THE SINGTEL GROUP APPOINTED AS TOYOTA'S DATA COMMUNICATIONS PROVIDER IN ASIA PACIFIC

Optus and SingTel today announced that the SingTel Group has been chosen by Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota) to provide, manage and support Toyota's telecommunications network throughout the Asia Pacific. The contract will see the SingTel Group support Toyota's network using a managed IP-VPN network.

The Group's ConnectPlus IP-VPN which is based on Multi-Protocol Labeling Switching (MPLS) technologies, offers high security and allows customers to prioritise the delivery of data traffic using different classes of service.

MPLS also gives ConnectPlus IP-VPN the scalability to support up to tens of thousands of Virtual Private Networks (VPN). This will allow Toyota to communicate with multiple sites in real-time and enable more active communication among its users in the Asia Pacific region. In addition to data communications, SingTel will provide Toyota with international voice service over the same network.

Mr Chong Chin Kok, CEO (SingTel Global Offices), said: "SingTel is proud to be selected by Toyota. This is an endorsement from a world-class manufacturer of SingTel's reliability and capabilities, not just in our traditional hub of Singapore but also in Japan and across the Asia Pacific."

Chris Anderson, Chief Executive of Optus said: "Being part of the SingTel Group has led Optus to a range of regional opportunities such as this one with Toyota. Our ConnectPlus IP-VPN ensures that Toyota can reach its multiple sites in Asia Pacific."

SingTel has been enhancing its competitiveness to better serve multinational corporations in the region. This includes upgrading its ConnectPlus IP-VPN network to establish network hubs in Japan, Australia and Hong Kong, in addition to Singapore.

The regional market will increasingly be important for SingTel and Optus' corporate business, serving multi-national clients on a cross-border basis. SingTel expects that by FY 2005/06, as much as 30 per cent of its international data revenue will come from business generated by its overseas offices - including Australia, up from the current 10 to 12 per cent.

About SingTel - www.singtel.com
About Toyota - www.toyota.co.jp/en/index

Media contact:
Luisa Ford
Optus Corporate Affairs
Tel: (02) 9342 7850