To: Hawaii60 who wrote (7077 ) 5/3/1999 8:43:00 AM From: Secret_Agent_Man Read Replies (1) | Respond to of 30916
SURPRISE NEWS***** Zdnet to Co-Brand Net2Phone's Services; Leading Technology Content Site to Provide IP Telephony to its Millions of Visitors HACKENSACK, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 3, 1999--IDT's Net2Phone (NASDAQ: IDTC) and ZDNet (NYSE: ZDZ) today announced that Net2Phone's Internet Telephony services will be featured in a new ZDNet communications center, and that Net2Phone will be the preferred provider of Internet Telephony services throughout the ZDNet Site. ZDNet will create an Online Communications Center, where Net2Phone will be the preferred Internet telephony provider. In addition, ZDNet will integrate Net2Phone's PC-to-phone, phone-to-phone, and unified messaging on ZDNet's Web sites. For example, the Net2Phone Download will be offered in the ZDNet Software Library, and in ZDNet's consumer-oriented sites, including Family PC, the At Home Channel, and Yahoo! Internet Life. Net2Phone software will also be provided for free to members of ZDNet's ZD Rewards service for the next year. According to Media Metrix World Wide Web Audience Rating Report, ZDNet Sites reached 14.7 percent of the Web population in March with 9 million unique visitors, ranking #14 among all Web properties. "ZDNet's audience is interested in using new technologies to enhance their lifestyles," said Dan Rosensweig, President and CEO of ZDNet. "We're excited to be working with Net2Phone, an Internet telephony leader, to provide our visitors with the value and convenience of Internet telephony." Net2Phone launched the latest version of its Internet Telephony software last December in the popular "ZDNet Launchpad" area of the ZDNet Software Library. Net2Phone was impressed with the number of downloads off ZDNet's site, and with the conversion of ZDNet users into Net2Phone customers, which was above adoption rates Net2Phone had received from other Internet sites. "ZDNet's rich content and visibility are well known in the high-tech arena, and we are excited to be working with them to provide our services to their members," said Howie Balter, CEO of Net2Phone. "Based on our experience, the ZDNet Audience is technically savvy, and ready to use technologies that impact their productivity and save them money. We hope that ZDNet visitors will find great benefits from our IP telephony services, which offer multiple methods of communications both on and off the web." 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. Based in San Francisco, ZDNet (NYSE: ZDZ) develops and maintains the ZDNet Web site (http://www.zdnet.com), a leading source for technology and Internet content and commerce. By combining groundbreaking, interactive technology with editorial from its own award-winning editorial team and from Ziff-Davis' worldwide network of journalists, ZDNet produces original, compelling content and communities of common interests in technology. ZDNet is consistently ranked by Media Metrix as the number-one Web site in the News, Information and Entertainment category. ZDNet is a division of Ziff-Davis Inc. 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 Public Relations Sarah Hofstetter 201/928-2882 sarah@net2phone.com or ZDNet Public Relations Martha Papalia 617/225-3340 martha_papalia@zd.com