AT&T Wednesday
announced a partnership with the online woman’s network iVillage to launch iVillage Online
Powered by AT&T WorldNet Service, the first national Internet access service
targeted specifically to women on the Web.
Financial details were not disclosed although the companies said the union
will be promoted through a co-branded advertising campaign.
Over the next two years, the companies will integrate iVillage content
with AT&T’s communications services, which will be offered via a co-branded
Personal Communications Center. iVillage.com members will be able to access
the telco’s various services, such as prepaid cards, wireless service, and
AT&T One Rate Online, which will be offered to iVillage members at 9 cents
a minute with no monthly fee. AT&T’s multimedia services including AT&T Chat ‘N Talk and AT&T Click2Dial Conferencing will also be
available.
iVillage content is aimed at category-leading branded
communities divided into 12 channels including health, books, career, and
parenting, relationships, shopping, travel and work from home.
The New York City-based company claims it is the leading woman’s network,
with 75 million page views per month. Other women-oriented sites include Women.com’s Women’s Wire and Cybergrrl.
Jupiter Communications analysts report that women represent over 45 percent
of Web users and are expected to outnumber men within four years.
“Today’s landmark agreement between AT&T and iVillage recognizes women as
one of the prime online categories and
iVillage.com as the leader of that space,” said Candice Carpenter, chief
executive officer and co-founder of iVillage.com.
“Working with iVillage, a pioneer and clear leader in the online women’s
space, enables us to play a key role in enhancing the lives of a powerful
and expanding community of female Web users,” said Dan Schulman, president
of AT&T WorldNet Service.
“This is a major step forward in our strategy to energize the world’s
greatest online communities with the best Net access and the latest
communications offers.”
