Port.ru Awards $1 Million Hardware Contract To IBM

Business Wire, Sept 12, 2000

Business Editors/High Tech Writers

MOSCOW & NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 12, 2000

Russian Internet Portal Takes Major Step Towards Building Platform

For Connecting Russian Speakers Globally

Port.ru, a leading Russian Internet portal, today announced it is awarding a $1 million contract in hardware equipment purchases and servicing to IBM.

The systems will be used to support Port.ru's delivery of new content and services to a potential market of 300,000,000 Russian speakers worldwide, who comprise the world's fourth largest language group. The purchase marks a major technology advance for the developing Russian Internet, more commonly known as the RuNet.

The acquisition will include more than 130 Netfinity servers built with Intel Pentium III processors and telecommunications equipment from Cisco. The system will allow for a high level and quality of service to reach the rapidly growing number of RuNet users.

"With this purchase of IBM hardware, Port.ru will have the most advanced system infrastructure on the Russian Internet today", said Eugene Goland, Port.ru's Chief Executive Officer. "As the only true portal and largest content and service provider on the Russian Internet today, this transaction allows us to build the technological foundation to link Russian speakers from every corner of the world online and deliver unique and interesting content specifically for this growing global community."

"We attach great importance to our agreement with Port.ru, the leading Internet company in Russia," announced Penko Dinev, General Director of IBM Eastern Europe/Asia. "We are extremely impressed with the number of successful ventures that Port.ru has implemented in a relatively short period of time. Today nearly one out of every two Russian Internet (RuNet) users employs Port.ru's services, whether for virtual communications e-commerce or for up-to-the-minute information about products and services. We are delighted that IBM's latest solutions in the area of network technology will serve Port.ru's infrastructure developments and extend the development of the Russian Internet."

About Port.ru, Inc.(www.port.ru)

Port.ru, Inc. is a leading Internet portal company offering Russian-language Internet users worldwide a suite of online communications, e-commerce and media services with a Russian-language interface. The company evolved from the success of Mail.ru, the first and largest Russian-language web-based e-mail service, which was created in November 1998 by the U.S. company, DataArt Enterprises, Inc. In 1999, Port.ru was spun off from DataArt Enterprises, Inc. and incorporated in the U.S. The company currently maintains offices in Moscow, New York City and St. Petersburg, Russia and serves nearly two million subscribers, which, as of June 2000, represented half of all Russian-language Internet users.

Port.ru's properties:

Mail. ru (www.mail.ru)-- is Port.ru's flagship service. It is the Russian-language Internet's largest web-based e-mail service. First introduced in 1998, it has since been the core engine behind the firm's comprehensive portfolio of Internet and e-commerce properties.

Internet.ru (www.internet.ru) -- is a daily online publication covering Internet and industry-related developments (similar to Wired.com). Internet.ru offers more than 15 daily editorials, opinion pieces, interviews, as well as a news ticker showing the latest breaking developments from all over the world.

Base.ru (www.base.ru) -- is the Cyrillic version of MyPhoneBook.com, a free and easy-to-use online personal organizer with multi-functional capabilities like calendaring, an address book and other scheduling features. Adapted specifically for Port.ru, this software is one of the best web-based organizers available worldwide.

Postcards (www.postcards.port.ru) -- is a leading virtual postcard site, according to the most prominent Russian-based Internet rating service.

List.port.ru (www.list.port.ru) -- is a popular news-on-demand service available free by e-mail.

Travel.ru (www.travel.com) -- is one of the Russian-language Internet's most popular destinations for travel and tourism information as ranked by the most prominent Russian-based Internet rating service.

Netmenu.ru (www.netmenu.ru; www.restorator.ru)-- is a popular online guide to restaurants in Moscow and St. Petersburg, Russia.

Talk.ru (www.talk.ru) -- is a "chat" portal that allows communities and individuals to converse and create online clubs.

Rating.port.ru (rating.port.ru) -- is a rating of Russian-language Internet sites with a current listing of nearly 30,000.

Top200.ru (www.top200.ru) -- is a guide to the top Internet sites on the RuNet.

Music.ru (www.music.ru) -- is a music portal that was recently enhanced to meet growing demand.

Chat.Talk.ru (www.chat.talk.ru) -- is an easy-to-navigate chat site, affording users valuable and easy communications.

Rabota.ru (www.rabota.ru) -- is a database for jobs and careers that features both employment openings and resumes.

Autoport.ru (www.autoport.ru) -- is an automobile portal for those interested in all aspects of the car industry.