Telcos Form Global Trading Web For Online Procurement

Four large overseas telecom providers said today they will work together to develop the Global Trading Web, a business-to-business online procurement network that uses software and services from Commerce One Inc.

The United Kingdom's British Telecom, Japan's NTT, Australia's Cable & Wireless Optus, and Singapore Telecom subsidiary Sesami.com will coordinate efforts to link their respective regional trading hubs on Commerce One's MarketSite network. The Global Trading Web will let buyers source and purchase business products online from suppliers around the world. The first such transactions are expected by year's end.

"Fifty percent of our customers need to trade in at least four countries on two continents," said Anthony Peake, head of British Telecom's BT MarketSite, at a press conference in San Francisco. "Today's agreement will allow us to develop supplier content locally, then share it with our global partners." Commerce One will continue to seek out additional telcos in other regions of the world to further expand the scope of Global Trading Web.