NTT to expand data-service

NTT to expand data-service

TOKYO (Dow Jones): Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp (NTT) plans to expand the area for international data communication services offered by its overseas subsidiaries, company sources said in the Nihon Keizai Shimbun's Monday morning edition.

The move is aimed at boosting presence in Southeast Asian and other major markets prior to the July split of the telecom giant that will allow the start of a full-fledged overseas communication service, the sources said.

NTT Worldwide Telecommunications Corp will ally with the Communication Authority of Thailand to begin frame-relay transmission for high-speed data communication this month.

In Malaysia, NTT MSC SDN BHD is to begin offering frame-relay transmissions and leased phone lines by June through a linkup with Telekom Malaysia Berhad.

NTT began frame-relay service in Indonesia in November jointly with PT Indonesian Satellite Corp. In Brazil, another wholly owned NTT subsidiary is due to begin data communication and other overseas services by June, the sources said.