this is just getting bigger and bigger folks....this today:
(COMTEX) B: UTELE-DOT-COM TO PROVIDE ADVANTS PUBLIC INTERNET ACCESS W
B: UTELE-DOT-COM TO PROVIDE ADVANTS PUBLIC INTERNET ACCESS WITH 3,000 NEW
LOCATIONS FOR PUBLIC INTERNET TERMINALS
MINNEAPOLIS, Feb 29, 2000 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Advants Public
Internet Access today announced that it has signed an agreement with
Utele-dot-Com that will secure more than 3,000 new locations for
Advants public access Internet terminals during the next 24 months. The
original rollout will include test locations in California Burger King
restaurants.
Advants, Inc., a division of Choicetel Communications Inc. (Nasdaq:
PHON), is building a nationwide network of terminals and plans to
install more than 30,000 public access Internet terminals over the next
three years in a variety of public locations that people utilize when
they are not at home or at their office, including grocery stores,
hotels, restaurants and shopping malls.
Under the terms of the agreement, Utele-dot-Com will provide and secure
Advants, Inc. with the installation and service of more than 3,000
sites and units in exchange for a revenue-sharing program and an equity
interest in Advants, Inc. The agreement accelerates Advants' ability to
rollout its national network of terminals. Utele-dot-Com's agency
network of payphone companies offers more than 20,000 possible
locations from sites already under contract for payphones.
"Advants brings new revenues and a competitive edge for our site
holders to our growing network of payphone companies," said Dennis
Calvert, president of Utelecom. "Our combined business plans are
visionary as well as executable. The Advants program is another example
of our commitment to add value to our network and solidify our role as
a 'partner for the future' to our payphone service providers."
Advants' terminals are equipped with a computer, monitor and keyboard,
and also include a dollar bill acceptor and credit card swipe, allowing
users to initiate e-commerce transactions with either cash or credit.
"We are exited to align our company with such an experienced marketing
team with well-established relationships throughout the nation," said
Greg T. Johnson, president and CEO of Advants, Inc. "Utele-dot-Com has
the network, the relationships and the real estate to deliver results
for Advants." Advants expects its public Internet terminals to be as
common and essential as public payphones have been in the past.
Utele-dot-Com is a subsidiary of Utelecom Communications, Inc, national
payphone company aggregator developed by key payphone industry members,
including The G-Five Corporation, a service provider to 44,000 phones
and MAH Communications, Inc., and the largest private payphone service
provider to national franchisees of the Burger King chain.
Twin Cities-based Advants, Inc. is a majority owned subsidiary of
Choicetel Communications, Inc., which has leased, operated and managed
telecommunications since 1989. Advants is installing public Internet
terminals nationally.
SOURCE Advants Public Internet Access
(C) 2000 PR Newswire. All rights reserved.
prnewswire.com
-0-
CONTACT: Gregory Johnson of Advants, Inc., 612-941-6622 x27,
gjohn@advants.com , or Dennis Calvert of Utele-dot-Com,
714-668-8520 x119,
utelecom1@aol.com
(PHON)
GEOGRAPHY: Minnesota
California
INDUSTRY CODE: TLS
MLM
REA
SUBJECT CODE: JVN
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