NETSCAPE TAKES MAJOR STEPS TO INCREASE ITS ONLINE PRESENCE IN EUROPE
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., and PARIS (October 14, 1996) -- Netscape Communications Corporation (NASDAQ: NSCP) today announced plans to further expand its Web site offerings for the European market with the installation of European Web and software download sites and the creation of a European General Store.
Netscape is installing FTP and HTTP sites across Europe in order to improve European access time and reliability. These sites will permit more rapid access to the Netscape Web site and allow faster software downloading. Recent independent studies from PC-Meter and Nielsen's I/PRO show that the Netscape site remains the most popular site on the Web, and that it has reached a new record, topping 100 million hits per day. Netscape Navigator, with more than 40 million users, remains the world's most popular Internet client software.
The first Netscape FTP mirror site was installed in Paris, where Netscape is using France Telecom's services, and there are plans to install sites in London and Munich in the upcoming months. Netscape also plans to enable software download from key Master Distributors partners' Web sites, where in the future users will also be able to download the recently announced AppFoundry applications. The following partners are planning to take part in this program: Azlan Limited in the U.K., Nocom in Sweden, ICON Computing Limited in Hungary, Instrumatic Data Systems in Switzerland, Softline GmbH in Germany, AB Computers in Belgium, Solsuni in Portugal and PF1 Systems Ltd. in Israel. There are presently 21 FTP sites in Europe.
"In order to help meet the demand generated by the ever growing European Internet traffic, Netscape is moving swiftly to further develop its network infrastructure and working with other players to help them do likewise," said Didier Benchimol, vice president of European sales at Netscape.
Following the success of the U.S.-Canadian General Store and responding to substantial European demand, Netscape also announced the opening of the European General Store, an online store that focuses on selling Netscape products and merchandise to all countries in Europe including Russia, and many more throughout the Middle East and Africa. For the first time, European end users will be able to make online purchases of Netscape Navigator software (including the newly released Netscape Navigator 3.0 and Netscape Navigator Gold 3.0 software) in three languages (French, German and English) and in three European currencies (French francs, British pounds, German marks). Netscape is offering free shipping for products purchased through the European General Store in October as part of this opening.
Netscape Communications Corporation is a premier provider of open software for linking people and information over enterprise networks and the Internet. The company offers a full line of clients, servers, development tools, and commercial applications to create a complete platform for next-generation, live online applications. Traded on NASDAQ under the symbol "NSCP," Netscape Communications Corporation is based in Mountain View, California. Netscape Communications European headquarters are located in Paris.
Additional information on Netscape Communications Corporation is available on the Internet at http://home.netscape.com or by sending email to info@netscape.com.
Netscape, Netscape Communications, the Netscape Communications Corporation logo, Netscape Navigator and Netscape Navigator Gold are trademarks of Netscape Communications Corporation.