WorldCom unveils e-biz strategy in Asia

To do this, the company will leverage on its global IP and data network assets, and continue to set up new data centers in the region.

President of WorldCom Asia Pacific William Barney said in a statement that as the region’s demand for new data and Internet-based technologies continue to grow rapidly, WorldCom is "responding with…new products, (and) strengthening the region's most complete portfolio of advanced IP-based business services".

Among its key products is its suite of pre-packaged managed hosting solutions for large and multinational firms, which can purportedly reduce the time, cost and technical support needed to jump-start customers’ online e-businesses.

Initially available in Japan, this suite will be introduced to Hong Kong and Australia later. No date has been given.

WorldCom will also embark on the expansion of its IP networking services with the introduction of its Private IP Service in July. This will enable companies to communicate across a secure private IP backbone--using their existing ATM or Frame Relay infrastructure connections--to build IP-based intranets and extranets.

It will initially be available in Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Singapore, Taiwan before it is extended to the Philippines, Malaysia and India later this year.

Barney added that WorldCom will also be relying on its “unmatched network assets” and industry expertise to drive its business expansion, citing its metropolitan data and voice networks in various cities such as Tokyo, Osaka, Sydney, Melbourne and Singapore. In addition, it is a major owner of bandwidth in global undersea cable routes and maintains Network Operations Centers in Hong Kong, the Netherlands and the US.