ALTS Names Three Industry Leaders to Executive Committee.

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 15, 1999--

Executives from Rhythms, Time Warner Telecom and New Edge Networks Enhance ALTS' Position as Nation's Leading Competitive Local

Telecom Association

The Association for Local Telecommunications Services (ALTS), the leading national organization representing facilities-based competitive local exchange carriers (CLECs), today announced that it has named three executives of the competitive local telecommunications industry to ALTS' Executive Committee.

The three executives are Catherine Hapka, Chairperson, CEO and Founder of Rhythms NetConnection; Larissa Herda, President and CEO of Time Warner Telecom; and Dan Moffat, President, CEO and Co-Founder of New Edge Networks.

"We are delighted to have top executives like these in ALTS' Executive Committee," said John Windhausen, Jr. ALTS President. "With their individual and combined experience, and their intimate working knowledge of the CLEC industry, they are powerful additions to the ALTS team. Their presence in ALTS' Executive Committee will further boost our position as the leading national trade association that represents the builders of facilities-based local communications networks."

A pioneer in the high-speed access and data arenas, Catherine Hapka is the Chair, CEO and Founder of Rhythms NetConnections Inc. In this position, Hapka oversees corporate performance, long-term strategy and Rhythms' position as the DSL-based networking solutions provider of choice.

Prior to founding Rhythms, she was Executive Vice President of US WEST Communications Inc., leading the business and consumer units for voice, data, wireless, video and long distance businesses accountable for $7.5 billion in revenue.

Also at US WEST, Hapka spearheaded the start-up and expansion of the !NTERPRISE Networking Services Unit, the most successful data-networking unit ever launched by a regional Bell operating company. Within four years, !NTERPRISE posted annual sales of more than $400 million, becoming the seventh largest network integrator in the United States.

Before US WEST, Hapka held management positions with General Electric and McKinsey and Co., Inc.

Larissa Herda, is President and CEO of Time Warner Telecom Inc. (Nasdaq: TWTC), a leader in building fiber networks to offer data, Internet and voice for local businesses. Herda joined Time Warner Telecom in 1997 and became the company's President and CEO in June 1998. Her 20 years of telecom experience include positions at MFS Telecom Inc., where she was Southeast Regional Vice President.

Since taking the helm at Time Warner Telecom, Herda has led the company through a $290 million IPO, acquired an Internet company, expanded the company into new markets and launched several new products.

Dan Moffat, President, CEO and Co-Founder of New Edge Networks, has more than 22 years of communications experience. Before co-founding New Edge Networks, Moffat was President of GST Whole Earth Networks responsible for Internet and data communications services. Moffat began his communications career with Tymnet, one of the original packet based value-added networks.

He has also held executive level marketing, sales and operations positions with US West-Netech, IBM/ROLM and US Intelco Networks (Illuminet). Before co-founding New Edge Networks, Moffat also founded Access Value Services, a telecom strategy consulting firm that was sold to Cathey, Hutton and Associates.

As members of ALTS' Executive Committee, these three executives will advise the association on how to harness the shared energy and vitality of the new local competitors - and to help ensure that regulations for robust competition, spawned by the 1996 Telecommunications Act, are implemented and enforced.

"ALTS needs a strong Executive Committee to translate complex telco-speak into practical guidance intended to accelerate competition in the marketplace," said Windhausen. "We have been doing a great job in this regard and ALTS members are winning new customers and growing revenue."

ALTS is the leading national industry association whose mission is to promote facilities-based local telecommunications competition. Created in 1987, ALTS has offices in Washington, D.C. and Irvine, California and now represents almost 200 companies that build, own, and operate competitive local networks.

For more information on ALTS, contact Crawford Public Relations at 703/318-5461 or visit the ALTS Web site at www.alts.org.