The new Tokyo bridge will enhance the video conferencing services used by large enterprises operating in the Asia Pacific region. Formerly, video conferences were serviced by bridges in North America or Europe. Deploying a bridge in Japan brings a regional solution that is simpler and more cost effective than backhauling to the other bridges worldwide. The bridge provides service for the whole Asia Pacific region.
Video conferencing is an ISDN-based, multi-point bridging service and is part of the suite of services that will be offered worldwide by Global Crossing and Asia Global Crossing. Global Crossing and Asia Global Crossing are deploying parallel services offerings to ensure that multinational customers, regardless of location, will receive a consistent level of service.
Global Crossing operates in Japan through Asia Global Crossing, a public company whose largest shareholders include Global Crossing, Microsoft, and Softbank. As a company dedicated to fulfilling the Global Crossing vision in Asia, Asia Global Crossing brings regional expertise and access to customers, enabling superior conferencing services in a more cost-effective manner. In addition, to offer the highest level of service, take reservations, and assist with conferences, operators are fluent in Japanese.
"The new video conferencing bridge allows us to better serve multinational corporations with operations in the Asia Pacific region," said John Legere, chief executive officer, Asia Global Crossing. "Our decision to deploy video conferencing services in Japan was the direct outcome of customer feedback."
Global Crossing already has conferencing bridges in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom; each site can serve as backup for the other locations. Global Crossing Conferencing supports customers worldwide through audio and video call centers in Westminster, Lakeside, and Boulder, Colorado, Toronto and Montreal, Canada Glasgow Scotland, and London, England.
"As a global company we're committed to meeting the needs of our customers worldwide. Our entry into the Japanese market signifies our recognition of the need to extend video conferencing services to the Asia Pacific region," said Jay Homola, vice president of marketing, Global Crossing Conferencing.
About Asia Global Crossing
Asia Global Crossing (Nasdaq: AGCX), a public company whose largest shareholders include Global Crossing (NYSE: GX), Softbank (Tokyo Stock Exchange: 9984), and Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT), provides the Asia Pacific region with a full range of integrated telecommunications and IP services. Through a combination of undersea cables, terrestrial networks, city fiber rings and complex web hosting data centers, Asia Global Crossing is building one of the first truly pan-Asian networks, which, in combination with the worldwide Global Crossing Network, will provide the Asia Pacific region with seamless access to major business centers worldwide. As part of its strategy to provide city-to-city connectivity, Asia Global Crossing partners with leading companies in each country it connects to provide backhaul networks.
Assets of Asia Global Crossing include a 64.5 percent share of Pacific Crossing-1, a subsea system connecting the U.S. and Japan; 100 percent ownership of East Asia Crossing, an approximately 19,500-km fiber optic subsea system that upon completion will link Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, and China, as regulations permit; 50 percent ownership in Hutchison Global Crossing, the second largest fixed-line telecommunications service provider in Hong Kong; and 49 percent ownership of Global Access Limited, a terrestrial fiber optic system linking the major business centers in Japan; and 60 percent ownership in Asia Global Crossing Taiwan, a joint venture with Microelectronics Technology Inc. that will establish arrangements for a terrestrial network in Taiwan to connect with East Asia Crossing.
About Global Crossing
Global Crossing Ltd. provides integrated telecommunications solutions over the world's most extensive global IP-based fiber-optic network, which will have more than 100,000 route miles, reaching five continents, 27 countries and more than 200 major cities by mid-2001. Global Crossing serves many of
the world's largest corporations, providing a full range of managed data and voice products and services. Global Crossing operates throughout the Americas, Europe, and the Asia/Pacific region, and provides services in Asia through its subsidiary, Asia Global Crossing. Global Crossing Solutions provides integrated telecommunications solutions, including network outsourcing, to large global
enterprises. Please visit www.globalcrossing.com or www.asiaglobalcrossing.com for more information.
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Statements made in this press release that state the Company's or management's intentions, beliefs, expectations, or predictions for the future are forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks, assumptions and uncertainties that could cause
the Company's actual results to differ materially from those projected in such forward-looking statements. These risks, assumptions and uncertainties include: the ability to complete systems within currently estimated time frames and budgets; the ability to compete effectively in a rapidly evolving
and price competitive marketplace; changes in the nature of telecommunications regulation in the United States and other countries; changes in business strategy; the successful integration of newly-acquired businesses; the impact of technological change; and other risks referenced from time to time in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
ASIA GLOBAL CROSSING
Investor contact: Jensen Chow (Los Angeles CA), +1 310 385 5283, jensen.chow@asiaglobalcrossing.com.
Press contact: Madelyn Smith (Los Angeles CA), +1 310 385 3816, madelyn.smith@asiaglobalcrossing.com.
General information: Visit Asia Global Crossing at www.asiaglobalcrossing.com.
To be added/removed from Asia Global Crossing's e-mail distribution, please visit:
http://www.asiaglobalcrossing.com/investors/e_mail_distribution/index.htm
To be added/removed from Asia Global Crossing's fax distribution, please call +1 213 244 9031 or email agcxinvest@globalcrossing.com
GLOBAL CROSSING
Press contact: Shelly Tripp (Rochester NY), +1 716 777 6110, shelly_tripp@globalcrossing.com.
Investor contact: Ken Simril (Los Angeles CA), +1 310 385 5200, investors@globalcrossing.com.
General information: Visit Global Crossing at www.globalcrossing.com.