February 2, 2003
SYDNEY -- London-based Marconi has entered a Web phone reseller agreement with WebPoint, Australia's leading provider of public Internet access kiosks.
Under the agreement, WebPoint will begin discussions with a number of Australian companies interested in diversifying their communications revenue streams, according to a Marconi news release.
The Marconi Neptune 800 is a fixed broadband gateway with touchscreen technology. Potential installations will include hotels, train stations and sporting venues. Revenue channels include sponsored content channels, provision of high-speed Internet access, e-mail and short-messaging services and voice telephony.
Marconi Australasia managing director Paul Butcher said the product's ability to capitalize on sponsored content channels will appeal to potential purchasers.
"Traditional payphone revenues have been eroded by mobile phone uptake and are on the verge of being negligible without new income opportunities such as those delivered by the Neptune 800," Butcher said in the release.
WebPoint has installed more than 1,000 public Internet access kiosks since 1997.
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