Plans aggressive expansion of advanced Web Hosting and IP Networking to capitalize on demand for e-business solutions in the region
HONG KONG, July 18, 2001 - WorldCom (NASDAQ: WCOM), the leading global business data and Internet communications provider, today revealed its plans to aggressively expand the availability of its industry-leading portfolio of Internet-based e-business solutions in the Asia-Pacific region's leading business centers. To meet its objective, WorldCom will exploit the unrivaled reach, capacity and reliability of its global IP and data network assets in the region, while continuing to deploy new state-of-the-art Data Centers in the territory. As a result, WorldCom will provide the Asia-Pacific region's new generation of digital businesses - generation d - with all of the essential technology tools needed to conduct business effectively and efficiently in the 21st century.
"The region's appetite for new data and Internet-based technologies is growing rapidly, driven by customer demand for carrier-class network services providing practical solutions to enhance their business performance," said William Barney, president of WorldCom Asia Pacific. "WorldCom is responding with two new products, strengthening the region's most complete portfolio of advanced IP-based business services."
WorldCom Managed Web Hosting Packages
At the heart of today's announcement is the introduction of WorldCom's first-of-its-kind suite of pre-packaged managed hosting solutions for large and multinational business customers. These 12 ready-to-use hosting packages are specifically designed to simplify and accelerate the purchasing cycle for all levels of high-end managed hosting services, allowing virtually any business to implement or improve its online e-business strategy in as few as 15 to 20 days. Traditional managed hosting is limited to costly custom-built solutions with extended go-to-market processes of four to six months. With these new packages, WorldCom is able to significantly reduce the time, cost, and technical challenges to jumpstart a customer's e-business plans.
Initially available in Japan, WorldCom plans to further deploy its pre-packaged managed hosting solutions in Hong Kong and Australia.
The new managed hosting packages complete WorldCom's selection of Web hosting and colocation services in the region. These include: WorldCom Dedicated and Shared Web Hosting Services for small-to-medium enterprise (SME) customers and small office/home office (SOHO) customers, and WorldCom Internet and Network Colocation Services that provide secure, scalable connectivity with the WorldCom global IP network for customer-owned and managed equipment. WorldCom Dedicated and Shared Hosting Services, as well as its Internet and Network Colocation Services are currently available in Australia, Hong Kong, Japan and Singapore.
"Our pre-packaged hosting solutions demystify and streamline what was a very complex and time-consuming process for corporate customers," said Barney. "That same philosophy, to deliver effectiveness and efficiency with simplicity and added value to our customers, is the foundation for each of the advanced e-business services we're addressing today."
WorldCom Private IP Service
July will also mark the expansion of WorldCom's IP networking services in the region, with the introduction of WorldCom Private IP Service. A half-step between true private networking and a pure public Internet Protocol virtual private network (IP VPN), WorldCom Private IP enables companies to communicate across a secure private IP backbone (using their existing ATM or Frame Relay infrastructure connections) to build IP-based intranets and extranets. WorldCom Private IP allows customers to extend the life, features and functionality of their traditional networks, while creating a simple self-determined migration path to an IP VPN solution. This service will be initially available in Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Singapore, Taiwan and extended to Philippines, Malaysia and India later this year.
The WorldCom IP Networking Services suite in the Asia-Pacific region includes:
- WorldCom IP VPN Direct Access - a fully managed IP VPN solution with both site-to-site and third party connectivity options; currently available in Australia, Hong Kong, Japan and Singapore.
- WorldCom IP VPN Remote Access - a fully managed remote access IP VPN solution (using dial, ISDN and DSL access methods), currently available in Australia, Hong Kong, Japan and Singapore.
The WorldCom Global Network: Asia-Pacific
"The key to WorldCom's unique ability to deliver the building blocks for business in the 21st century are our unmatched network assets. Our services drive enterprise growth and efficiency and our network is the engine that drives those solutions in this and virtually every other region of the world," Barney adds.
As the first foreign company licensed to compete in Japan's domestic telecommunications market, WorldCom has built wholly-own local metropolitan data and voice networks to directly serve business customers in Tokyo and Osaka City. WorldCom has constructed additional local networks in Sydney and Melbourne, Australia, and is currently building another in Singapore.
WorldCom is also a major owner of bandwidth in virtually every undersea cable route in the world, with significant participation in the APCN2 (Asia-Pacific), Australia-Japan, Japan-U.S., China-U.S. and the Southern Cross Cable Network System (Australia-New Zealand-U.S.). Spanning six continents worldwide, the WorldCom's UUNet global IP network delivers the world's most reliable and widely available high-speed, high capacity Internet service to customers in the Asia-Pacific region through network hubs located in Australia, Hong Kong, Japan and Singapore. WorldCom maintains around-the-clock customer service and network management support in the region and around the world through three global Network Operations Centers located in Hong Kong, The Netherlands and the U.S.
WorldCom's Complete Suite of Products and Services for 'generation d'
As the premier, single-source provider of network-based e-business services, WorldCom offers the industry's widest array of easily implemented solutions for the new generation of technology savvy digital enterprises, generation d. These include: managed Web hosting; Internet and network colocation services; IP VPNs; public/private hybrid data networks; Private Line, Frame Relay and ATM data networking services; Web-enabled customer contact centers; IP communications; dedicated broadband and dial-up Internet access services; audio, video and Internet-based conferencing services; and value-added services such as managed security solutions.
About WorldCom
WorldCom (NASDAQ: WCOM) is a preeminent global communications company for the digital generation, operating in more than 65 countries with 2000 revenues of more than $19 billion. WorldCom provides the innovative technologies and services that are the foundation for business in the 21st century. For more information, go to http://www.worldcom.com/asiapac
