[14 JAN 99] MARCONI
COMMUNICATIONS PRESS RELEASE
Coventry Firm Attack US$100M Brazil MarketGPT
Payphone Systems a division of Coventry-based Marconi Communications, and DARUMA, Brazil's
leading payphone supplier, have signed a collaboration agreement to enable them to attack
the US$100m Brazilian payphone market and other opportunities in South America.
As part of a fixed network privatisation programme (PASTE),
the Brazilian Government is set to double the number of payphones from 500,000 to over a
million in a three year timescale. This represents over 100,000 payphones per year.
This collaboration agreement is the first in a series of
agreements to be entered into over the next three months and is seen as a major
breakthrough for GPT Payphone Systems in Brazil - the largest telecoms market in South
America. GPT have already supplied nearly 200,000 payphones into Central and South
America, but these have been to countries other than Brazil.
Mexico alone has nearly 70,000 GPT payphones, with
Argentina, Venezuela, Chile and Colombia sharing over 50,000 between them.
"DARUMA are keen to develop a new payphone, to a
specification not yet seen in Brazil, and with the market changes we face in the future an
all-payment payphone is seen as the ideal solution"
said Paolo Villasco, Marketing Director at DARUMA.
"We believe GPT Payphone Systems and DARUMA have the
expertise and capabilities to develop a payphone which will put DARUMA and GPT at the
forefront of the Brazilian payphone market for many years to come".
DARUMA is the market leader in Brazil, with over 35% market
share, and unique products to address the Brazilian market. GPT Payphone Systems has a
complete portfolio of public payphones and management systems which they supply to
customers all over the world. The two companies will jointly develop a total public
payphone solution to meet the needs of the Brazilian market.
The GPT range of intelligent payphone solutions is designed
to suit all market needs, in street, semi-supervised and fully supervised locations such
as bars, restaurants, and hotels. The payphones are supported by a complete range of
cashless calling and payphone management systems, giving customers the benefit of single
source supply for all their requirements.
With over 100 customers in more than 80 countries, GPT
Payphone Systems is one of the world's foremost suppliers of payphones, management
systems, vending systems and cards.
GPT Payphone Systems is a division of Marconi
Communications, world leader in smart broadband transmission and network integration. It
was formed by the merger of GPT Limited, Marconi SpA, GEC Hong Kong and other businesses
wholly owned by GEC, a global manufacturer of intelligent electronic systems.
NOTES
DARUMA is Brazil's leading Public Payphone manufacturer and
supplier. They have over 26 years of experience in the telecommunications markets of Latin
America. The company became international during 1989 through an association with Italian
company Urmet S.pA - Construzioni Elettro Telefoniche, a leading European
telecommunications provider.
The Sapphire Payphone is the world's leading intelligent
payphone. Its strengths are its strong robust modular structure and aesthetic design
features. The Sapphire also stands out as being 'user friendly', with easy to follow
instructions and a large display screen - and is available in three specifications.
Sapphire All-payment is a combined coin and Cardphone that
can recognise up to 12 different coins and also accept the same cards as the Sapphire Card
Payphone. For added convenience, different payment methods can be combined to pay for the
same call.
MORE INFORMATION: Marconi Communications Press Office 0115 9433687
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