Internet media services provider RealNetworks (realnetworks.com) announced this week it is using SingTel's (singtel.com) EXPAN managed hosting services to power its Web sites across Asia Pacific.

As part of its global expansion, the company set up its regional office, RealOne Services Asia Pacific, in Singapore four years ago. It needed a partner to host its Web sites for countries in the region, including Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and Malaysia.

RealNetworks needed to find a center to host its servers in Singapore to reduce the delay of content being streamed from its US sites. The company's team of specialists carried in-house load tests with various foreign and local service providers, until finally deciding on SingTel.

"SingTel's performance was excellent," says Law Hunsen, RealNetworks' Asia Pacific consumer services director. "In fact, it has the best connectivity in the region. "Companies with only a local presence were ruled out, as our aim is to deliver content throughout the Asia Pacific region. And we wanted a partner that could help us do so."