TEXT-Israel's 012 gets license for endpoint services

(The following was issued by Israel's 012 Smile.Communications (SMLC.O) (SMLC.TA), a subsidiary of Internet Gold Golden Lines Ltd (IGLD.O) (IGLD.TA)):

Jan 22 - 012 Smile.Communications (NASDAQ Global Market and TASE: SMLC), a growth-oriented provider of communication services in Israel, today announced that Israel's Ministry of Communications has granted it a five-year license to provide endpoint network services at its customers' premises.

The license will allow the Company to supply, install, operate and maintain all types of endpoint network equipment, including central switchboards, telephone cables, connection closets, etc.

As such, the license will enable the Company to provide compete, end-to-end communications solutions.

"We are excited to receive this strategic license, which rounds out the range of our services that we can offer our Enterprise customers," said Ms. Stella Hendler, President and CEO of 012 Smile.Communications.

"Over the past few years, business integration services have accounted for a growing part of our revenues, but were marketed separately from our telephony, Internet access and other services. Now, we will be able to offer a complete, end-to-end communications package, beginning with system planning and installation, all the way to the provision of sophisticated next-generation voice and data services."

The endpoint network license will allow 012 Smile.Communications to expand its on-site installation services beyond the deployment of cables for telephony-over-VOB or PRI to include central controllers, switchboards (PBXs), connection closets and other endpoint equipment.

Before receiving the license, the Company was able only to provide hosted PBX services (IP-Centrex/virtual PBX), and to facilitate the connection of the hosted lines to PBXs.

This license will enable the Company to offer a full end-to-end solution including both telephony infrastructure and advanced telephony/Internet services.