Business & Finance

ninemsn/Microsoft in portal licence deal with Telecom New Zealand

May 11th, 2001

ninemsn, Australia's leading online network, and Microsoft today announced a licensing deal with Telecom New Zealand (TCNZ) which enables the establishment of a new joint portal, combining TCNZ's popular Internet portal Xtra with the leading MSN portal in New Zealand.

The new Web portal - part of Microsoft's NZ$300 million investment package in TCNZ announced today - will be branded as XtraMSN.

It will incorporate leading global MSN services and technologies such as MSN Hotmail, MSN Messenger and MSN Search with a wide range of local content and services currently available from Xtra.

"We have a proven business model that has translated into commercial success in the Australian market. Now XtraMSN will be applying the same winning formula to the New Zealand online audience," said ninemsn Chief Executive Officer Mr Steve Vamos.

"This five-year licensing deal means that we will be generating revenue for ninemsn and our joint shareholders - Microsoft and ecorp Limited - from day one."

ninemsn is Australia's number-one website destination, and captures the largest Australian online audience of more than four million unique visitors each month (source: Red Gauge).

ninemsn has a leading position in the online Australian advertising market, breaking new ground in providing the most attractive website for traditional offline blue-chip companies to advertise with online.