WorldCom, Inc. Provides Economical, Simplified Long Distance For Customers of Mail Boxes Etc.
JACKSON, Miss. (June 6, 1996) --
WorldCom, Inc., through its alternate channel business unit, and
Mail Boxes Etc. ("MBE") today announced a new relationship
in which Mail Boxes Etc. Centers will sell simplified, economical
long distance telephone service ideally suited for small office/home
office businesses as well as residential customers.
MBE Centers also will sell voice and fax telecommunications and
inbound toll-free 800 and 888 telecommunications service made
available through the agreement.
Mail Boxes Etc. is the world's largest franchisor of
neighborhood retail postal, business and communication service
centers with more than 3,000 independently owned and operated retail
locations worldwide. WorldCom, Inc. is one of the largest
telecommunications companies in the U.S.
Mail Boxes Etc. will be provided with long distance telephone
service for resale through MBE's network of retail service
centers. The long distance plan, available through participating MBE
Centers in about 30 days, features rates for home and business users
with no hidden minimums or separate fee structures. The service is
available with a range of service terms from month-to-month to annual
commitments. Discounts are available for customers who commit to
high-volume usage or to contracts with terms of one year or
longer.
"Our new offering of high quality, economically aggressive
long distance telephone service in partnership with an industry
leader is a major step in MBE's goal of being the primary source
for postal, business and communications services used by companies
and consumers," said A. W. "Tony" DeSio, president and
chief executive officer of Mail Boxes Etc.
"MBE intends to capitalize on the strong relationships its
center owners have with small businesses that use MBE's copy, fax
and mail receiving services in order to market telecommunications
services," DeSio added.
DeSio pointed out that the long distance service being marketed
under a "no fine print" theme by participating MBE Centers
"is, we believe, the first time that business and residential
long distance telephone service is being sold through a major
national retail network."
"We are extremely pleased to participate with Mail Boxes Etc.
in bringing to the marketplace this innovative service," said
Mike Grimley, senior vice president of alternate channels for
WorldCom, Inc. "We offer our own customers a full range of
products characterized by straightforward and economical pricing,
always backed by the quality of our national fiber-optic network.
"Mail Boxes Etc. has chosen to capitalize on this approach to
broaden its array of communications services, giving its customers
complete long distance services with unprecedented rate
clarity," Grimley added.
Mail Boxes Etc., founded in 1980, has consistently been rated as
the top business services franchise company in the United States. MBE
master licenses for franchise locations have been awarded in more
than 50 countries worldwide. The MBE franchise network is available
to national and international companies as an alternate to
establishing or expanding their own service distribution systems. The
common shares of Mail Boxes Etc. trade on The Nasdaq Stock Market
under the symbol MAIL.
WorldCom, Inc. provides services to its wholesale customers
through WilTel Network Services and to its retail customers through
LDDS WorldCom.
One of the largest long distance telecommunications companies in
the United States, WorldCom, Inc. offers domestic and international
voice, data 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. The common shares of WorldCom, Inc. trade
on The Nasdaq Stock Market under the symbol WCOM.
