FNet Announces New Voice Over Internet Joint Venture;
Franklin Telecom's ISP Signs First International Pact In
Plan to Build Global IP Network
Business Wire - May 14, 1998 08:01
%FNET FTEL %CALIFORNIA %COMPUTERS %ELECTRONICS %COMED %TELECOMMUNICATIONS
%INTERACTIVE %MULTIMEDIA %INTERNET V%BW P%BW
WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 14, 1998--FNet Corp., an Internet
subsidiary of Franklin Telecom (OTC:FTEL), announced today it has entered into a joint venture
with LibertyOne to extend voice over the Internet service to New Zealand and Australia.
According to FNet chief executive officer James L. Magruder, "The purpose of the joint venture is
to implement voice over IP in Australia and New Zealand which will then connect to the world via
the FNet network. This is the first of several alliances we are forging in line with our announced
strategy to help FNet move quickly and with strength into the international Internet telephony
marketplace."
Clive Raines, Managing Director of LibertyOne New Zealand, commented, "New Zealand was the
first country in the world to completely deregulate its telecommunications infrastructure and offer a
modern digital telephone network from which to launch a real 'Next Generation Telco' and new
value added services. The Australian market now offers the same opportunities in a larger market
having deregulated last year. We are delighted to be part of this new international network."
Terms of the agreement specify that LibertyOne, a leading provider of Internet service as well as an
authorized carrier with ties to New Zealand Telecom, will be responsible for sales, marketing and
in-country support, while FNet will deploy the network and oversee billing.
Magruder said the target date to debut the FNet/LibertyOne service in New Zealand is this August
with Australian service scheduled to kick off in September. "While the first stage of this deployment
will focus on international service, plans call for several nodes to be complete and ready for national
traffic within New Zealand during the first quarter of 1999," he said.
Magruder confirmed that FNet plans to deploy its network, which utilizes both voice over IP and
traditional off-net switching capability, in at least 50 countries within twenty-four months, including
50 on-net cities up and running by the end of this year.
LibertyOne Limited (www.libertyone.com.au) was formed in 1998 to combine several successful
Internet and multimedia related companies. These include magNET Internet Connections Pty
Limited, one of Australia's largest Internet Service Providers and Comtel Technologies. Comtel
holds patents for an ATM (Asynchronous Transmission Mode) Fast Packed Digital Switch which it
is developing in the prestigious Malaysian MSC (Multimedia Super Corridor). Negotiations are
underway in New Zealand to obtain a full FNet interconnection agreement with Telecom New
Zealand, the equivalent of US 1+ access. |
