NetworkIP Announces Prepaid Internet Access Solution - Brief Article

Information Superhighways Newsletter, May, 2001

NetworkIP, an e-application access and exchange provider of converged voice and data services, announced the launch of e.Prepaid Internet. e.Prepaid Internet is an e-mail capable dial-up Internet service sold by distributors through retail supply channels, similar to a prepaid phone card. The product allows the prepaid card distributor to add a prepaid Internet product, critical to their portfolio, with no additional back office or capital investment. This stored value product allows users to expend value as they actually use the service versus traditional Internet services, which charge high monthly fees even if the subscriber does not have any usage.

NetworkIP has partnered with a tier-one carrier to provide a nationwide infrastructure for prepaid dial-up Internet access using the fastest, most robust backbone in the industry. Local dialed e.Prepaid Internet access covers 90 percent of the US population. Toll-free access is also available to ensure the remaining 10 percent of users have access to a clean, fast connection. The product can be sold as a standalone card, but a highly demanded reusable mini-CD-ROM is now available to allow ultra-fast, easy loading of the product and key programs.

San Diego, California-based WEBcard Technologies Inc. will provide the development and content on a miniature CD-ROM for each distributor with private branding to their specifications. The WEB card CD, which is a business card-sized CD-ROM, provides the consumer with the means to an easy-to-use method of delivery to download the dialer and setup e-mail.

e.Prepaid Internet is fully integrated with the same Web-based service interfaces as NetworkIP's other superior prepaid services. The distributor controls all service charges, round-ups, and card expiration. Another key feature of this product is that the distributor can also combine e.Prepaid Internet with any combination of NetworkIP prepaid calling cards, long distance, and audio conferencing on the same card, using the same PIN. Multiple products on the same PIN mean greater profit per user, improved retention, and larger potential revenue per card.