"Net"-Work Programming: Pioneering a new medium, MCI leads Internet transformation -- Today's Internet like early days of television.

LAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 27, 1995--If you've seen the movie "Quiz Show," the TV show it portrays may look hopelessly outdated. Like television in its early days, the Internet is a new medium still in the pioneering stage.

"The Internet has much in common with television's days as a new medium," said Dr. Mark Williams, a specialist in TV/film history and new media with Dartmouth College's Department of Film Studies. "In both cases, the devices and the programming were first seen as a toy or a novelty. Television has become a crucial link between the individual and the outside world, and the Internet is following a parallel path."

In pursuit of this vast opportunity, companies from all fields are vying for their niche on the Internet -- some setting up e-mail gateways, others trying online advertising -- but few are approaching the Internet as a total medium that can bring consumers, businesses and news/information sources together.

"We see MCI's role as pioneering this new medium, just as we changed the long distance business twenty five years ago," said Scott Ross, president of MCI Business Markets. "Our strategy is to help establish the Internet as a place where businesses and consumers want to be, using the MCI name to create trust in this new arena."

Just as TV took time to evolve into a mass audience vehicle, the Internet today is "morphing" from a trial-and-error stage into a more sophisticated resource that is enticing growing numbers of businesses and consumers. Today, organizations from advertising agencies to the White House are popping up on the Internet, and users are finding increasingly advanced graphics and navigational "paths" from one site to many others.

Making electronic commerce a reality is one obstacle that, until now, has eluded Internet content providers. MCI has provided industry-proven RSA Data Security encryption technology that lets shoppers use their credit cards to purchase goods and services online. With the Internet reaching an estimated four million World Wide Web users -- and some 20 million users overall -- smart marketers are looking for ways to reach this well-educated, relatively affluent group of consumers. MCI's Internet marketplace represents one of the first environments where consumers can safely conduct online transactions.

"Television went through an early period where programming was rough and marketers were unsure how to use the new medium, and the Internet is taking a similar path," said Ross. "At this critical point, MCI is positioned to become to the Internet what the major networks became to TV, a content provider and a liaison between marketers and a vast audience."

While any browser software can access MCI's web site at "www.internetMCI.com", MCI has taken a leading position in using the Internet to its fullest capability, with the development of internetMCI. This software is a full package of Internet offerings that make access and navigation of the Internet easy and convenient.

"Business people don't have time to surf the Internet, looking for the information they need," said Ross. "We've given them user-friendly pointers to help them find valuable information and resources that turn the Internet into a true productivity tool."

In internetMCI, users find integrated software that gives them full access to the Internet, intuitive instructions to help them navigate the Internet's growing resources, fast-loading graphics to make online time more productive, and constantly changing content, so users have reasons to re-visit a site for fresh information and new resources.

The internetMCI package includes easy-to-use Windows software for full Internet access, a dynamic and content-rich MCI home page on the World Wide Web and one of the Internet's first secure and interactive electronic shopping areas. Optional full-function e-mail is available for downloading and uploading of messages as well as management of those messages through key word searches and folders.

MCI, headquartered in Washington, D.C., has expanded from its core long distance business to become the world's third largest carrier of international calling and a premier provider of data communications over the vast Internet computer network. With annual revenue of more than $13.3 billion, the company today provides a wide array of consumer and business long distance and local services, data and video communications, on-line information, electronic mail, network management services and communications software.

CONTACT: MCI Business Markets

Paul Sims/Frank J. Walter, 800-644-NEWS

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Interop + Networld Booth 2432

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Ketchum Public Relations 

Heather Jameson, 404/877-1826