanish Web Portal www.aol.es

Free Web Tools, Such as Instant Messaging, Email, Pictures with Unlimited Storage, Video, News and Entertainment at aol.es



Madrid.- AOL Europe today announced the launch of AOL.es, a new dedicated portal service for Spain. AOL.es will be free to anyone using the Web and will offer email, instant messaging, photo and video services, in addition to exciting tailored content including local sports, entertainment and celebrity news.



AOL is a leading provider of Web services, with 234 million unique visitors worldwide, and a strong heritage based on over 20 years of operation. It is rated amongst the most trusted platforms on the Internet and already operates successful portals in Austria, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and the UK. Having launched a dedicated portal in Italy last week, the launch of AOL.es continues AOL’s ambitious expansion programme in Europe. Within 18 months, AOL plans to launch local portals in 14 different international countries, a number of which will be in Europe.



AOL.es offers Spanish consumers an attractive online destination, which brings together a range of content, interactive services and safety features into one place. It will offer email with an unlimited storage option and unrivalled safety and spam protection, as well as integrated instant messaging and social networking applications, such as AOL Foto and AOL Video.



Dana Dunne, Chief Executive Officer of AOL Europe said: “We’re very pleased to be launching AOL.es. Spain is a rapidly growing online market, with high broadband penetration and huge opportunities for online advertising. Launching a dedicated portal here will help us compete for both users and advertisers. AOL has the heritage, the infrastructure and the scale to offer Spain a strong local portal that meets the needs of online users.”



Among the features of the new AOL.es portal are:



* AOL’s easy-to-use email service with an unlimited storage option, industry-leading spam blocking, and powerful security protections against viruses. Early adopters of AOL’s services in Spain will benefit from taking their pick of email addresses, as the launch of a new country specific AOL name space makes many first name / last name email address combinations available.
* AOL’s leading instant messaging featuring offline messages, picture sharing, personalization, grouped messaging, and simultaneous multiple accounts.
* AOL’s Foto service allowing unlimited storage of images at original resolution, and easy sharing via blogs, IM and email.
* AOL’s Video product featuring video uploading and sharing tools, as well as the ability to edit videos before uploading them.
* A powerful Web search product, powered by Google, that helps users find the local or international information they need.
* Numerous content channels including News, Sports, Celebrity, Cinema and Games. More channels will be added over time.
* The ability to share content easily within both AOL’s community and with internet users across the globe.



Dunne continued: “Europe is one of the key engines of growth for AOL. This market is growing faster than the US with online advertising spending in Western Europe forecast to grow by 25% per year until 2009.* By launching dedicated portals that have real appeal in local markets, we are well placed to take advantage of this opportunity. We expect to cover over 95% of the Europe online market within 18 months.



“AOL is already successful in Europe, and the launch of this new portal underlines our commitment to the continent. We understand the needs of the local markets and are building on our heritage to create local language portals that are appealing to consumers and advertisers alike.”



The Spanish portal launch is the latest in AOL’s drive to grow its worldwide audience. Over the past year, AOL has transitioned itself to a global Web-based, advertising supported company. AOL is focused on: products and programming leadership on the Web; rapid international growth; and building a world-leading advertising network. In recent months, AOL has revamped its product and programming lineup to increase the size and engagement of its global audience. It has launched portals in Italy, India, Austria and the Netherlands, and announced a worldwide distribution partnership with HP. The company also recently announced the formation of Platform A, which will offer advertisers access to AOL’s unmatched network of third-party sites and AOL’s own sites, as well as state of the art tools to target and measure ads.