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PNCC is pleased to make the following announcements:


PNCC
Palau National
Communications
Corp.

Post Office Box 99
Koror, Palau 96940
Phone: 680-587-9000
FAX: 680-587-1888
EMAIL: pncc@palaunet.com


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                               Contact: Henry Saiske
June 5, 2002                                                                           Phone: 488-9176/9174

Prepaid Cellular Service Debuts in Palau

Airai, Palau.  Palau National Cellular Inc (PNC), which became a wholly owned division of Palau National Communications Corporation (PNCC) on June 1, 2002, introduced prepaid cellular service to Palau this week.  The new service offers cellular airtime rates as low as 15 cents a minute.  Prepaid cellular phones can be used in PNC’s entire service area from Kayangel to Angaur.  

Prepaid cellular service uses a special prepaid “AIRTIME” card, which works like PNCC’s Debusch prepaid phone card.   Prepaid cellular service is very easy to use and worry-free.  There are no contracts to sign, no monthly bills, no security deposits, and no credit checks.   All you need is a cellular phone to get started.  Then you just buy AIRTIME cards as needed, so you can control your cellular costs easily.

Customers who want to try the new service just bring a cellular phone to the PNC office next toTree-D Hotel in Koror, where it will be activated and programmed for prepaid cellular service.  All first time activations include $5 worth of free AIRTIME value, so you can start making calls right away.   Then you buy an AIRTIME card, scratch off the label to see your card number, and enter that number on your cellular phone to “recharge” your prepaid cellular account. 

Phones can be purchased at PNCC in Koror and Airai and customers signing up for PNC cellular service get a $30 discount off the retail price of the phone.   Now that PNC is part of PNCC, cellular phones and accessories will soon be sold at the PNC office too.

The activation fee for prepaid cellular service is $20 and the programming fee is $25.   Programming is free through July 31, 2002 for existing PNC customers in good standing who want to switch to prepaid service.  AIRTIME cards are sold in denominations of $10, $25, and $50.  Currently AIRTIME cards are sold at the PNC office, and PNCC plans to make them available wherever Debusch cards are sold to make the service as convenient as possible.

“It’s like filling up your car with gas,”  said Henry Saiske, PNC Manager.  “You buy $10 worth of cellular airtime and then recharge your phone with the $10, and make calls until the $10 is used up.  Then just buy another card (like another tank of gas) for your phone so you can keep making calls.” 

For more information please visit any PNCC office, including Palau National Cellular, and ask for the Prepaid Cellular Service brochure, or call 488-9174 during regular business hours.

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PNCC
Palau National
Communications
Corp.

Post Office Box 99
Koror, Palau 96940
Phone: 680-587-9000
FAX: 680-587-1888
EMAIL: pncc@palaunet.com


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                     Contact: Ed Carter
May 28, 2002                                                                                             587-9000

Internet Domain “.pw” for Palau to be Launched

 Airai, Palau. Palau National Communications Corporation (PNCC) and Power Domain, Inc., a joint venture corporation created by MIDCORP and Merce, Inc. of Japan, have just entered into an agreement  to manage and develop the Internet Domain name .pw for Palau.

In an Internet address – such as palaunet.com – the .com part is known as a Generic Top Level Domain, or gTLD.  There are several gTLD’s, including COM, EDU, GOV, MIL, NET, and ORG.  In addition to the gTLD’s there are Country Code Top Level Domains (ccTLD’s), which are unique two-letter combinations for every country, such as .jp for Japan and .pw for Palau. 

 The ownership of Country Code Top Level Domains (ccTLD’s) such as .pw is not controlled by governments but by a private organization that was founded early in the development of the Internet.  This organization granted domains, if they were not already delegated, to individuals and entities that applied for them.  A private individual applied for and was granted Palau’s ccTLD  in 1997.  This individual has now transferred the rights to a Palauan business operated by Alan Seid, called Power Domain, Inc.

 Mr. Seid and PNCC have agreed to an arrangement whereby PNCC administers .pw for the Internet community in Palau and Power Domain, Inc. markets and administers the .pw domain internationally.

 “We believe that there will be interest in places like Japan, U.S. and elsewhere internationally in registering Internet addresses with .pw name.  We are planning to market this service as the “Power Domain.”  Also, this will greatly assist in promoting Palau internationally.”  commented Alan Seid.

 PNCC will develop and administer within Palau the following second-level domains:

            .gov.pw – for Palauan government use
            .edu.pw – for education entities in Palau
            .org.pw – for non-government organizations in Palau 

            Plus two additional second-level domains (names to be determined):
            .xxx.pw – for individuals in Palau
            .yyy.pw – for Palau-based businesses

 PNCC has not invested in nor does it have any ownership of the .pw domain, but it does have a voice in the management of the domain, a share in the profits, and first right of refusal if the domain is sold in the future.  “PNCC’s main goal is to help ensure that the .pw domain is administered wisely for the benefit of Palau,” said PNCC General Manager Ed Carter.

 Now that the agreement has been completed, PNCC will be developing an application process and setting up a domain server to administer the .pw domains for Palau.    Further announcements will be made when the service is ready to offer to the public.

[Back to the Top of Page]


PNCC
Palau National
Communications
Corp.

Post Office Box 99
Koror, Palau 96940
Phone: 680-587-9000
FAX: 680-587-1888
EMAIL: pncc@palaunet.com


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                  Contact: Ed Carter
April 24, 2002                                                                             Phone:  587-9000 

Asia-Pacific Telecommunity to Meet in Palau

 Airai, Palau.  For the first time ever, the Republic of Palau is hosting a regional workshop provided by the Asia-Pacific Telecommunity (APT) from May 9-11, 2002.   Organized locally by Palau National Communications Corporation (PNCC) and the Ministry of State (MOS), this technical workshop will focus on “Networking Strategies for Regional Internet Traffic Routing Arrangements.

 Over 60 overseas visitors from countries all over Asia and the Pacific are expected to attend the workshop together with 15 local participants representing each of our government agencies.  There will also be representation from the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), the main global association for telecommunications matters, which is based in Switzerland.  The conference venue will be the Palasia Hotel Palau in Koror.

 The workshop will be a great opportunity for Palau’s technical specialists to mingle with fellow experts from all over the region and advance their skills in Internet networking issues.

 “APT hosts many workshops throughout the Asia-Pacific region every year.  It’s a sign of Palau’s growing international involvement in issues such as Internet development that APT decided to bring this workshop to Palau,” said Ed Carter, PNCC general manager.

 Asia-Pacific Telecommunity (APT) was established in May 1979 as a Regional Telecommunications Organization by an Inter-governmental agreement.  The inaugural meeting was held in Bangkok, Thailand in 1979.  APT now has the strength of 32 members, including the Republic of Palau, plus 4 associate members and 49 affiliate members.

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PNCC
Palau National
Communications
Corp.

Post Office Box 99
Koror, Palau 96940
Phone: 680-587-9000
FAX: 680-587-1888
EMAIL: pncc@palaunet.com


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                          Contact: Ed Carter
March 25, 2002                                                                                   680-587-9000

Japan’s FTC Turns Over PNCI Shares to PNCC 

Airai, Palau.  Family Telephone Company of Japan (FTC), Palau National Cellular Inc (PNCI) and Palau National Communications Corporation (PNCC) announced jointly today that FTC has decided to turn over complete ownership of PNCI to Palau.  

PNCI began operations in September 2000 as a joint venture between PNCC and FTC.  Currently there are xxxx customers.  The cellular service has become very popular due to its affordable rate plans and broad coverage of Palau, reaching from Angaur to Kayangel. 

“We came into Palau in order to help our partners here introduce a superior mobile communications service for the benefit of the country,” commented xxx Kobayashi, [insert title].  “We’ve had other investments here with Palauan partners for many years and will continue to be involved in the Republic,” he added.

Kobayashi explained that together with PNCC, FTC put a lot of management energy into the development of PNCI to get the service up and running.  He said, “although Palau is a tough environment for telecommunications due to the small market size, we are very satisfied with the growth of the cellular company.   However, now that PNCI has become reliable and self-sufficient, FTC management has decided to focus our efforts on major projects in Japan, including a plan to go public and be listed on the Japan Stock Exchange.

“By turning over full ownership to PNCC, this now means that the citizens of Palau will be the ones in charge of the national cellular system,” said Kobayashi.  The agreement is expected to be finalized by June, pending approvals from the U.S. Rural Utilities Service and the Palau Foreign Investment Board.

Charles Obichang, PNCC Board Chairman and member of the PNCI board, said, “We really appreciate the assistance and cooperation from FTC in the start-up phase of PNCI, and want to sincerely thank them for their commitment to helping the people of Palau.”

Ed Carter, General Manager of PNCC, added that the change will also help bring economies of scale to PNCI operations – combining similar functions such as billing, customer service, purchasing, and finance will increase efficiencies for both organizations and help to keep cellular rates affordable.

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Contact PNCC at:
Phone: 680-587-9000    Fax: 680-587-1888
PNCC P.O. Box 99, Koror Palau 96940
Direct questions or comments to webmaster@palaunet.com