"Speeding Broadband to the Home Should Be Part of Economic Stimulus"; Broadband Home Conference Organizers Say Broadband "Promises to be a Key to Economic Recovery".

Business Editors

MORRIS PLAINS, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 25, 2001

Even before President Bush asked Americans for their "continued participation and confidence in the American economy" the vast majority of scheduled speakers for the October 1-3 Broadband Home Conference in San Jose were already acting that way.

Although many conferences have been postponed or cancelled, speakers encouraged the conference co-founders to go forward as planned.

The conference will highlight how, despite uncertainties in the financial and political situation, residential broadband promises to be a key to global economic recovery. Many now believe that speeding broadband to the home should be part of a forthcoming economic stimulus package.

Conference co-organizer Sandy Teger said "People will want to stay closer to home after the Sept. 11 tragedy. In the near term, broadband will help families get information and communicate better. Broadband already enables effective ways to work from home, and upcoming products and services will provide new ways to communicate and be entertained there." A long-time AT&T strategist, she added "In this changed world, I'll bet AT&T (NYSE:T) is rethinking what to do with their Broadband business."

Co-organizer Dave Waks added "Residential broadband might have hit a bump in the road, but the direction and movement toward the broadband future seem inevitable. As the digital revolution completes its transformation during the next decade, analog telephony, radio and television will fade away and broadband will become the primary medium for communications, entertainment and education. Its economic impact will be felt first in a redistribution of traditional communications and media revenue and income, and then by the creation of new applications made possible by widespread adoption. Broadband is a global phenomenon, and its effect on the world economy will be measured in the trillions of dollars."

At the San Jose conference, companies from AT&T Broadband to Zap Ventures will share the facts about how residential broadband has continued to grow, how the home is being networked and starting to reach beyond the PC, and how companies are investing for the broadband future.

The conference will include 15 industry perspective speakers and twenty-six panel sessions drawn from across the industry and around the world. More information about the October 1-3 conference is available at http://www.thebroadbandhome.com/bbhfall/index.html. Press registration info can be obtained at http://www.thebroadbandhome.com/bbhfall/press.html. Please email [e-mail] for any questions.