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Technology Stocks : VocalTec (VOCL) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: STK1 who wrote (1386)	4/30/1998 7:38:00 PM
From: STK1	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 2349

RSL and EUROPE are taking us for a tour. Thursday April 30, 6:57 pm Eastern Time RSL launches Internet phone service for Europe LONDON, April 30 (Reuters) - RSL Communications Ltd (RSLCF - news) said on Thursday its subsidiary Delta Three Inc launched a European Internet telephone service which will slash the cost of calls. RSL said the venture uses technology developed with Swedish telecommunications giant Ericsson AB (LMEb.ST). ''The service is available in Britain today, and should expand to reach 14 European countries and over 40 globally by the end of the year,'' Richard Williams, president and chief executive officer of RSL COM Europe, told a news conference. According to Elie Wurtman, chief executive of Delta Three, the Internet telephone service can offer price savings of up to 75 percent for high priced long distance service. ''Examples of potential savings include rates of 36 pence to Argentina and Brazil, compared with BT's (British Telecommunications Plc (quote from Yahoo! UK & Ireland: BT.L)) day-time rate of 131.85 pence,'' Wurtman told the news conference. It can even undercut cheaper long-distance services provided by companies like WorldCom Inc (WCOM - news) by up to 40 percent, Wurtman said. To use the service subscribers must purchase pre-paid phone cards or pre-paid accounts. They dial a toll-free number, insert their account number, then dial the call. They don't need to own a computer. As each call is made, the system tells the subscriber how much time is left on the card or account, and how much cash is left. A 30 second call from London to Ridgefield, Connecticut, by this reporter debited a five pound card by just seven pence (12 cents). The calls are routed to a local Internet service provider, compressed into data packets, and routed to an Internet service provider near the call's destination. They are then turned back into traditional voice on regular local circuits which dial the call. Delta Three claims the voice quality is as good as regular telephones. ''We are the first company to offer Internet Telephony as a real product for European consumers and slash the cost of international calling,'' Wurtman said. Delta also offers a personal computer-to-telephone service. RSL Communications of New York was founded by Ronald S. Lauder, a member of the Estee Lauder cosmetic family. RSL has said that its main target for Internet telephony is small and medium business, which spend nearly $60 billion annually worldwide on long-distance telephone calls, half of that in Europe. By 2000 this spending should rise to more than $100 billion, RSL said, and at least 30 percent would be travelling via the Internet. Other major world players in Internet telephony include Deutsche Telekom AG (DTEG.F) which has bought a 21 percent stake in Israeli pioneer VocalTec Communications Ltd (VOCLF - news). RSL has yet to make a profit, but has said it hopes to break even by 2000. ($ equals 0.598 British Pounds Sterling) More Quotes and News: RSL COmmunications Ltd (Nasdaq:RSLCF - news) VocalTec Communications Ltd (Nasdaq:VOCLF - news) Worldcom Inc (Nasdaq:WCOM - news)