WorldCom First To Provide Competitive, Facilities-Based Telecommunications Services In Brussels
Joint-venture with Coditel speeds time to market for
facilities-based services
BRUSSELS (April 30, 1997) WorldCom, Inc.
(Nasdaq/NM:WCOM) announced today that the company will be the first
alternative, facilities-based provider of telecommunications services
in Brussels. The company is developing a 32km network in the city the
first phase of which will be operational in July of this year.
Under Belgian law, competitive telecommunications services must be
delivered over existing infrastructure. To facilitate the timely
completion of the Brussels network, the company will operate via a
joint venture company 50% owned by Coditel S.A., a Brussels-based
CATV company. Coditel operates a Cable TV network in Brussels. The
joint venture will leverage Coditel's existing infrastructure in
Brussels and WorldCom's expertise in operating metropolitan area
telecommunications networks to serve the needs of its global business
customers. The joint venture will be fully integrated into the
WorldCom global network, providing local and international services
to the business community in Brussels.
WorldCom now has networks in operation in London, Paris,
Frankfurt, Stockholm and Amsterdam and over 40 networks in the
US.
As of today, the company is offering customers international
network services via its own switch facilities and circuits provided
by third-party internationally licensed operators. WorldCom has a
license to operate non-reserved, facilities-based telecommunications
services in Brussels; these include data communications, private
circuits and switched voice services for closed user groups.
"Speed to market is the key to success in Europe as the
1/1/98 deadline for telecommunication market liberalisation
approaches. The Brussels joint venture enables WorldCom to deliver
service to our customers in Brussels without delay," said Colin
Williams, President of WorldCom International, Inc.. "We are
delighted to be working with Coditel, which has shown to be a very
efficient and entrepreneurial company. Coditel understands that the
best way to leverage its existing infrastructure assets is to work in
partnership with a telecommunications company and to join forces in
order to provide the most advanced and innovative telecommunications
services to the business community in Brussels."
A further announcement underlined WorldCom's growing presence
in Belgium today. WorldCom's subsidiary UUNET and leading Belgian
ISP, INnet nv have completed the integration of their Internet
networks and formed UUNET Benelux. UUNET had acquired a majority
interest in INnet last year.
Note to Editors
Coditel is a member of the Tractebel Group, a diversified
industrial and utilities group with sales revenues in excess of $10
billion. Tractebel is a public company whose shares are traded on
the Brussels stock exchange.
WorldCom is a global business telecommunications company.
Operating in more than 50 countries, the company is a premier
provider of facilities-based and fully integrated local, long
distance, international and Internet services. WorldCom's
subsidiary, UUNET Technologies, Inc., is the world's largest
provider of Internet services. WorldCom's World Wide Web address
is
http://www.wcom.com
. The common and depositary shares of WorldCom trade on the Nasdaq
National Market (U.S.) under the symbol WCOM and WCOMP,
respectively.
