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 IDT Signs Operating Agreement With Large Chilean Carrier
Company Continues Worldwide Expansion Plans as It Signs New
Operating Agreement and Links the U.S. to South America
Hackensack, NJ.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 15, 1997--As part of the
Company's strategy to forge pacts with the world's leading telecommunications
providers, IDT Corporation (NASDAQ: IDTC - news) announced today
that it has signed an operating agreement with a large carrier in
Chile to establish a direct fiber-optic connection between the companies
for international long distance service. The new link will connect
IDT's international switch in the U.S. with the carrier's switch
in Chile, and will enable the Company to provide better access and
lower termination rates to a number of countries throughout South
America. ``Securing this agreement in South America is a very important
step for IDT and underlies our goal to interconnect with facilities
worldwide and expand our own network,'' said IDT's President Jim
Courter. ``After successfully procuring operating agreements throughout
Europe, IDT has now begun its expansion into South America, which
will result in reduced terminating rates, increased margins, and
overall expansion of our network capabilities.'' The agreement establishes
direct channels between the Chilean international switching points
and IDT's facilities in the United States. The agreement with follows
on the heels of IDT's network expansion in Europe and the company's
emergence as a carrier of choice around the world. In Europe, IDT
already has established a strong presence in the UK with its facilities-based
switch, and has purchased more than 12,000 km of undersea cable
connecting the US, Canada, and UK. The Company already has numerous
operating agreements with carriers worldwide, and plans to continue
the worldwide network expansion as well as joint partnerships and
operating agreements. IDT Corporation is a diversified telecommunications
company with seven years of innovation within the international
telecommunications arena offering a variety of wholesale and retail
services. The Company routes and resells international long distance
services to individuals and businesses in over 225 countries and
to telecommunications carriers in the US and overseas. The Company
currently has over 400,000 retail customers using an array of services
including international long distance, Internet, and Internet telephony
services. The Company is a leader in Internet telephony, routing
telephone calls over the Internet at substantially reduced rates.
Except for historical information, all of the expectations and assumptions
contained in the foregoing are forward-looking statements involving
risks and uncertainties. Important factors that could cause actual
results to differ materially from such forward-looking statements,
include, but are not limited to, the competitive environment for
Internet telephony, changes of rates of all related telco rates
and services, legislation that may affect the Internet Telephony
industry, IDT's ability to operate the services described on a large
scale commercial level. For additional information regarding these
and other risks associated with the Company's business refer to
the Company's reports filed with the SEC.
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