World Online to launch its WAP services

World Online International, a leading pan-European internet communications company, said today that its South African joint venture Vodacom World Online plans to launch a portal and value added services for its Wireless Access Protocol (WAP) services, and intends using its South African joint venture`s knowledge and experience for the implementation of wireless Internet services throughout Europe.

WAP is a technology that provides access to the Internet content and services via cellphones.

"World Online South Africa will expose South Africans to state-of-the-art wireless services. The experience and knowledge gained in this way by our South African operation should be a tremendous boost for the skills-base in this country and will put South Africa on the wireless Internet map," said Nina Brink, founder and chairwoman of World Online International.

"World Online formed a joint venture with Vodacom in June 1999 to expand Vodacom`s Internet business and this latest development illustrates the benefits that are flowing to South Africa because of our association," said Joan Joffe, Group Executive - Corporate Affairs of Vodacom.

World Online already has numerous content and commerce partnerships in place for its website. Some partnerships are strictly South African, others are sourced via World Online International. Many partners are very keen to expand their cooperation from web into WAP. This will ensure a quick roll out of various services.

World Online South Africa`s WAP portal will host services such as e-mail, corporate directories and a wide variety of information services such as news and sports headlines, travel and financial information. These services will be expanded with transaction services that will enable people to purchase travel tickets, shares and more.

Mrs. Brink said that WAP will result in cellular phones becoming the portable information devices of the future, meaning the convergence of the Internet and cellular will become a reality.

"Cellphone usage has exploded because people prefer contacting a person rather than a place. Similarly, WAP usage will rocket as information becomes independent of location," said Mrs. Brink.

She said that World Online South Africa has already tested most of its content and applications during a WAP trial with Vodacom.

"The two companies have worked very closely together and we are very satisfied with the results of the trial," said Mrs. Brink.

She added that the joint venture between Vodacom and World Online International, to form World Online South Africa, is a remarkable partnership in the world between a large cellular network operator and a large Internet service provider.