Advants Announces Agreement to Honor Access Cards Processed Through the PATN Clearinghouse
Los Angeles, Monday, November 2nd, 2000 -
Advants, Inc. (a Choicetel communications company; (Nasdaq: PHON), a national system of public Internet access terminals, today announced that it will begin accepting PATN enabled access cards at all of its locations. PATN is the global authentication, authorization and accounting clearinghouse system for Internet kiosk access cards. The agreement means that any access card with the PATN logo will be honored as a form of payment at any Advants terminal.
Advants becomes the first public Internet access provider to complete an agreement with the emerging PATN kiosk standard. PATN will standardize authentication, authorization and accounting between kiosk companies that accept access cards and companies such as ISPs, Retailers, Telecoms, and Internet content providers that incorporate their existing card systems or issue new access cards that extend their web presence across Internet terminals worldwide.
PATN enabled access cards will be soon available from a number of companies and can be identified by the green and gold "PATN" logo on the bottom right hand corner of every card. Advants terminals will carry the PATN logo branding the Advants terminal so PATN enabled card holders can easily identify the terminal to gain Internet access when not at their normal connection. A user who swipes an access card at an Advants terminal will receive access and content in a consistent manner they are accustomed to receiving information at home or work.
Advants, Inc. (http://www.advants.com) is building a nationwide network of public Internet access terminals and plans to install more than 30,000 terminals over the next three years in a variety of public locations that people can utilize when they are not at home or at their office, including grocery stores, hotels, restaurants and shopping malls. Advants terminals are equipped with a computer, monitor, and keyboard, and also include a dollar bill acceptor and credit card swipe, allowing users to initiate e-commerce transactions with cash, credit, or now, PATN enabled cards. Twin Cities-based Advants, Inc. is a majority-owned subsidiary of Choicetel Communications, Inc., (Nasdaq: PHON), which has leased, operated and managed telecommunications since 1989. (Owns and operates pay telephones)
Public Access Terminal Networks, Inc. (PATN) (http://www.patn.net) has developed patent pending technology to facilitate clearinghouse transactions between companies that own and operate public Internet terminals and companies that market access on them through prepaid, postpaid, or promotional access cards. PATN can be found on a variety of Internet terminals in different vertical markets including healthcare, retail, travel, hospitality and financial. PATN allows third party card issuers to purchase access time on all of its terminals and distribute this access to their customers in a variety of formats. Each session is completely controlled by the card issuer who can restrict which web sites are viewed or not viewed including the start page of each session based on the message and function of the private labeled access card. PATN cards also allow both the issuer and end user to fully customize each session.
Forward-looking statements in this announcement are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Investors are cautioned that all forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainty, including without limitation, the costs of manufacturing and distributing Internet terminals, obtaining suitable locations and the level of acceptance and use by consumers. For additional information, please refer to the Choicetel's Securities and Exchange Commission filings, copies of which are available from Choicetel without charge.
SOURCE: Public Access Terminal Networks, Inc.
CONTACT: Lowell Holden, VP Advants, Inc.
952-941-6622
[email protected]
John Jackson, VP Marketing, Public Access Terminal Networks
310-280-0723
[email protected]
