VIATEL EXPANDS EUROPEAN NETWORK
PRESENCE TO 30 CITIES
ADDS NEW POPS IN FRANCE, GERMANY, ITALY AND SWITZERLAND
AS NYC TRANSATLANTIC SWITCHING CENTER IS TURNED UP
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 29, 1997--Viatel, Inc. (Nasdaq:VYTL), a
facilities-based provider of national and international long-distance telecommunications services,
announced today that it has added new points of presence (POPs) in France, Germany, Italy and
Switzerland, extending the reach of its network in Western Europe. The company also said that it has
completed installation and testing of its New York City transatlantic switching center and that the
center is now operational.
New POPs including Berlin, Bordeaux, Brescia, Florence, Geneva, Genoa, Hamburg, Lyon,
Stuttgart and Vicenza will facilitate local interconnection, and complement the company's existing
network nodes. This brings Viatel's total number of operational switching and interconnection
locations in Europe to 30 (see attached listing).
The New York switching center, located in Lower Manhattan, utilizes an 11,000-port Nortel DMS
250/300 switch, and serves as the primary U.S. gateway for inbound and outbound European
network traffic.
''Expansion of our network access and termination locations in key business centers throughout
Europe continues to be a priority for the company. Our original goal was to have 29 network
locations in place by the end of 1997; we have now exceeded that objective in just nine months,''
said Michael J. Mahoney, President and Chief Executive Officer of Viatel. ''Our New York switch,
combined with our recently upgraded London gateway and ownership of submarine fiber facilities on
TAT12/13, FLAG, CANUS-1 and CANTAT-3, has more than doubled the capacity available to
handle our expanding volume of transatlantic traffic. Usage of the Viatel network has continued to
expand. In the first half of 1997, Viatel's European minutes-of-use grew by more than 120% and we
anticipate that this growth rate will accelerate as we approach 1998.''
Headquartered in New York, NY, Viatel, Inc. is a facilities-based international and domestic
long-distance telecommunications company with network operations in seven European countries,
the United States, Latin America and the Pacific Rim. The company offers a broad array of
competitively priced, value-added international and domestic long-distance services. Its customers
are primarily small and medium-sized businesses. Viatel provides long-distance service to more than
230 countries and territories worldwide through its international network. The company is listed on
the Nasdaq stock exchange under the symbol ''VYTL''.
Except for the historical information contained herein, the matters discussed in this release are
forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, including the continued deregulation
of the European Union member states in which the Company does business, the timely roll out of
additional points of presence and other risks detailed from time to time in the Company's reports
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including those contained in the Company's
Annual Reports on Form 10K for the year ended December 31, 1996. As a result, actual results,
events or conditions, financial or otherwise, could differ materially from those statements, Viatel
undertakes no duty to update such forward-looking statements.
Viatel, Inc.
European Presence List
September 29, 1997
Belgium Antwerp
Brussels
Leuven
France Bordeaux
Lyon
Marseilles
Paris
Toulouse
Germany Berlin
Frankfurt
Hamburg
Stuttgart
Wiesbaden
Italy Brescia
Florence
Genoa
Milan
Rome
Vicenza
Nethlerlands Amsterdam
Rotterdam
Spain Barcelona
Bilbao
Gerona
Madrid
Majorca
Tarragona
Valencia
Switzerland Geneva
United Kingdom London
Contact:
Viatel Inc., New York
Allan L. Shaw., 212/350-9200
allan_shaw@viatel.com
or
Peters & Feldman
Lee Feldman, 203/854-6761
leefeld@ix.netcom.com |
