Seven major Internet service providers have reached an agreement to launch an Internet global alliance in order to help each company expand to new markets around the world.
The ISPs include EarthLink (EarthLink, US), Netvigator (Pacific Century CyberWorks, Hong Kong), @nifty (NIFTY Corporation/Fujitsu , Japan), SingNet (SingNet, Singapore), T-Online (T-Online International, Germany), Unitel (Unitel/Samsung, Korea), UOL (Universo Online, Brazil).
It will be the first ever case where ISPs form an alliance on a worldwide basis. The seven ISPs (consisting of nine companies) cover Asia, Europe and the America with a combined number of over 20 million subscribers.
The agreement is meant to foster collaboration around areas such as roaming services, content and e-commerce. The alliance also plans to hold periodic meetings to exchange the latest information about each local market,marketing strategy and technology.
A primary goal of the alliance is to enhance and enrich Internet services, as well as to open up more opportunities for content providers and business partners on a global basis.
The alliance also plans to develop new services and technologies that may lead to the creation of international Internet standards.
