Lycos Inc. Monday officially launched
its full network in Latin America, with plans to add a spectrum of products
and services over the next several weeks.
Next additions include software downloads, domain registration, and
translation services, as well as MP3 and FTP search catalogs, a kids’ site,
auctions, and a Spanish- and Portuguese-language version of Wired News. An instant message, chat and
e-mail services product powered by bantu.com is also on the ramp.
With the new additions, Lycos (LCOS)
will also be adding a new regional management team, to be based in Miami, as
well opening new offices in Brazil and Mexico. A branch office in Argentina
will open in the next month, the company said, with further local presence
to add to the foundation of future regional expansion.
Finance, sports business and local news will also be part of the new
integrated network, with support to include local content from SportsYA!,
Zona Financiera.com, El Economista, Mercado, Gazeta Mercantil, Netizen and
Patagon.
Lycos also formed e-commerce partnerships with Buyonet.com and Cat Data, and
said it will launch online auctions across the region in the coming months.
The portal also recently inked a distribution deal with Zip.Net, which runs
free e-mail service Zipmail, for e-mail services in Latin America. The deal
included Zip.Net signing Lycos as its search engine on the Zip.Net site,
which includes Portuguese-language content and services.
According to Lycos, its Latin American Tripod sites have surged more than
323 percent in the last month, crowning its exponential growth since launch
in October 1999. At the same time, Lycos launched its Lycos and Tripod sites
in Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Chile, Peru and Venezuela.
New localized sites were added with today’s launch to target Columbia and
the Spanish-speaking market in the U.S.
Lycos also supported its Latin American interests by pointing to
International Data Corp. research on the growing market, which is expected
to see an e-commerce revenue boom to $8 million by 2003.
