USA.NET and CathayOnline Form Strategic Partnership to Make World-Class Email Messaging Services Available in the People's Republic of China
Business Editors/Technology Writers
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. and NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- July 12, 1999--
-- CathayOnline Inc. to be First Internet Service Provider
to Offer USA.NET's Email Outsourcing Solutions to China, the
Fastest-Growing Internet Market in Asia --
USA.NET, a leading provider of email and advanced messaging services, and CathayOnline Inc. (OTC BB:CAOL) today announced a strategic partnership to provide USA.NET's world-class business email outsourcing solutions to the People's Republic of China. The two companies will be the first to offer USA.NET Professional Messaging in English and Mandarin Chinese to consumers and the commercial market within the People's Republic of China.
According to a recent Strategis Group and BDA China study, China is the fastest-growing Internet market in Asia. By the end of this year, more than 6.7 million people in China will have Internet access. The report estimates that more than 33 million people in China will have Internet access by 2003.
"As a worldwide leader in business email outsourcing, USA.NET is very excited to be partnering with CathayOnline. Both companies view China as a major international email hub. The number of online users there are expected to increase more than 300% this year," said John Gerdelman, president and CEO of USA.NET. "Through this agreement, CathayOnline's customers will be the first to receive the latest in leading-edge email technology, and USA.NET will continue to expand its global presence in one of the world's fastest growing email outsourcing markets."
CathayOnline will bundle USA.NET Professional Messaging with Internet access service for its individual consumers. CathayOnline will also market USA.NET's value-added email service to its corporate customers as TorchMail by USA.NET. USA.NET Professional Messaging gives CathayOnline the ability to provide their corporate customers with a full range of professional email features and mail management functions to support a growing business.
"As the leading provider of consumer and enterprise email messaging solutions in the U.S., USA.NET is the ideal partner for CathayOnline in our launch of TorchMail.com. This relationship empowers us with the ability to deliver unparalleled email and advanced messaging services to Chinese-speaking markets," said Brian Ransom, president of CathayOnline Inc. "Based on USA.Net's success here, we know we will be able to provide world-class consumer and corporate email outsourcing services to the Chinese market."
The companies also expect to work together in the future to provide additional innovative email messaging services to CathayOnline customers.
USA.NET Professional Messaging offers CathayOnline's customers its standard features including Junk Mail Blocker, Read Receipt, Mail Priority, Email Collecting and Forwarding, and Signatures; mail management features including user management, alias management, branded and customized interface and administrative reports; and premium features including Paging. USA.NET Professional Messaging is accessible from virtually anywhere worldwide, connecting travelling employees, branch offices and dealer/distributor networks.
About CathayOnline Inc.
CathayOnline Inc. is aggressively striving to become a leading, fully-diversified Internet company in the People's Republic of China and Hong Kong. The Company employs 40 people and has already completed strategic international and domestic alliances in three key areas: (1) the Internet, as an Internet Service Provider (Sichuan Torch); (2) Lotteries, through the consolidation of Lottery Kiosks in Guangzhou; and (3) email, via acquisition of TorchMail.com and the USA.NET strategic alliance.
About USA.NET, Inc.
Based in Colorado Springs, Colo., USA.NET, Inc. (http://www.usa.net) provides email and advanced messaging services to more than 11 million customers including businesses, service providers and consumers. USA.NET's offerings include: USA.NET Professional Messaging (small to medium-sized business), USA.NET Enterprise Messaging (large organizations), USA.NET Web Messaging (portals), USA.NET Carrier Messaging (service providers) and USA.NET Ad Mail (publishers). USA.NET's outsourcing solutions offer businesses a scalable, reliable and globally accessible email service while eliminating the hassle of installing, operating and supporting an in-house email system. Net@ddress(R) (http://www.netaddress.com) is USA.NET's award-winning, Web-based consumer email service.
Except for the historical information contained herein, this news release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, including statements about acceptance of the company's services by customers of CathayOnline.
--30--jd/mi*
CONTACT: CathayOnline Inc.
Brian Ransom, 604/688-1844
investor@cathayonline.com
KEYWORD: COLORADO NEW YORK INTERNATIONAL ASIA PACIFIC
INDUSTRY KEYWORD: COMED INTERACTIVE/MULTIMEDIA/INTERNET COMPUTERS/ELECTRONICS ENTERTAINMENT
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