AT&T DEBUTS VIRTUAL GATEWAY SERVICE WITH CONNECTION TO FRAME RELAY.

BASKING RIDGE, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--November 27, 1995--AT&T today announced a new access platform that provides switched digital and analog modem connections to frame relay networks.

Called Virtual Gateway Service, the new platform will expand in the future to link to information resources such as the Internet, and to other data transport services such as Asynchronous Transfer Mode networks.

Virtual Gateway Service is designed for businesses with virtual networks such as AT&T's Software Defined Network (SDN), OneNet, and Virtual Telecommunications Network Service (VTNS). The initial offer provides remote access to corporate backbone networks by linking analog modems and high speed workstations to frame relay networks such as AT&T InterSpan (R) Frame Relay Service.

"We believe we have a winning platform in the virtual gateway offering because it is firmly rooted in the requirements of our customers," said Dick Slezak, managing director of AT&T Global Switched Digital Services. "They asked for a highly versatile platform that could connect to frame relay now--and then go beyond to interconnect with other information resources and data transport services. We've built that evolution into the platform."

Using a switched analog modem, cellular modem, Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) Basic Rate Interface (BRI), or ISDN Primary Rate Interface (PRI), customers dial through the virtual gateway to frame relay services. Transmission speeds range from 14.4 Kbps to 128 Kbps and, with data compression techniques, can reach up to 512 Kbps in throughput.

Navistar International Corporation, the Chicago-based manufacturer of trucks, school buses, and diesel engines, has been piloting the virtual gateway since June. Their plan is to use this service to link over 600 remote locations throughout North America to major company sites. Remote branches or employees at home are able to use analog modem connections or Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) switched digital access to reach their corporate computing resources. AT&T has integrated ISDN into its premier Software Defined Network offer since 1991.

"The virtual gateway is helping us extend the power of our corporate information resources to our dealers' primary locations, customers, and employees in remote locations where we cannot justify permanent connections," said Jim Fowler, Navistar's Director of Telecommunications. "Integrating this new technology with the same SDN platform that carries our corporate voice and switched data traffic let us take advantage of familiar security, billing, and network management options. As a result, we were able to minimize our initial investment and smooth the learning curve."

Virtual Gateway Service gains additional power from the robust features of AT&T's SDN, OneNet and VTNS services, such as integrated billing with flexible management reports, network security that permits customers to create different levels of caller privileges, and network management tools to track and report on daily calling activity and capacity management.

Virtual Gateway Service is an enhanced service and will be sold with monthly per port charges. The charges for switched access calls, both analog and digital, will fall under the same integrated billing and pricing packages that AT&T offers its SDN and VTNS customers today.

AT&T offers Frame Relay as part of its InterSpan (R) family of services that includes frame relay, dial up asynchronous packet, and ATM services.

For more information, customers can contact their AT&T account teams.

CONTACT: AT&T

Karen Way

908-221-6632 (office)

908-545-0225 (work)

or

Mona Williams

908-221-4355 (office)

908-647-8191 (home)