IBC Follows Microsoft Co-Founder Paul Allen Into Wireless Stocks
ibchannel.com
IRVINE, Calif., Jun 28, 1999 (BUSINESS WIRE via COMTEX) -- IBC is now focusing on undiscovered wireless/convergence stocks and will soonbe
featuring Internet Media (OTC BB: USRF) and Telecom Wireless (OTC BB: NOYR) at its Web site, ibchannel.com.
Why wireless/convergence? With the media convergence and communications revolution well underway, traditional market leaders are looking to broaden
their service base by acquiring or investing in smaller, more agilecompanies.
usrf.com -- According to an article by Tyya Turner at CMP Media(http://www.teledotcom.com/directlink.cgi?TLC19990607S0029): "IMC
recently announced the launch of its Quick-Cell Wireless Internet System, which the company says can be deployed in a week or less. IMC manages
the equipment, which uses the 900- or 2,400-MHz bands, and charges the ISP a monthly licensing fee. ISPs can offer Quick-Cell wireless access for 40
to 50 percent less than the typical cost of a T1, says James Kaufman, IMC's vice president of corporate development."
With the acquisition of CyberHighway, not only did Internet Media acquire approximately 27,000 dial-up Internet access subscribers and a state-of-the-art
Network Operations Center, the company also gained immediate access to customers in more than 230 markets in which a CyberHighway-owned or
affiliate-ISP provides Internet services.
The company intends to establish a Wireless Internet access system in nearly 50 of these CyberHighway markets by the end of the third quarter of
1999. The company continues to pursue aggressively the acquisition of independent ISPs and licensing of independent ISPs who would exploit the
company's US.RF Wireless Internet access products. IMC recently announced the launch of its Quick-Cell Wireless Internet System, which the
company says can be deployed in a weekorless.
noyr.com -- Telecom Wireless is a Next Generation Communication company led by Dr. Jim Roberts that capitalizes on convergence of video,
voice and data in order to bring broadband connectivity, content and e-commerce over a wireless platform through the Internet.
Roberts has more than 25 years experience in the industry, having served in senior management positions at MCI (Nasdaq: WCOM) and McCaw
Communications, now AT&T (NYSE: T) and Motorola (NYSE: MOT), which owns an 18% stake in Iridium (Nasdaq: IRID), which runs the first global
mobile wireless communications system satellite-telephone network.
Iridium's low earth orbit satellite constellation system enables its customers to send and receive telephone calls virtually anywhere in the world.
Through strategic acquisitions and technology enhancements Roberts is positioning Telecom Wireless to convert its network into a digital platform and
challenge ISPs and carriers such as MindSpring (Nasdaq: MSPG), Onemain (Nasdaq: ONEM), Concentric (Nasdaq: CNCX), AOL (NYSE: AOL), @Home
(Nasdaq: ATHM), Qwest (Nasdaq: QWST), US West (NYSE: USW), Global Crossings (GLBX) and Frontier (NYSE: FRO), who are also racing to deliver
the next generation in data delivery.
metricom.com -- Metricom (Nasdaq: MCOM) announced on Monday that MCI WorldCom (Nasdaq: WCOM) and Vulcan Ventures, have
together invested $600 million in the company through the purchase of 60 million new convertible preferred shares of Metricom stock at $10 per share.
MCOM designs, develops and markets wireless network products & services that provide low-cost, easy-to-use data communications that can be used in
personal computer and industrial applications.
Who is behind Vulcan Ventures? Paul Allen, now worth more than $30 billion, the third wealthiest man in the world behind Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates
and Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE:BRK.A) Chairman Warren Buffett. Most of that comes from his still hefty $22 billion stake in Microsoft, which Allen
co-founded and where he now serves as a board member.
What makes Allen particularly interesting, though, is what he's done and continues to do with the rest of his resources by way of his Vulcan Ventures
investment vehicle.
These include major investments in High Speed Access (Nasdaq: HSAC), Northpoint Communications (Nasdaq: NPNT), Priceline.com (Nasdaq: PCLN),
Beyond.com (Nasdaq: BYND), Egghead.com (Nasdaq: EGGS), Value America (Nasdaq: VUSA), CNet (Nasdaq: CNET), Net Perceptions (Nasdaq:
NETP), Liquid Audio and Hollywood Entertainment (Nasdaq: HLYW), drugstore.com and Ziff-Davis' (NYSE: ZD) ZDTV and Go2Net (Nasdaq: GNET).
Indeed, Allen either owns or has taken a significant position in companies that may eventually allow him to compete against America Online (NYSE:
AOL), the AT&T (NYSE: T)/Excite@Home (Nasdaq: ATHM) alliance, Microsoft and other contenders for the future of converging interactive media.
A spate of recent acquisitions suggests that the diverse pieces of this long-questioned quasi-empire are now falling into place and promising real
synergies.
IBC Featured Web Sites
intelliquis.com (OTC BB: INTQ) -- E-Commerce usrf.com (OTC BB: USRF) -- Wireless ISP intermost.com (OTC BB:
IMOT) -- Asian Web Portal nutritioncafe.com (OTC BB: TRIM) -- Internet Health &
Nutritionhttp://www.cytation.com (OTC BB: CYTA) -- Online Learning wrdp.com (Nasdaq: WRDP) -- Telecom noyr.com (OTC
BB:NOYR) -- ISP Rollup
Disclaimer: IBC has received compensation for services and has acquired: 40,000 shares of Intermost and $265,000 cash; 500,000 Sims Communication
(SIMSC) shares; 80,000 Intelliquis International presplit shares and $40,000 cash; 75,000 WorldPort Communications (WRDP) shares of common stock;
Cytation.com paid 40,000 shares of common stock, 25,000 (144) restricted stock and 150,000 warrants; Internet Media paid 500,000 shares; and
TrimFast Group paid 50,000 shares of common stock and 20,000 (144) restricted stock.
Copyright (C) 1999 Business Wire. All rights reserved.
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CONTACT: Interactive Business Channel
Matthew Marcus, 949/442-8919
ibchannel.com
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