Thursday January 10, 7:01 am Eastern Time
Press Release
SOURCE: Asia Global Crossing
Asia Global Crossing Announces On Schedule Landing Of Its East Asia Crossing Cable System in Singapore
- East Asia Crossing now connects Singapore to the world through the Asia Global Crossing/Global Crossing Network - East Asia Crossing provides Singapore with the additional bandwidth required to support Singapore's role as a major hub for multi-national corporations - Asia Global Crossing integrates service with StarHub's terrestrial network to bring wide range of IP services and city-to-city connections to Singapore
SINGAPORE, Jan. 10 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Asia Global Crossing (NYSE: AX - news) today announced the on-time fourth quarter 2001 landing of its East Asia Crossing subsea cable system in Singapore. This latest connection links Singapore to more than 200 cities and 27 countries through the worldwide Asia Global Crossing/Global Crossing Network.
(Photo: newscom.com )
East Asia Crossing is the first privately owned pan-Asian subsea cable system. It already links Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan and Korea, and is scheduled to connect the Philippines and Malaysia in early 2002. Plans are also in place to connect China as regulations permit. The system will have an initial transmission speed of 80 gigabits per second and is upgradeable to 2.56 terabits.
The landing of East Asia Crossing is an important milestone for Singapore as it strives to develop its telecommunications infrastructure to support the country's fast-growing demand for broadband applications.
In addition to landing East Asia Crossing, Asia Global Crossing will utilize its local partnership with StarHub to address Singapore's bandwidth and IP services needs. In April 2001, Asia Global Crossing formed a 50:50 joint venture with StarHub. The joint venture, known as StarHub Crossing, owns and operates a high capacity backhaul network in Singapore between Asia Global Crossing's East Asia Crossing landing station in Changi North and StarHub Crossing's Telehouse facility at Tai Seng. StarHub Crossing also provides co-location services and termination in the Telehouse facility, plus access to local loop providers, enabling a full set of solutions on a global, regional or local basis to be presented to customers.
Independent of this joint venture, Asia Global Crossing will obtain cost effective last mile connectivity in Singapore through StarHub's superior terrestrial network. Customers in Singapore can expect a total superior solution with direct worldwide connectivity to more than 200 major cities and 27 countries over the Asia Global Crossing/Global Crossing Network. The solution is enhanced with cost effective backhaul and co-location through StarHub Crossing; customers can gain local access to over 600 commercial buildings via StarHub's local network.
``Singapore is a magnet for multi-national corporations and rapid deregulation is helping it become a major communications hub,'' said John Legere, chief executive officer of Asia Global Crossing. ``We are partnering with StarHub to give customers in Singapore a real edge as they compete across the region and the world.''
``We are heartened by the rapid progress and success of StarHub's partnership with Asia Global Crossing. With this close collaboration, StarHub's global network platform is being rapidly extended to provide high-quality and cost-effective backhaul solutions to our customers, who will in turn enjoy more supply, better economics and better service,'' said Terry Clontz, president and chief executive officer of StarHub.
``StarHub Crossing is poised to provide a strong alternative and deliver competitive advantage for international connectivity into Singapore. With our diverse state-of-the-art fiber backhaul infrastructure and world-class Telehouse facilities, we are confident that our presence and operations will help Singapore become even more competitive on all fronts,'' said Andrew Grenville, chief executive officer of StarHub Crossing.
About Asia Global Crossing
Asia Global Crossing (NYSE: AX - news), a public company whose largest shareholders include Global Crossing (NYSE: GX - news), Softbank (Tokyo Stock Exchange: 9984), and Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT - news), provides the Asia Pacific region with a full range of integrated telecommunications and IP services. Through a combination of undersea cables, terrestrial networks, city fiber rings and complex web hosting data centers, Asia Global Crossing is building one of the first truly pan-Asian networks, which, in combination with the worldwide Global Crossing Network, will provide the Asia Pacific region with seamless access to major business centers worldwide. As part of its strategy to provide city-to-city connectivity, Asia Global Crossing partners with leading companies in each country it connects to provide backhaul networks.
About StarHub
StarHub is a Singapore-based info-communications company providing a full range of voice and data services over fixed, mobile and Internet platforms. It prides itself as a company that harnesses innovative technology with intelligent applications to satisfy the communications needs of individuals and businesses. Driven by a passion for listening and providing what customers want, StarHub endeavors to bring affordable and premium quality services with distinctive and useful features to all its customers. As a company which invests heavily in state-of-the-art network infrastructure, StarHub raises the level of competition in Singapore, challenging others as well as itself, to constantly introduce new world-class services at competitive prices. This unwavering commitment will further strengthen Singapore's position as a leading info-communications hub in the region. Visit StarHub at www.starhub.com.sg for your communications needs.
About StarHub Crossing Pte Ltd
StarHub Crossing is a 50:50 joint venture between Asia Global Crossing and StarHub. It owns and operates a high capacity backhaul network in Singapore between Asia Global Crossing's East Asia Crossing cable system landing station at Changi North and StarHub Crossing's Telehouse facility at Tai Seng. By providing high quality cost effective backhaul solutions to its shareholders, StarHub Crossing will enable them to offer more supply, better economics and better service to customers. The company also provides co-location services in the Telehouse, plus access to local loop providers, enabling a full set of solutions on a global, regional or local basis to be presented to customers.
Statements made in this press release that state the Company's or management's intentions, beliefs, expectations, or predictions for the future are forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks, assumptions and uncertainties that could cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from those projected in such forward-looking statements. These risks, assumptions and uncertainties include: the ability to complete systems within currently estimated time frames and budgets; the ability to compete effectively in a rapidly evolving and price competitive marketplace; changes in the nature of telecommunications regulation in the United States, Asia, and other countries and regions; changes in business strategy; the successful integration of newly-acquired businesses; the impact of technological change; and other risks referenced from time to time in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. One is cautioned not to put undue reliance on such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. Asia Global Crossing expressly disclaims any obligation to update or alter any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. |
