AppNet Powers TelecomSmart.com for Small Businesses to Access Leading Telecom Carrier Services
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BETHESDA, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 3, 2000--
Telecom B2B Market Maker Streamlines Procurement
Process Through Reverse Auction
AppNet, Inc. (NASDAQ:APNT), a premier provider of end-to-end
e-business solutions to Fortune 1000 companies, today announced that
it has partnered with TelecomSmart, an Internet business-to-business
(B2B) company, to launch an eMarketplace for small business telecom
services at www.telecomsmart.com.
The eMarketplace provides small businesses with a single resource
for factual, vendor-neutral information and a simple click-through
process for purchasing high-quality telecom services, including long
distance, Internet access, and Web hosting. TelecomSmart enables rate
and plan comparison and customization, and allows the leading telecom
carriers to offer dynamic pricing through a reverse auction platform.
According to industry analysts, the telecom small business market
is one of the industry's fastest growing segments, but the high costs
of direct sales have prohibited service providers from serving this
valuable market.
TelecomSmart eliminates the barriers for both small businesses and
telecom service providers by offering an effective customer
acquisition channel and a comprehensive resource to simplify the
selection and procurement process.
TelecomSmart engaged AppNet to analyze the business and functional
requirements of its business plan, and then to implement the B2B Web
application to broker the service plan transaction between
telecommunication carriers and small businesses.
"AppNet's end-to-end expertise -- from strategy to application
development -- made the difference in our vendor selection process,"
said Mark Mansour, founder and CEO of TelecomSmart. "They beat our
time-to-market expectations and have been a trusted partner for
bringing our eMarketplace engine to life."
TelecomSmart offers the latest market-maker technologies,
integrated by AppNet, to act as a "virtual sales agent" and
infomediary, bringing together leading telecom service providers with
small business customers seeking competitive bids.
Buyers can perform a customized search in TelecomSmart's database,
containing more than 4,500 current service plans; and reference
informative resources such as provider profiles, rate explanations,
and feature descriptions.
They can compare plans based on TelecomSmart's unbiased
information presented in a vendor neutral format and then purchase the
service direct from the service providers.
AppNet's interface engineers provided crucial integration and
support for TelecomSmart's creative front end, which bucks the
impersonal "catalogue" paradigm of traditional marketplaces for a
conversational, user-friendly approach.
AppNet also implemented an innovative live chat resource available
12 hours a day to connect prospective customers to experienced product
managers for real-time, real-person service plan support.
"AppNet is helping market makers get to market faster and with the
Internet infrastructure necessary to broker direct relationships
between buyers and sellers," said Jeroen van Ek, division president
for AppNet. "We've given TelecomSmart a sound, integrated foundation
for building additional functionality and growing its business while
evening the playing field for the small businesses in the telecom
industry."
TelecomSmart's provider partnerships comprise the major players in
long distance, Internet access, and Web hosting services, including
ACC, AT&T, Concentric, DSL Networks, Earthlink, Global Crossing, MCI
WorldCom, PSINet, Qwest, Sprint, Telegroup, TTI National, and UUNet.
The company has plans to include additional service offerings for
local telephone and wireless.
About TelecomSmart
Founded in May 1999 by telecom veteran Mark Mansour, TelecomSmart
is the only company to provide small businesses with easy access to
the full range of telecom services. Its unique "reverse auction"
process simplifies the selection process for small business customers,
while also delivering a valuable distribution channel to service
providers.
The company is funded through a combination of private and venture
funds. Headquarters are in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. For more
information visit www.telecomsmart.com.
About AppNet
AppNet, Inc. (NASDAQ:APNT), is a premier provider of end-to-end
e-business solutions, from interactive marketing to back-office
integration. For companies transforming themselves for the new
Internet economy, the firm offers a unique mix of Internet strategy,
marketing, and technology services.
AppNet is the fourth largest interactive marketing agency
according to Ad Age and one of the 50 largest pure Internet companies,
according to Internet World. AppNet works with Global 1000 and dot.com
companies. Customers include UCCnet, Baxter Healthcare, Dial, Ford,
Sprint, Hyundai, BET.com, UNICEF, KB Toys, NEC, Hewlett Packard, NASA,
and Unilever.
This press release may include "forward-looking statements" for
purposes of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. All statements
herein, other than those of historical fact, including statements
regarding future contractual arrangements or performance, competitive
strengths, and business strategy, are forward-looking.
Actual results or events may differ materially from those
projected in such forward-looking statements. Information regarding
the factors that could cause such differences is contained in AppNet's
filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
CONTACT: AppNet
Media
Alla Iaquinto, 301/581-2489
press@appnet.com
or
Investors
Kevin Taback, 877/551-2323
ir@appnet.com
or
TelecomSmart
Media
Kai Lancaster, JONA Group, 415/552-1515
kai@jonagroup.com
KEYWORD: MARYLAND
INDUSTRY KEYWORD: COMPUTERS/ELECTRONICS HARDWARE INTERNET
SOFTWARE TELECOMMUNICATIONS
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