 IDT Acquires European Patent Rights for Pre-Paid Calling Cards
Deal Bolster's IDT's Strategic Position in Billion Dollar Market
HACKENSACK, NJ -- October 30, 1997 -- IDT Corporation (NASDAQ:
IDTC) today announced that it has negotiated an agreement to receive
income derived from a master patent covering pre-paid calling cards
throughout Europe. Under the agreement, the Company is entitled
to receive royalties from all companies selling pre-paid calling
cards in Europe who take a license under the patent or against which
the patent is successfully enforced. Phone companies using or intending
to use the patented process can negotiate to receive credit towards
their royalty obligations by purchasing telecommunications services
from IDT. This is anticipated to be attractive to European carriers
in that it will enable them to fulfill demand for their services
without raising total costs, and in most cases, will actually cut
them. It is expected this will greatly accelerate the growth of
IDTís carrier business from Europe.
"IDT has already established itself as a leader in pre-paid
calling cards in the U.S., and we look forward to emerging as a
dominant player in the European market," said IDTís
CEO Howard Jonas. "Not only does our carrier network give us
the best available international rates, but now it looks like all
our competitors will have to sit up and take notice. This is a real
home run ñ a bit like winning the Grand National."
Under the patent agreement, IDT is entitled to grant sub-licenses
with respect to applicable pre-paid calling cards in Europe. Consequently,
current pre-paid calling card companies and prospective pre-paid
calling card vendors who are using or intend to use the patented
process can apply for a sub-license from IDT. IDT is able to bring
the pre-paid calling card technology to Europe due to its extensive
telecommunications infrastructure as well as its own facilities-based
switch in London with C7 signaling.
"This is an innovative step by IDT to establish itself in
the European marketplace," said Christopher Hoyle of Rakisons,
a well-established international practice specializing in gaining
licenses for new telecommunications operators. "Technological
change is leading to ever more inventive ways to provide telecom
services. IDT is to be congratulated for seeking to highlight that
protection of intellectual property rights is crucial to ensuring
the benefit of these enhancements flows to consumers in the form
of better services and cheaper phone bills."
The Company will also be selling its own discounted pre-paid calling
card throughout Europe. IDT Global Limited Calling Cards will be
available for purchase throughout Europe at newsstands and kiosks.
IDT Corporation is a diversified telecommunications company with
seven years of innovation within the international telecommunications
arena. The Company provides international long distance services
to individuals and businesses in over 225 countries and directly
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 and Internet services, and
prepaid calling cards. The Company is also a leader in Internet
Telephony, with its Net2Phone product - the first commercial telephone
service to bridge live calls between the Internet and telephones.
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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