AT&T, KDD's High-Speed Broadband Network Breaks Down International Boundaries Allowing Real-Time Collaboration in Science, Health, Education.

BASKING RIDGE, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 12, 1996--The potential for real-time image and data sharing around the world is now a step closer to reality. For the first time, medical images, distance learning and other data will be moving at the unprecedented rate of 155 megabits-per-second between the U.S. and Japan via AT&T's InterSpan(R) Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) service and KDD's service equivalent.

Four pairs of customers in the U.S. and Japan will test high-speed, bandwidth-intensive applications over the next six months, and the first of these tests has already started. The customer pairings and applications are:

-- the Cleveland Clinic (Ohio) and Kyushu University/University of Occupational and Environmental Health - telemedicine

-- Michigan State University and the Japanese Information Center of Science and Technology - science

-- Duke University Medical Center and Nagoya Institute - telemedicine

-- University of Wisconsin (Madison) and the National Center for Science Information Systems - distance learning and protocol testing.

"If ATM is to succeed globally, service providers such as AT&T and KDD must collaborate to prove its full potential to flawlessly support a broad array of high-speed applications," said Mark Cardwell, AT&T's international product management vice president. "As a market leader for international data services, AT&T is ready to deliver a superior ATM offering that will facilitate extraordinary levels of dialogue and learning on issues of common interest to people around the world."

AT&T and KDD announced in May their partnership to test trans-Pacific connectivity to high-speed, bandwidth-intensive applications in support of the Group of Seven Nations' "Global Interoperability of Broadband Networks" project.

"Through this trial, we hope to learn how healthcare professionals in both countries can share knowledge and resources to benefit patients," said Dr. Ernest Jacobs of the Cleveland Clinic Foundation. "This technology will open a new era of medical collaboration, ultimately leading to improved patient care throughout the world."

Duke University Medical Center is also testing telemedicine applications, including ATM's ability to support international radiology consultation. "Up to now, bandwidth constraints have affected our ability to confer with colleagues in other countries on teleradiology images," said Kevin Fitzpatrick, director of telemedicine. "We're hopeful ATM service will make international teleradiology collaboration a viable alternative that will allow us to seek expert opinion ultimately anywhere around the world on our patients' behalf."

Michigan State University said its computer science department and Center for Microbial Ecology will be testing ATM's ability to support a variety of multimedia applications. "Collaboration is key to the advancement of science and we're hopeful that applications such as desktop conferencing, video-on-demand and remote interactive education can eliminate geographic barriers to success," said Dr. Herman D. Hughes.

The University of Wisconsin (Madison) said it will test distance learning-on-demand, high-performance protocol testing, and motion picture applications.

AT&T is the world's networking leader, providing communications and information services to businesses and consumers worldwide.

CONTACT: Dianne Bernez (NJ)

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David Arneke (NC)

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Kenji Kamihaba (Japan)

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Tom Hopkins (IL)

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