Infonet and Unisource Reach Agreement on AUCS

HOOFDDORP, Netherlands and EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (PROTEXT) - Infonet Services Corporation and Unisource NV today announced that they had reached an agreement whereby Infonet will be appointed to manage the business of AUCS Communications Services (AUCS). In addition AUCS' services will be provided via resale through Infonet. AUCS is the European based global services provider. The agreement follows a Memorandum of Understanding signed between Infonet and Unisource in April 1999. Under the terms of the agreement Infonet will fully manage the on-going AUCS business and its network operations. Work will begin immediately between Infonet and AUCS management and staff to define the full scope of the operational, product, service and network activities between the two companies. As these plans become more fully defined, details will be announced about future strategies and developments. The companies also emphasized that there will be the full co- operation of all parties to ensure that customers will continue to receive uninterrupted service provision and the highest levels of global support of their global communications network requirements. AUCS customers will gain immediate access to Infonet's extensive portfolio of products and services. The transaction will strengthen Infonet's position as a world leader in global communications services. Both Infonet and AUCS believe that they will benefit from the synergy of their respective product and service portfolios and from the increased growth potential of the businesses. Commented Jose A. Collazo, Chairman and President of Infonet, "I am pleased by this agreement and excited by the enormous potential it brings for the future. It is an important milestone for both Infonet and AUCS. Together we can build on the excellent reputation of AUCS as a provider of quality services to multinational enterprises based in Europe. Management control over AUCS will allow us to utilize the synergies in individual products, services and networks to the direct benefit of our current and future customers." Speaking on behalf of Unisource, Jules Delahaije, President and CEO said, "We believe this agreement is a significant achievement which will create a powerful player in global communications. It brings together the best of two experienced companies who have already created solid reputations with their customers for operational excellence and customer responsiveness. It is good for AUCS customers and for the future of the AUCS business. It provides the best guarantee for the continuity of service provision, it secures stability and it provides a clear future direction for the AUCS business and its customers." NOTE TO EDITORS AUCS Communications Services AUCS is a global communications service provider which offers international voice, data, Internet and messaging services to about 1,500 multinational enterprises based in Europe. The company is headquartered in Hoofddorp, The Netherlands, and has a staff of over 800 people. AUCS operates in 17 countries across Europe and provides a suite of state-of-the-art voice, data and Internet services. AUCS is a European market leader in Frame Relay and International Call Centre Services (ICCS) in addition to being a leading provider in Europe of Internet business services. With the departure of AT&T as a shareholder in July 1999, Unisource NV became the 100% owner of AUCS. News and information is available at http://www.aucs-europe.com Infonet Infonet(R) Services Corporation is a world leader in providing global communications services to multinational enterprises. Infonet provides Internet, intranet, ATM, electronic commerce and integrated voice/data solutions plus a full suite of messaging and collaborative products and services. Infonet's services are supported locally in more than 70 countries and territories around the world. The World Network(R) from Infonet is accessible terrestrially or via satellite worldwide. News and information are available at http://www.infonet.com . Unisource NV Unisource is a pan-European telecommunications group offering a broad range of services to providers and business customers in Europe. Unisource is owned equally by KPN of The Netherlands, Telia of Sweden and Swisscom of Switzerland. Today the Unisource group comprises DPlus, one of Germany's leading mobile services providers; SIRIS, one of France's national operators, based in Paris; Unisource Iberia, in Madrid; and Unisource Italia, in Milan. In July 1999, following AT&T's exit as a shareholder, Unisource also became the 100% owner of AUCS Communications Services. Unisource NV is based in Hoofddorp, The Netherlands. News and information are available at http://www.unisource.com . ots Original Text Service: Unisource NV Internet: http://www.newsaktuell.de Contact: Mike Radice of Infonet Services Corporation, 310-335-2875; or Lotta Rohman of Unisource NV, +31-23-568-6294 Web sites: http://www.unisource.com http://www.infonet.com Subscribers please note that material bearing the slug "PROTEXT" is not part of CTK's news service and is not to be published under the "CTK" slug. Protext is a commercial service providing distribution of press releases from clients, who are identified in the text of Protext reports and who bear full responsibility for their contents. PROTEXT