ASC Brings the New Edge of Network Access to BroadBand Office.

Business & High Tech Editors

VIENNA, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 22, 2000

BroadBand Office, Inc. Deploying ASC Equipment in Buildings Nationwide

Advanced Switching Communications, Inc. (ASC), a provider of broadband services access platforms, and BroadBand Office, Inc. (BBO), a leading global provider of network-based applications, announced the deployment of ASC's A-1240 throughout BBO's nationwide network. Under current plans, the deployment will speed the delivery of next-generation services to hundreds of BBO buildings nationwide by year-end. With rapid deployment underway, expected purchases between the companies are valued at over $15 million over two years.

BBO is installing ASC's broadband services access platforms inside the office building premises to create a "micro" central office that will facilitate the rapid delivery of high-speed, bundled voice, data and application services to individual businesses within the building or office park. ASC's complete system in a box aggregates multiple services onto an optimized high-speed connection into BBO's nationwide network.

"ASC's unique product architecture packs the functionality and flexibility we need into a compact and scalable product line," said Johnson Agogbua, BBO founder and vice president of engineering. "ASC allows us to deliver all of the broadband communications services our customers demand today while also accommodating our customers' changing needs and future bandwidth demands."

"BBO has the leadership and vision to become a premier in-building service provider," said Asghar Mostafa, president and CEO of ASC. "By leveraging ASC's next-generation access network technology, BBO is bringing a new class of enhanced communications services to the enterprise customer that will result in more bandwidth options, higher bandwidth speeds, faster provisioning, and cost-savings for voice and data services over incumbent providers."

A Strategic Fit for MTU Service Providers

ASC believes that BBO's deployment of ASC products marks a strategic shift away from existing in-building equipment solutions to provide a dynamic platform for both high-speed broadband access and advanced application services. The addition of ethernet/VLAN capabilities to the A-1240 allows customers like BBO to scale customer Internet access speeds to very high levels--up to 100 Mbps--through software changes. This capability will significantly reduce customer-provisioning time and does not require changes to existing customer equipment.

"Cahners In-Stat Group's believes the total U.S. MTU broadband access market for building-centric equipment and services will reach nearly $2 billion annually by 2004," said Mike Wolf, manager of enterprise and LAN services at Cahners In-Stat Group. "A new class of MTU service providers is looking to strategic partners to help them to deliver integrated voice, high-speed data and Internet services to office building tenants in the rapidly emerging MTU space. Today's announcement between ASC and Broadband Office is a great example of how such a partnership will help this market move forward more quickly and ultimately benefit the end consumer by providing broadband access connectivity and services."

About ASC

Advanced Switching Communications Inc. is an innovative provider of broadband access platforms for telecommunications and Internet service providers. ASC's architecture provides flexibility and scalability that enables service providers to deploy broadband services aggressively. ASC equipment is NEBS compliant and interoperable with the industry's leading telecommunications equipment providers. ASC customers include 2nd Century Communications, Intermedia Communications Inc. and UUNET. Privately held and headquartered in Vienna, Virginia, ASC is led by a management team of executives from high technology industry leaders including 3Com, Newbridge Networks, Netrix and U.S. Robotics. More information about ASC is available online at www.asc.com.

About BroadBand Office, Inc.

A leading global provider of network-based applications, BroadBand Office, Inc. was launched in July 1999 by leading venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers and the country's largest real estate companies. BBO's customers simply plug into the BBO network and immediately have access to a full range of communications, Internet services and e-business solutions. Its offerings include local, long distance, and wireless voice services, dedicated Internet access, and advanced Internet services including remote access, virtual private networks (VPN), web hosting, video, and e-business solutions. BBO's footprint spans 20 percent of all the commercial office space in the United States. BBO began providing service in the fourth quarter of 1999, and is currently rolling out its services nationally. The company maintains offices in Falls Church, Virginia, and San Mateo, California. More information about BBO can be found on the World Wide Web at: www.bbo.com.