Posted: 05/2000
News Briefs
* Newcomer Telera (www.telera.com), which was launched earlier this year as an ASP, is set to explore alternative channel marketing.
When founded, the company focused on direct selling to contact centers while partnering at the solution and application levels for lead generation, joint sales calls, joint marketing and customer support. Telera's core business model is designed for the convergence of the Internet and telecommunications. Its Intelligent Communication Servers utilize the ASP's IP VPN to deploy personalized voice and data services, rapid applications and complete customer control to contact centers.
Telera will expand its services into e-commerce and e-business markets as well. The solution eliminates most toll-free expenses and equipment by using IP. It also provides reliable network services with least-cost routing, high-quality VoIP, unified development and a scalable service platform.
Telera's distribution strategy will expand its initial direct sales initiative to include agents, ISPs, VARs, and other sales channels, to reach small to medium-sized businesses and Internet companies.
* Qwest Communications International Inc. (www.qwest.net), upon finalizing the proposed merger with US WEST Inc. (www.uswest.com), will divest itself of long-distance service and related business within US WEST's local region.
The existing Qwest agent program in this area will be offered services through proposed buyer Touch America Inc. (www.in-tch.com), the telecommunications subsidiary of the Montana Power Company (www.mtpower.com).
The divestiture, which will affect 14 western states, will be made to comply with FCC antimonopoly regulations. RBOCs and their affiliates are restricted from providing long-distance service in their local service area unless they meet all 14 points of Section 271 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996.
Touch America, pending closing negotiations and regulatory approvals, will purchase 1+ and related wholesale and private-line services from Qwest for approximately $200 million. The services are expected to generate $300 million in revenues per year from a customer base of 250,000. According to a source familiar with the sale, the existing Qwest agent program will be offered a seamless transition.
* Two-year-old iaxis (www.iaxis.com), a rapidly expanding value-added network service provider, continues to move forward into worldwide broadband deployment and Internet provisioning, and its national network services agents will be offered a piece of the pie.
The company has unveiled an extensive global network expansion of its broadband services to Asia and the United States through capacity-sharing agreements, and it will roll out a suite of web-based products and services.
The company will service a global customer base that encompasses more than 56,000 miles, 205 cities and 25 countries.
iaxis' customer base already includes heavy hitters such as Deutsche Telekom AG (www.dtag.com) and Telenor AS (www.telenor.com) in the European market. It hopes to duplicate that success in the United States while it tailors its strategy to the unique market channels available.
"An agent channel will form part of our indirect sales plan that is an integral part of our U.S. strategy," says Brett Vorley, iaxis' London-based vice president of alternate channel sales.
* Showing its commitment to emerging network technology and new data products, Global Crossing Ltd. (www.globalcrossing.com) has announced a regional frame relay product for voice and data.
The carrier states that its Zoned Frame Relay solution will expand its agents' product portfolios and offer additional opportunities within the sale.
Global Crossing now offers viable intraLATA communications over Zoned Frame Relay, a proprietary private network that the provider carries on its fiber optic backbone.
Global Crossing believes agents will benefit from Zoned Frame Relay's built-in scalability. Notably a cost-effective local solution, Zoned Frame Relay integrates seamlessly with Global Crossing's long distance frame relay products, meaning that all voice and data communications can be undertaken on the same network.
