E-sax is the world's first online marketplace for buying and selling satellite capacity, for both IP traffic and broadcast usage. ACE is the Asia Pacific region's first and only online marketplace for buying and selling international communications capacity.

"The e-sax service is highly complementary to our own business focus and this alliance supports our strategy of expanding our coverage to enable true 24-hour trading services," said Paula Brillson, Chief Executive Officer of ACE.

"The reality is that, for the foreseeable future, international fibre cables and satellite routes will be used in tandem to deliver many communication services so it makes a lot of sense to for us to work together."

The two exchanges intend their relationship to be as seamless as possible from a customer perspective with cross-linking between their respective Websites. Whether capacity traders enter the market through ACE or e-sax, they will receive the same level of service.

"In May and July next year we will see the privatisation of the two largest international satellite operators (Intelsat and Eutelsat), and three large regional operators" said Frank Genin, Chief Executive Officer of e-sax. This new acceleration, comparable to the 1998 telecom big bang in that industry, is driving the satellite market into a very competitive marketplace.

"Together with ACE we will deliver the best services of broadband via satellite and DTH TV to Asian markets, and to profit from this new dynamic environment." said Genin.

According to Brillson ACE has started to pass Asia Pacific customers with global satellite buy or sell requirements on to e-sax to be handled by its "over the counter" online broking service. Likewise, e-sax clients looking to buy or sell fibre-optic cable capacity in Asia Pacific, are now passed on to ACE for fulfilment.

To start with the ACE and e-sax Websites will carry each other's marketing information, telecom indices and other materials. At a later stage, the two exchanges intend to increase the depth of their co-operation by integrating their back-end trading mechanisms.

About ACE

ACE is the leading exchange through which telecom companies, ISPs and enterprise customers can buy, sell and physically deliver network capacity on demand. ACE's web-based virtual trading floorTM (ACE VTFTM) enables its traders to enter bids and offers for capacity -- ranging from clear channel, frame relay and IP bandwidth to international circuit-switched voice minutes and voice-over-IP.

Operating as a neutral third party, ACE aggregates buyers and sellers to deliver cost savings and efficiencies in transacting capacity trades. Automated delivery is accomplished through the ACE's Telehubs using the company's proprietary trading software that directs the flow of bandwidth and minutes between buyers and sellers. ACE provides a turnkey solution to its customers including provisioning, network monitoring, service level agreements, clearing and settlement.

About E-Sax

E-sax.com under the umbrella of The London Satellite Exchange is the satellite communications industry online marketplace. E-sax supports the entire vertical satellite value chain: from satellite manufacturers, rocket launchers, satellite operators, ground segments services, to satellite service providers.

Live traders, available online & offline, provide real-time, unbiased, first come first served, space capacity bandwidth trading to satellite service providers. Satellite professionals are further assisted for ground segment hardware and teleport services online procurement.