Extends global connectivity for customers
worldwide
TAIPEI, November 16, 1999 -- MCI WorldCom today announced the
creation of MCI WorldCom Taiwan, a new, wholly-owned operating company
to serve the business community in Taiwan.
Based in Taipei, MCI WorldCom Taiwan will provide customers with
international data communications services as well as connectivity into
Taiwan for the company's worldwide customer base. MCI WorldCom will
be providing a mix of International Frame Relay and IPLC services.
These services improve business productivity by reducing the cost of
high-speed data communications.
As e-business becomes a reality throughout Asia Pacific and in
Taiwan, the need for effective, data bandwidth is becoming a key issue.
According to Goldman Sachs, Taiwan is the fourth-largest Internet
market in Asia Pacific. Between 1998 and 2003, the estimated number of
Internet users in Taiwan will increase at a compounded annual growth
rate of 37 percent. International Data Corporation expects to see
on-line spending in Taiwan grow at 123 percent between 1999 and 2003
with on-line brokerage the fastest expanding sector.
Johnson Tsai, General Manager of MCI WorldCom Taiwan, said:
"The Taiwan government is committed to turning the island into a
regional base for international technology firms. High bandwidth
connectivity for the business sector, including multinational
corporations working in Taiwan, is a critical communications need.
Frame relay and the Internet are significant technologies that will
give our customers a cost effective and reliable solution to their
growing bandwidth challenges."
Taiwan is the sixth Asian country where MCI WorldCom now operates on
a local to global basis. It has operations in Australia, Hong Kong,
Japan, Singapore and Korea, giving the company extensive coverage
within the Asia Pacific region.
Note to Editors
Frame Relay is a method of transmitting high-speed data over virtual
rather than dedicated connections. Its capability to handle busy LAN
traffic makes it ideal for wide area networks giving organizations
increased productivity by improving response times through reduced
congestion.
International Private Leased Circuit (IPLC) provides a dedicated
private circuit that can carry voice, data or Internet traffic wherever
the customer needs service.
MCI WorldCom is a global leader in communications services with 1998
revenues of more than $30 billion and established operations in more
than 65 countries encompassing the Americas, Europe and the
Asia-Pacific regions. MCI WorldCom is a premier provider of
facilities-based and fully integrated local, long distance,
international, Internet and wireless messaging services. MCI
WorldCom's global networks, including its state-of-the-art
pan-European network and transoceanic cable systems, provide end-to-end
high-capacity connectivity to more than 45,000 buildings worldwide. On
October 5, 1999, MCI WorldCom and Sprint announced a definitive merger
agreement. Following regulatory and shareholder approvals, the company
expects the merger to be closed in the second half of 2000. MCI
WorldCom is traded on NASDAQ under WCOM. For more information on MCI
WorldCom, visit the World Wide Web at http://www.wcom.com.
