Japan's NTT Communications Corp. (NTT Com) and the Vietnam InternetNetwork Information Center (VNNIC) will cooperate in providing Internetservice providers (ISPs) and Internet content providers (ICPs) inVietnam with global access via NTT Com's Tier-1 network, beginning nolater than the end of June.

According to anagreement between the two sides announced on April 26, NTT Com will workwith local partners to provide direct connection to NTT Com's Tier-1network via VNNIC-prepared infrastructure. The result will give ISPs andICSs a new option for providing customers with enhanced, low-latencyInternet environments and robust connection to content and servicesworldwide. NTT Com's Tier-1 IP backbone network offers directconnections to ISPs in more than 150 countries.

The collaboration also will enable VNNIC, an IPv6 facilitator, toprovide companies in Vietnam with IPv6/IPv4 dual-stack connectivityto the world-class Tier-1 IPv6 network powered by NTT Com.

NTT Communications Vietnam, NTT Com's local subsidiary, willcollaborate with VNNIC on service provision, as well as provide end-usercompanies with technical support for transitioning to IPv6.

According to NTT Com, VNNIC, a Ministry of Information andCommunications affiliate that manages domain names and Internet exchangepoints, approached NTT Com to collaborate in meeting the growing demandfor access in Vietnam, where Internet traffic has increased more thanfour times in the past three years./.