GTE and Chinese news agency China Internet Information Center has enlisted the Internet development services of a foreign telecommunications company.

IRVING, Texas -- GTE today announced it has signed a three-phase agreement with China Internet Information Center (CIIC) of Beijing for long-term cooperation on Internet-related services, marking the first time China has entered into an agreement with a foreign telecommunications company for Internet-development services.

CIIC, which is headquartered in Beijing, is China's largest Internet-based news service. It has received more than 20 million visits from Internet users in more than 80 countries. Its primary Web site has 12 subdirectories that provide up-to-date information in English and Chinese on a variety of subjects, including China's economic development programs and Chinese enterprises.

"Today's agreement will allow CIIC to more easily provide information about China to Internet users in North America and Europe using GTE's advanced network," said Bruce Linton, vice president of sales and marketing for GTE Internetworking Services.

"CIIC selected GTE because we offer a full array of integrated Internet services and complete network solutions. GTE draws upon the expertise of our BBN Technologies division, which many regard as the 'father' of the Internet. The agreement demonstrates China's commitment to the Internet and GTE's commitment to working with local partners such as CIIC to contribute to the development of telecommunications in China," Linton said.

During the first phase of the agreement, GTE Internetworking, a unit of Irving, Texas-based GTE Corp., will provide Web-hosting service to CIIC in one of GTE's high-performance Internet data centers. Information supplied by CIIC will be disseminated by GTE Internetworking at its facility in Cambridge, Mass., and put on GTE's Web server. GTE will also provide training for CIIC personnel in Web site design, operation and input at a GTE facility in the United States.

During the second and third phases of the agreement, GTE will provide advanced features and services to CIIC such as Web page design and editing support to help CIIC better present its content on its Web page for American readers. GTE also will offer assistance in developing a database-based Web site to accommodate the growth of CIIC's Web site.

GTE has a representative office in Beijing and operates a joint venture with Guangzhou Guantong Resources company that supports wireless telecommunications throughout China. GTE also supports educational programs at the Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications.

With 1997 revenues of more than $23 billion, GTE is one of the world's largest telecommunications companies and a leading provider of integrated telecommunications services. In the United States, GTE provides local service in 28 states and wireless service in 17 states; nationwide long-distance and internetworking services ranging from dial-up Internet access for residential and small-business consumers to Web-based applications for Fortune 500 companies, as well as video service in selected markets.

Outside the United States, the company serves more than 7 million telecommunications customers. GTE is also a leader in government and defense communications systems and equipment, directories and telecommunications-based information services, and aircraft-passenger telecommunications. Additional information about GTE can be found on the Internet at http://www.gte.com.

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