HELSINKI, Finland--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 16, 1999--RSL
Communications, Ltd. (NASDAQ: RSLC.O) today announced that its
subsidiary, RSL COM Finland Oy, has purchased a majority stake in VIP
Tietoverkot Oy, a Finnish Internet services provider.
VIP Tietoverkot Oy provides dial-up and direct Internet access,
ADSL Internet services, and value-added services such as e-mail and
web hosting to business and residential customers. VIP Tietoverkot Oy
was the first private ISP in the world to offer its customers an SMS
e-mail gateway, which allows customers to access e-mail via mobile
handsets.
Itzhak Fisher, president and Chief Executive Officer of RSL
Communications, Ltd., said, "The acquisition of VIP shows RSL COM's
commitment to enhance our service offerings to our customers as we
continue toward a goal of becoming an integrated communications
service provider. Together with our internal development of Internet
access and other IP-based services in Sweden and Denmark, this
acquisition provides RSL COM with a strong platform in the Nordic
countries to be a leader in providing bundled services to its
customers. RSL COM will introduce these capabilities to other key
markets to enhance our position as the leading integrated
communications provider across Western Europe."
Tuomo Kiesvaara, Managing Director of RSL COM Finland, said,
"This acquisition reinforces our emphasis on providing our customers
with Internet-based services and leading edge web applications in
Finland. We are attracting and retaining customers by offering one
combined subscription for voice, data and Internet connections. In
addition, we expect within two months to begin delivering services
from our sister company, deltathree.com, RSL COM's voice over IP
subsidiary. The service offerings will include Internet operator
services, unified messaging and other state-of-the-art deltathree.com
services. RSL COM Finland is uniquely positioned to provide a complete
package of telecommunications services."
Petri Kanervo, managing director of Gateway Finland Oy, a venture
capital firm which now owns 20 percent of VIP, said, "This transaction
will improve the services for VIP Tietoverkot's present customers,
since they now can take advantage of RSL COM's global product range
and network connections. In addition, the partnership with RSL COM
will provide VIP with the necessary development resources and
distribution channels to continue to be at the forefront of providing
next-generation services."
RSL COM Finland offers total solution packages for customers
including voice, data, private line, PABX equipment, mobile and
Internet services. RSL COM Finland installed and operates a fiber
cable ring around Helsinki to provide a range of integrated services.
The network is being expanded to Turku and Tampere. With RSL NET, the
company's global network, and through alliances with other providers,
RSL COM Finland is in a unique position to offer competitively priced
telecommunications service packages to both domestic and international
companies located in southern Finland.
RSL Communications, Ltd. is a global integrated communications
provider with operations on five continents in 21 countries that
account for 75 percent of the world's telecommunications traffic. The
company provides national and international services, including long
distance, calling card, private line and other data services,
value-added and Internet-based services for businesses, consumers and
other carriers worldwide. RSL COM also owns deltathree.com, the
world's largest network-based provider of international voice over
Internet protocol with over 45 points of presence in more than 29
countries.
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the
meaning of the "Safe Harbor" provisions of the Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based on
management's current expectations or beliefs and are subject to a
number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to
differ materially from those set forth in the forward looking
statements. For a detailed discussion of these cautionary statements,
risk factors and uncertainties please refer to the Company's recent
filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
--30--ajk/cgo*
CONTACT: RSL COM Finland
Tuomo Kiesvaara, + 358 (0)9 4242 2201 or (0)40 9002201
tuomo.kiesvaara@rslcom.fi
RSL Communications, Ltd.
Alan Garratt, 212/891-7450
F: 212/317-0600
agarratt@rslcom.com
KEYWORD: INTERNATIONAL EUROPE
INDUSTRY KEYWORD: TELECOMMUNICATIONS SOFTWARE
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