WorldCom, Inc. and NETCO Communcations Corp. Expand Agreement To Service Advance Electronic Graphics Delivery Service; Accerlate Store-And-Forward Product Deployment
JACKSON, MISS., (January 15, 1997) --
WorldCom, Inc. and NetCo Communications Corp. have expanded their
relationship to include comprehensive network support for NetCo's
digital data delivery services while also making advanced
store-and-forward technology available to WorldCom's broader set
of business customers.
The agreement, an expansion of a long-term relationship already in
place between the two companies, brings significant additional data
traffic to WorldCom's international network. It also provides
NetCo with the resources to expand its market-leading WAM!NETsm
service for graphics-intensive businesses such as the printing,
pre-press and graphics arts industries. "NetCo and its WAM!NET
business unit have been impressive in their development of innovative
solutions to solve the myriad problems that can arise in transporting
very large, graphics-intensive files across long distances,"
said Roy Wilkens, president and chief executive officer of WorldCom
Network Services.
"It makes good sense to formally link the use of our
high-quality fiber-optic network with the WAM!NET suite of services.
The expanded relationship between WorldCom and NetCo allows
accelerated product development, along with the deployment of these
products to targeted business customers of WorldCom."
WAM!NET provides turnkey electronic delivery for multiple-gigabit
files that are too large to transport efficiently over shared public
networks. WAM!NET combines all necessary hardware and network
elements to electronically transport large files from desktop to
desktop. Because the files do not require reformatting or
compression, the integrity of the document is not compromised.
Customers pay on a per-megabyte basis for files that can be
transferred 24 hours a day, usually in less than an hour,
accommodating tight production schedules. A related product,
WAM!PROOFsm allows customers to collaborate over virtually identical
color proofs via a network connection. WAM!BASEsm is a remote data
archiving and distribution service set for release in the first
quarter of 1997.
"This new agreement with WorldCom is an ideal strategic move
for NetCo," said Edward J. Driscoll, president of the
privately-held company based in Minneapolis. "Our ability to
utilize WorldCom's fiber-optic network will allow even broader
connectivity for customers both in the United States and
internationally. This mass utilization of WAM!NET will provide
high-bandwidth, low-cost services to thousands of customers. As a
result, we expect to see expanded business opportunities for both
companies."
NetCo has recently announced agreements with several companies in
the printing and pre-press industries, including Time Inc.,
WorldColor, Quebecor Printing (USA) Corp., R.R. Donnelley & Sons,
Quad/Graphics, Anderson Lithograph, American Color, Wace The Imaging
Network and Continental Web Press.
WAM!NET is a wholly owned subsidiary of NetCo Communications
Corp., incorporated in 1994. WAM!NET's Internet web site is at
http://www.wam.net.
WorldCom is a leading provider of integrated long distance and
local telecommunications services, offering domestic and
international voice, data, Internet and video products and services
to business customers, other carriers and the residential market. The
company operates a nationwide digital fiber-optic network in the
United States and has worldwide network capacity. Its World Wide Web
address is: http://www.wcom.com. The common and depositary shares of
WorldCom trade on the NASDAQ National Market under the symbols WCOM
and WCOMP, respectively.
