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Sprint to provide Uecomm with global Internet services
Deal signals Melbourne market entry
SYDNEY, Australia - November 28, 2002 - Sprint (NYSE: FON) has begun providing international data transport services in Melbourne following the announcement of an agreement with Uecomm Limited, a fibre broadband carrier. The contract, the first for Sprint in Melbourne, is part of the company's continued Australasian expansion, with the Sydney IP node being established in 2001 and Auckland activated in early October 2002.
Sprint Managing Director Australia and New Zealand, David Eagle said the establishment of the Melbourne presence will benefit national and international Sprint customers. "Sprint is delighted to be able to provide Melbourne with faster and more reliable access to the world's Internet content and to world-class IPVPN capabilities," Eagle said. "Melbourne has long been home to some of Australia's leading multinational corporations (MNCs) and it is a market that Sprint has been exploring for some time," he said. "Sprint aims to provide superior service to the MNC and internet service provider (ISP) communities who call Melbourne home."
Uecomm Chief Executive Officer, Mr Peter McGrath said that the agreement with Sprint will benefit Uecomm's customers. "Our customer list is growing and working with Sprint we can enhance our high speed broadband and data Internet services by the inclusion of access to Sprint's international Internet traffic," he said.
Mr Eagle said Uecomm's support had been pivotal for Sprint's foray into the Melbourne market. "Our expansion throughout the globe has been determined by customer support and demand. Winning Uecomm as our first customer in Melbourne has been extremely important," he said.
"Uecomm will access Sprint services in both Melbourne and Sydney. We are very excited about the opportunity to serve more customers together through our complementary product offerings. Uecomm already provides us with a number of customer access links and we expect this number to grow into the foreseeable future."
The service offering in Melbourne will include:
Internet Protocol Virtual Private Networks (IPVPNs) - Sprint's global IPVPN service allows companies to take advantage of the Internet to connect with employees, customers, partners and suppliers worldwide. In supporting data, voice and video applications, it can help customers save on the high costs of traditional private networks without sacrificing quality or security.
SprintLink CPE Routers - Sprint provides customer premise equipment (CPE) routers and will source, install, configure, repair and replace customer routers when necessary.
Managed Network Service (MNS)- Sprint MNS, combined with SprintLink IP transport, allows customers to completely outsource the ongoing monitoring and configuration of the VPN devices comprising their network, so they can focus on their core business instead of their networking equipment.
Security Service - Sprint helps customers avoid network security breaches through firewall solutions, user authentication, antiviral software and Web filtering.
Sprint provides local enterprises, multinational companies, ISPs and carriers with a broad portfolio of voice, data and high-speed connectivity services that provide reach into most countries around the world. To meet the unprecedented demand for bandwidth and multiple network management services across the Asia-Pacific region, Sprint has recently upgraded its Asian backbone to include an STM-16 Pan-Asian Ring. Value-added services include global IPVPNs (Internet Protocol Virtual Private Networks), security solutions, multicasting and managed services. Sprint also provides Frame Relay and ATM services and International Private Lines (IPLs) to its customers.
About Sprint
Sprint is a global communications company serving more than 26 million business and residential customers in over 70 countries. With approximately 75,000 employees worldwide and more than US$26 billion in annual revenues, Sprint is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying state-of-the-art network technologies, including the United States' first nationwide all-digital, fiber-optic network and Sprint's award-winning Tier 1 Internet backbone. Sprint provides local voice and data services in 18 states and operates the largest 100-percent digital, nationwide PCS wireless network in the United States. www.sprintworldwide.com
