S.W, MRTO: MerchantOnline Selects Covad for its National DSL Launch
BOCA RATON, Fla., Dec 1, 1999 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- MerchantOnline.com
Inc. (OTCBB:MRTO), a leader in providing one-stop solutions for
merchants who set up shop on the Internet, signed an agreement with
Covad Communications (Nasdaq:COVD), the nation's leading broadband
services provider utilizing DSL, to offer digital subscriber line (DSL)
services to MerchantOnline's business customers nationwide.
"DSL service is up to 100 times faster than dial-up modem connections,
and more than 25 times faster than ISDN -- its closest competitor in
the price/bandwidth Internet access contest," said MerchantOnline.com
CEO Tarek Kirschen, speaking from the company's corporate headquarters
in Boca Raton, Florida. "Unlike dial-up services, the high-speed
connection is always on and there is no possibility of a busy signal or
abrupt disconnection."
"DSL is both secure and blindingly fast," Kirschen continued. "It is
superior to cable modems which operate in a shared environment, and
offers the security vital to online banking, stock trading, e-commerce
or other services where privacy is important. In addition, DSL is
particularly suited for high-bandwidth applications such as video on
demand, wide area networks, Voice over IP, and e-commerce
applications."
Referring to the recent FCC order compelling regional Bell companies to
share telephone lines with Internet access companies, Kirschen said,
"By capitalizing on the convergence of technologies, MerchantOnline
will be able to provide America's emerging cyber entrepreneurs with
both bandwidth and e-commerce solutions at prices unimaginable even two
years ago."
Covad Communications is the nation's leading high-speed Internet and
network access provider offering DSL services through Internet Service
Providers to consumers and small and medium-sized businesses. Covad's
services are available across the nation in 51 of the Metropolitan
Statistical Areas (MSAs) and will be available in 100 MSAs by the end
of 2000.
By offering DSL service, MerchantOnline joins the ranks of top tier
Internet access providers BellSouth (NYSE:BLS), GTE (NYSE:GTE),
Ameritech (NYSE:AIT), Earthlink (Nasdaq:ELNK), Bellatlantic (NYSE:BEL),
Mindspring (Nasdaq:MSPG), Qwest (Nasdaq:QWST), Verio (Nasdaq:VRIO), and
DSLnet (Nasdaq:DSLN).
Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform
Act of 1995: Forward-looking statements in this release are made
pursuant to the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Investors are cautioned that such
forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, including,
without limitation, continued acceptance of the company's products,
increased levels of competition for the company, new products and
technological changes, the company's dependence upon third-party
suppliers, intellectual property rights and other risks detailed from
time to time in the company's periodic reports filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission.
For more information, visit www.MerchantOnline.com.
Copyright (C) 1999 Business Wire. All rights reserved.
Distributed via COMTEX.
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CONTACT: News Media Contacts:
Fitzgerald Productions, Coral Springs, Fla.
Elaine Fitzgerald or John Massey, 954/345-9899
or
Investor Relations:
Excel Financial Services
Kevin Spencer, 561/997-5828
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