IDTC News...
Friday January 29, 8:32 am Eastern Time
Company Press Release
IDT Teams With Global Telecom Carriers
Deals with Deutsche Telekom, France Telecom, Telefonica, and
Swisscom N.A. help IDT's worldwide expansion
HACKENSACK, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 29, 1999-- As part of the company's
strategy to forge pacts with the world's leading telecommunications providers, IDT Corporation (NASDAQ: IDTC - news)
announced today that it has signed agreements with four major European-based telecoms to establish a direct fiber-optic
connection between the companies for international long distance service.
Through agreements with France Telecom (NYSE: FTE - news), Deutsche Telekom (NYSE: DT - news), Swisscom N.A.
(NYSE: SCM - news), and Telefonica (NYSE: TEF - news), IDT will be able to provide better access and lower termination
rates to a number of countries throughout Europe.
According to TeleGeography '99, an industry trade publication, among the world's carriers, Deutsche Telekom, France
Telecom, Swisscom, and Telefonica ranked respectively, 3rd, 5th, 8th and 16th in terms of outgoing international traffic.
''Each of these carriers rank among the top twenty of the world's largest telecoms, and we are very excited about the
opportunity to be working with such prominent and established carriers in the business,'' announced Jim Courter, president of
IDT.
The agreement establishes direct channels between the companies' international switching points and IDT's facilities in the
United States and United Kingdom. In Europe, IDT already has established a strong presence in the U.K. with its
facilities-based switch, and has purchased more than 12,000 km of undersea cable connecting the U.S., Canada, and U.K.
The company already has numerous operating agreements with carriers worldwide, and plans to continue the worldwide
network expansion well as joint partnerships and operating agreements.
''These carriers have recognized the global expertise and capabilities that IDT can provide, and have therefore chosen to
partner with one of the fastest-growing emerging multinational emerging carriers,'' said Geoffrey Rochwarger, IDT's senior vice
president of Telecommunications. ''The opportunities provided by the deregulation of the European telecom marketplace has
enabled us to leap forward and capture market share in a short period of time, and we hope to continue our strategy of entering
markets as they allow for deregulation.''
IDT is a leading emerging multinational carrier that combines its position as an international telecommunications operator, its
experience as an Internet service provider and its leading position in Internet telephony to provide a broad range of
telecommunications services to its wholesale and retail customers worldwide. The company provides its customers with
integrated and competitively priced international and domestic long distance, pre-paid calling cards, Internet access and,
through its Net2Phone product offerings, Internet telephony services including Net2Phone Direct, Net2Fax, and Click2Talk.
For more information about IDT's Internet telephony services, please visit www.net2phone.com.
Except for historical information, all of the expectations and assumptions contained in the foregoing are forward-looking
statements involving risks and uncertainties. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from such
forward-looking statements, include, but are not limited to, the competitive environment for Internet telephony, changes of rates
of all related telco rates and services, legislation that may affect the Internet telephony industry, IDT's ability to operate the
services described on a large scale commercial level. For additional information regarding these and other risks associated with
the company's business refer to the company's reports filed with the SEC.
Contact:
IDT, Hackensack
Public Relations: Sarah Hofstetter, 201/928-2882
Email: sarah@hq.idt.net
Investor Relations: Janine Kutliroff, 201/928-4391
Email: janinek@hq.idt.net |
