DaimlerChrysler Telco Gets Top German Internet Address

Stuttgart-based ISP and telco Debitel, with major stakeholder Daimler Chrysler Services AG, is taking over the top Germany Internet address www.berlin.de as of July 1.

Debitel has seized part of the Berlin value creation chain, with the major future role in high quality content and transaction systems for the telecoms market.

In Berlin.de, the biggest independent telco in Europe has acquired an attractive German domain. Each month it records around 2.5 million page impressions. The domain is run as a public-private partnership, lists more than 20,000 registered users and offers 20,000 pages of content.

“This new service has given Debitel Germany’s top Internet address, access to content providing and a considerable competitive advantage,” said Joachim Dreyer, chairman of Debitel AG’s board.

With the acquisition of the content and transaction service of berlin.de, Debitel has got early access to the future core of the Internet value creation chain.

Munich industry expert Mathias Plica forecasts that the focus, through the year 2001, will move from Internet access to content, service and applications. Where today 85 percent of the value is generated in Internet access, this share will be reduced to 40 percent by 2001. The figure for service provision, content and applications through value creation will rise from 10 percent today to over 40 percent at that time.

From mid-July, Debitel will be offering its clients in Germany automatic and free Internet access, in addition to wireless, wireline and berlin.de, the official city information system. Debitel is taking over 51 percent of berlin.de’s shares from Primus-Online; the Berliner Volksbank will retain 49 percent.

This open platform for more than 100 regional partners (including city administration, the arts, media, marketing organizations and Berlin business) to offer a large number of interactive services, with e-commerce solutions and an innovative online ticket service, in addition to pure information systems.