OPTUS EXTENDS ONLINE TRADING

Optus today announced the successful integration of its e-commerce platform, CWO MarketSite, with SupplyNet, a leading e-marketplace in New Zealand.

The integration is part of Optus' commitment to the expansion of e-commerce and is a key milestone in the development of the Global Trading Web' in the Asia Pacific Region.

The Global Trading Web is the world's largest business-to-business trading community with potential to access over 150 e-marketplaces and more than 150,000 linked suppliers.

Interoperability means customers registered with one e-marketplace can trade online with suppliers, customers, or partners linked to other e-marketplaces around the world.

The Global Trading Web already offers CWO MarketSite customers seamless trade opportunities with Singapore businesses through the SESAMi e-marketplace. Today's announcement further extends the reach of CWO MarketSite to New Zealand businesses.

"Now customers connected to CWO MarketSite will be able to extend their trading opportunities and expand their business reach with companies in Singapore and New Zealand," said Chris Hancock, Managing Director of Data and Business Services at Optus.

One of the reasons businesses initially joined CWO MarketSite was cost reduction, however Optus has already conducted many transactions and online auctions where criteria other than price was the determining factor of a deal.

"The philosophy of conducting business on a common platform is driving the deployment of the Global Trading Web," Mr Hancock said.

"Our model is not based on the aggregation of buyers trying to reduce the margins of suppliers. We provide an end-to-end trading solution where buyers and suppliers derive value through increased efficiency across the entire procurement cycle."

CWO MarketSite continues to extend its international credentials and recently conducted a freight-forwarding auction for Cable & Wireless in Jamaica. The winning bidder was able to provide total savings of 28 per cent (equivalent to $A1.5 million) for Cable & Wireless Jamaica.

For more information:
Melissa Favero
Cable & Wireless Optus
Ph: +61 2 9342 5030