MCI WorldCom Becomes the Third-Largest Investor In the First Broadband Submarine Cable in Asia SINGAPORE, April 19 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ -- MCI WorldCom announced today it is the third-largest investor in a group or world leaders in the telecommunications industry to build the first self-healing broadband fiber optic submarine cable in the Asia Pacific region known as the Asia Pacific Cable Network-2 (APCN-2). The total cost of the cable system paid by all consortium members is about US$800 million. The agreement to build the cable system was signed by leading telecommunications companies this week in Singapore, where MCI WorldCom became the first U.S. carrier to receive a license to lay its own network less than a month ago. The 19,000 km APCN-2 cable system, expected to be completed by September 30, 2001, will connect: Japan, Korea, China and Hong Kong, Taiwan, Philippines, Malaysia and Singapore. Besides serving the Asia Pacific Region, the cable system will also provide seamless interconnection with other major oceanic cable networks for USA, Europe, Australia and other parts of Asia. The APCN-2 cable system is expected to commence carrying commercial traffic by October 2001. "More capacity in the region will allow MCI WorldCom to bring competition benefits to our customers," said Seth Blumenfeld, president, International Services and Correspondent, MCI WorldCom. "Today's multimillion investment supports MCI WorldCom's bullish outlook in Asia and our aggressive network strategy," he added. "By opening our advanced Operations Center in Hong Kong, our recently awarded Singapore FBO license and today's announcement to build the first self-healing broadband optical fiber submarine system in Asia, the company is moving at the speed of light to enable our customers," said Bill Barney, president Asia Pacific, MCI WorldCom. "Locally, regionally and globally MCI WorldCom is bringing Asia Pacific to the digital generation." The Supply contract for the construction of the APCN-2 cable system will be signed today between the APCN-2 and NEC Corporation of Japan in Singapore. The APCN-2 cable system is designed to provide 2.56 Tbs and Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) technology to provide upgradeable, future-proof transmission facilities that support Internet and e-commerce. In addition, the APCN-2 cable system will have a 'self-healing ring configuration' with four fiber-optic pairs, equipped with greater network resilience and route diversity. This is important for businesses that require uninterrupted telecommunications network. The APCN-2 cable system will lead to a multi-fold increase in telecommunications cable capacity in the Asia-Pacific region. The APCN-2 cable system, with its large bandwidth and high quality transmission technology, will meet the present and future burgeoning growth in telecommunications traffic. MCI WorldCom (Nasdaq: WCOM) is a global leader in "all-distance" communications services with operations in more than 65 countries. Revenues in 1999 were $37 billion, with more than $15 billion from high-growth data, Internet and international services. MCI WorldCom and Sprint have announced a merger agreement, which the companies expect to close in the second half of 2000 after regulatory and shareholder approvals. For more information go to http://www.wcom.com. SOURCE MCI WorldCom CONTACT: Manuel Wernicky of MCI WorldCom, 770-280-7120 Web site: http://www.wcom.com