MIDDLETON, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1999 JUL 8 (NB) -- By Staff, Newsbytes. Small- and medium-sized business customers of Bell Atlantic Corp.'s [NYSE:BEL] Yellow Pages can now set up their own online storefronts, as a part of a new deal the regional Bell operating company (RBOC) has established with Internet search engine and directory provider Infoseek Corp. [NASDAQ:SEEK].
The new program will include storefront and e-commerce site creation, hosting, shopping directory links, and Internet marketing resources and distribution.
Additionally, Bell Atlantic will sell the new services via its own sales force. Bell Atlantic and Infoseek said the new pact is the first time an Internet portal like Infoseek has teamed with the sales force of a "leading shopping media company" - Bell Atlantic - to provide fully integrated Internet shopping products.
Websites then sold by Bell Atlantic will be featured within the Go Network's shopping areas and search pages.
Bell Atlantic customers can access information to manage their sites through the Go Network Small Business Center. Bell Atlantic creates, hosts and links Web sites for businesses under the Web@Once brand.
Bell Atlantic's BigYellow online Yellow Pages shopping directory will also become the exclusive such directory for Infoseek's Go Network, officials said.
While specific details of the deal and pricing were not released, the three-year pact is valued in the multi-millions and is described as a "revenue-sharing agreement," officials said.
Shares of Bell Atlantic were down $1.563 or 2.4 percent at $62.375 apiece in late-day trading today, while Infoseek was up $0.188 or 0.4 percent to $50.438 a share.
Reported By Newsbytes.com, http://www.newsbytes.com .
(19990708/Press Contacts: Phil Santoro, Bell Atlantic, 978-762-1326; Amanda Higgins, Infoseek, 408-543-6930 /WIRES ONLINE, TELECOM, PC, BUSINESS/)
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