ALLIANCE EARNS MICROSOFT, SCO, NEBS, RED HAT CERTIFICATIONS.

Alliance Systems, Inc., Dallas, Texas, has achieved several important milestones in the company's comprehensive industry standards certification program. Alliance is now an accepted member of the Microsoft Certified Solutions Provider Program. Alliance has also received product accreditation for SCO UNIX OpenServer 5.0.5 and Unixware 7. In addition, Alliance's new I-Series 11000 carrier class communication system has tested successfully through the NEBS Level 3 certification process and the I-Series 2000 appliance server has been certified by Red Hat Linux.

"Alliance specializes in providing open, standards-based switching platforms that deliver complete interoperability with other open architecture solutions," said Todd Ingarfield, chief technology officer at Alliance Systems. "We are actively pursuing major certifications at all levels and are delighted to have earned many of the best-known ones in the industry. These certifications provide further evidence that our engineers, integrators, and technicians have valuable expertise in key industry standards that allow us to consistently serve our customers at the highest level."

Alliance's open standards-based communication switching platforms are designed to run seamlessly on Windows platforms, including NT and 2000 versions. As a Microsoft Certified Solutions Provider, Alliance has earned certifications in several key areas of specialization, including Windows NT 4.0, Internet Information Server, Networking and TCP/IP, plus Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0. Alliance currently has team members who are Microsoft Certified Professionals, Certified Professionals, plus Internet and Microsoft Certified Systems Engineers.

Earlier this year, Alliance was accepted as an SCO Authorized Reseller. SCO is a long-established software solutions organization that is the recognized leader in UNIX operating systems. As an Authorized SCO Reseller, Alliance has product accreditation for UNIX OpenServer 5.0.5 and UnixWare 7.

The new I-Series 11000 met stringent NEBS Level 3 standards and is designed to handle high-volume carrier class communication network requirements. The 11000 platform was recently selected by a major service provider to deliver their sophisticated wireless central office-based voice dialing application.

In addition, Alliance's streamlined new appliance server, the I-Series 2000 passed all Red Hat Linux compatibility testing and is now certified as "Red Hat Ready."

About Alliance

Alliance Systems, Inc. is a global leader in Communications Solutions for telephony, data, e-business and wireless infrastructure for the Internet. The company designs, develops, manufactures and markets products and systems ranging from carrier-class communications servers and Internet appliance servers to telecommunication software for wire, wireless and Internet communications. With over 700,000 ports installed in more than 60 countries, Alliance's systems run more open communications applications than any other company. Web: www.alliancesystems.com Phone: [phone].

Eschelon Telecom, Inc. Delivers Nortel Networks' IP-Enabled Communications System

MINNEAPOLIS, May 4 /PRNewswire/NEWSdesk -- Eschelon Telecom, Inc. (formerly Advanced Telecommunications Inc.), announced today that it plans to deploy Nortel Networks*' Enterprise Edge* 1000, an Internet protocol (IP) enabled communications system providing Eschelon's customers with a single platform for voice, data and IP services.

Nortel Networks' Enterprise Edge, a Unified Networks* solution, can deliver voice and data communications transported over the same network and managed via a single browser-based tool. Aimed at small and medium businesses and branch offices in markets throughout the Midwest and western regions, Eschelon will offer Enterprise Edge and its enhanced services. This offering will complement Eschelon's existing suite of local and long distance network services originating from its Nortel Networks multi-service switching systems. The result will be an end-to-end network solution for Eschelon's business customers.

"We are proud to be among the first to market offering this robust IP-enabled communications system to our customers," stated Richard A. Smith, President and Chief Operating Officer, Eschelon Telecom, Inc. "With Enterprise Edge, our customers will eliminate the complexity of managing separate voice and data products and capitalize on cost savings by combining their networks without sacrificing features or reliability. Enterprise Edge optimizes bandwidth, maximizes cost-effectiveness and simplifies network management, which will add tremendous value for our customers."

"Enterprise Edge is a powerful tool for the small and medium business market," said Richard Reid, President, Emerging Service Providers, Nortel Networks. "By leveraging Nortel Networks' strength in high-performance Internet solutions, Eschelon can provide a solution that is affordable and easy to manage and deploy."

Eschelon Telecom, Inc. was founded in 1996 and is a rapidly-growing provider of integrated voice, data and Internet services comprised of former companies, Advanced Telecommunications, Inc., Fishnet.com, Cady Communications, Inc. and Cady Telemanagement, Inc. in Minneapolis/St. Paul; American Telephone Technology, Inc. in Seattle and Portland; Tele-Contracting Specialists, Inc. in Seattle, Electro-Tel, Inc. in Denver; and Intellecom, Inc. in Reno. The company offers a comprehensive line of integrated telecommunications products ranging from telephone equipment to advanced voice and high-speed Internet services. Eschelon Telecom, Inc. employs more than 600 telecommunications/Internet professionals and currently provides services in Minnesota, Arizona, Utah, Washington, Oregon, Colorado and Nevada.

For more information, visit http://www.eschelon.com or 612-436-6426.