WorldxChange targets lucrative Asian market

Business Asia, April 5, 1999

As part of a continually aggressive expansion push into the Asia-Pacific region, WorldxChange Communications has been promoting its lowest rates yet to China and Hong Kong.

In a campaign that has just ended, the lower rates applied for 24 hours. Calls could be made to China for as little as 75 cents per minute, or as low as 30 cents per minute to Hong Kong.

A key component of the campaign was the WorldxChange Maxisaver plan, which allowed residential customers a further 15 per cent off the company's standard rates.

The push into Asia is ongoing, according to the company's chief executive officer Mr Richard Vincent.

"Since becoming the WorldxChange headquarters for the Asia-Pacific region in October (1998), we have been consistently developing close ties with Asia and have been successful in negotiating lower prices to this region. We are able to pass the savings we receive onto our customers."

The company has established offices in Japan and has applied for licences in Hong Kong, Taiwan and South Korea.

In addition to the Asia-Pacific expansion, WorldxChange is experiencing strong growth within Australia and has aggressive plans in place for the launch of further regional switch sites across Australia.

A switch site and office was launched in Cairns recently, complementing switch sites in Townsville, Mackay and Rockhampton. Additional switch sites are progressively coming on line at Albury/Wodonga, Bendigo, Geelong, Hobart, Lismore and the Sunshine Coast.

WorldxChange is an aggressive player in the telecommunications market, offering discounted telephone calls and associated products.

The international operation, WorldxChange Inc, is based in San Diego in the US, and has subsidiaries in Australia, Canada, Latin America, Europe, Africa and the Asia-Pacific region.

Since its inception in 1995, the Australian subsidiary has been expanding rapidly. A rollout of up to 50 switches will be completed by the end of this year.

WorldxChange announced last October that it had chosen Sydney as its key Asia-Pacific hub, and Australia will run the headquarters for the Asia-Pacific region.