Network Commerce Inc. and AT&T Wireless Services Sign Mobile Commerce Agreement
Relationship Will Enable Businesses to Conduct Wireless Transactions With AT&T Digital PocketNet Customers
SEATTLE, June 5 /PRNewswire/ -- Network Commerce Inc. (Nasdaq: NWKC), a leading provider of technology, services and networks for businesses, merchants, Internet sites and wireless networks, today announced an agreement with AT&T Wireless Services (NYSE: AWE).
The agreement allows AT&T Digital PocketNet customers to comparison shop and transact business with merchants on ShopNow.com, a division of Network Commerce and a member of the Network Commerce Consumer Network. Consumers can now search for and purchase products on the network via a Wireless Applications Protocol (WAP) phone, without having to access the Internet through a computer. The service is available now for select merchants on ShopNow.com, and will eventually be extended to include thousands of merchants across both the Network Commerce Consumer Network and the Network Commerce Business Network. More information is available at wireless.networkcommerce.com .
"Our agreement with AT&T is one of the first steps in our wireless strategy to provide businesses and merchants with the networks to extend their e-commerce initiatives to wireless devices," said Dwayne Walker, chairman and chief executive officer of Network Commerce. "We plan to deliver multi-business and multi-merchant commerce content and commerce services to wireless networks."
The AT&T Digital PocketNet service provides customers with wireless access to information and Web sites including ABC-NEWS.com, BarnesandNoble.com, eBay, ESPN.com, E*TRADE, MapQuest and ShopNow.com.
"Our new AT&T Digital PocketNet service offers a highly personalized way for people to use their wireless phones and the Internet together," said Kendra Vandermuelen, senior vice president, product development for AT&T Wireless Services. "Our agreement with Network Commerce will introduce visitors to the Network Commerce Consumer Network to a new way of shopping online."
Network Commerce announced its wireless strategy May 30. The company plans to roll out the Network Commerce Wireless CommerceSuite, the Network Commerce Wireless Business Portal and the Network Commerce Wireless Consumer Portal over the second and third quarters of 2000. The company also plans to extend its technology and services to Europe, Asia and Latin America.
About Network Commerce Inc.
Network Commerce Inc. ( networkcommerce.com ) is a leading provider of technology, services and commerce networks for Internet sites, wireless networks, businesses and merchants. Network Commerce's core commerce infrastructure technology, services and commerce applications are known as the Network Commerce CommerceSuite. Built on the CommerceSuite are the Network Commerce Business Network and the Network Commerce Consumer Network. The Network Commerce Consumer Network is comprised of ShopNow.com ( shopnow.com ), a leading shopping network and directory featuring over 60,000 merchants and over 7,000 affiliate sites; BottomDollar.com (http://www.bottomdollar.com), a comparison shopping network with over 1,700 affiliate sites; and SpeedyClick.com ( speedyclick.com ), a leading commerce-enabled entertainment community with over 7,000 affiliate sites. The Network Commerce Business Network is comprised of b2bNow.com ( b2bnow.com ), a business-to-business marketplace and directory featuring over 610,000 businesses in 260 international markets; FreeMerchant.com ( freemerchant.com ), a business and merchant store builder with over 65,000 hosted businesses; and, pending completion of the merger in June 2000, Ubarter.com ( ubarter.com ), a business-to-business barter exchange. Network Commerce Inc.'s eBusiness Services division provides consulting, custom commerce solutions, and integrated marketing services. Network Commerce Inc. has over 600 employees and is headquartered in Seattle with offices in Arizona, California and Georgia.
About AT&T Wireless
The AT&T Wireless Group is among the world's premier wireless voice, data and fixed wireless communications companies, serving more than 12.5 million customers, including consumers, businesses and government. With annual revenues of more than $7 billion and 18,000 employees, AT&T Wireless Group provides services to customers across the globe.
Backed by the research and development capabilities of AT&T Labs, the company has one of the largest digital wireless networks in North America. The company's AT&T Digital One Rates offer revolutionized the industry by introducing a national wireless plan with no roaming or long distance charges across the U.S. AT&T Wireless Group was also the first company to provide wireless access to the Internet with AT&T PocketNet(R) Service and the first company to commercially offer fixed wireless service to residential customers through its AT&T Digital Broadband Service. |
