NetCall extends e-commerce expertise to South Africa

NETCALL LICENSES E-COMMERCE LINKS FOR
SOUTH AFRICA

Netcall, the developer and service provider of customer response solutions for e-commerce, will extend its global reach in April when it registers the first transactions via a major distribution agreement in South Africa.

The agreement with M&S Technologies of Johannesburg signals NetCalls first major licence deal outside its core European and US markets.

M&S Technologies has purchased a NetCall application node to give businesses in South Africas burgeoning electronic economy easy, affordable access to a broad range of e-commerce and telebusiness services. The node will enable NetCall services to be deployed remotely from the UK and charged to M&S customers at local telephony rates.

The development will offer businesses in South Africas expanding e-commerce sector a competitive edge and the ability to trade more effectively in global markets. South Africa has approximately one million internet users, a number that is rising rapidly each month. The M&S deal will make NetCalls popular call management and e-commerce response services available on subscription without the need for any additional hardware or software investment.

Commenting on the agreement, Thamsanqa Radebe, managing director of M&S Technologies says, We aim to become Africas preferred supplier of e-trade, desktop, networking and internet business solutions. As a 'black empowerment enterprise, M&S has strong backing in its quest to provide leading-edge IT solutions to the new generation of South African businesses."

He continues, NetCall is an ideal partner for us. It is the world leader in its field, but more importantly it was prepared to go the extra mile to support our needs and demonstrated the in-depth industry knowledge and marketing experience to support a successful launch programme."

David Rothschild, chief executive of NetCall says, In addition to the initial sale of a node, NetCall will benefit from telephony revenues as call traffic develops. By licensing a partner to resell NetCall services in this way, the agreement
marks a significant advance in NetCalls global strategic development. It will provide a model for similar agreements worldwide."

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About NetCall

NetCall develops and delivers customer response solutions for e-commerce that can entirely change the way a company deals with its customers. NetCall enables businesses to radically improve customer service and capture response to online, WAP, TV and print-based communications by instantly connecting people to someone they can talk to, at anytime in real time. NetCall's HyperPhone LinkTM technology is a powerful interactive toolset that can initiate a live phone call and capture customer data from any digital stimulus.

NetCall applications are low-cost, reliable and scalable; they integrate easily within any existing telephony and IT environment with no need for additional software and hardware. The company uses its proprietary software to manage calls across its international network of servers and telephony nodes situated in the UK, USA and South Africa.

Over 2000 companies subscribe to NetCall's services. The company has OEM relationships with IT partners to develop new applications. Its solutions span many vertical market sectors including retail, travel, leisure, call centres, financial services, distribution and logistics, TV and classified advertising.

NetCall achieved highest ranking of any technology company in the latest (March 2000) Bain & Company/Management Today e25 index of European e-commerce.

NetCalls European headquarters and R&D centre are based near Cambridge UK. NetCalls North American HQ is in Boston, USA. The company is listed on the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) of the London Stock Exchange.

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