Check Point Software Technologies Inc (CHKP)

[midastouch017]

Internet Gold Awarded Status of Gold Partner and Certified Service Partner by Check Point Software Technologies Ltd.
Tuesday January 3, 1:00 am ET


PETACH TIKVA, Israel, Jan. 3 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Internet Gold, (Nasdaq: IGLD - News) today announced that it has been awarded the status of Gold Partner by Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. (Nasdaq: CHKP - News), authorizing it to sell and support Check Point's world-leading perimeter, Web and internal security solutions. Check Point has also recognized Internet Gold's support and customer service capabilities by naming it an expert Check Point Certified Support Partner (CSP) authorized to serve all Check Point customers in the region, both through ongoing service contracts and for one-time projects.

Check Point awarded its Gold Partner and CSP status to Internet Gold in recognition of its growing activities as a consultant, integrator and supporter of its customers' Internet security projects. During the past year, Internet Gold has become a significant user of Check Point security solutions In May 2004, Check Point recognized Internet Gold as the regional partner whose sales had grown the fastest in 2004 at the Check Point Experience conference that was held in Israel.

Commenting on the news, Shmulik Agi, Check Point's Regional Manager for the Middle East, said, "We are delighted to bring Internet Gold, which has demonstrated such strong sales and consulting capabilities, into our prestigious Gold Partner and CSP programs. Through the broad range of projects which it has deployed during the past year, including the impressive Provider-1 web-based management system that it established for a strategic customer, Internet Gold has proved its abilities and its commitment to the integration, support and consulting space."

Eli Holtzman, CEO of Internet Gold, added, "These important achievements reflect the commitment and hard work of our sales, service, technical support and integration teams as well as the dedication of Check Point's training and consulting personnel. We believe that large-scale project implementation and management is an important growth opportunity and we intend to continue pursuing it aggressively."

About Internet Gold

Internet Gold is a group of communications companies that provide Internet access and related value-added services, international telephony, e-advertising, content and e-Commerce services throughout Israel under the brand name "smile". The broad range and popularity of these services have established Internet Gold as one of Israel's leading Internet Communications groups.

The Internet Gold Group includes four subsidiaries. MSN-Israel, its 50.1% owned joint-venture with Microsoft Corp. (49.9% owned), provides Microsoft- branded Search, Instant Messaging, Hotmail and a variety of portal services. Internet Gold International, a fully-owned subsidiary, provides international Internet and communication services. GoldMind, a fully-owned subsidiary, provides value-added services to Internet subscribers. GoldTrade, the Group's fully-owned e-Commerce subsidiary, operates e-Commerce sites.

For additional information about Internet Gold, please visit its Website at http://www.igld.com.

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