ATEC Group and Applied Digital Solutions Agree to Terminate Letter of Intent.

Business/Technology Editors

HAUPPAUGE, NY--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 23, 2000

ATEC Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATEC), a major system integrator and provider of a full line of information technology products and services, and Applied Digital Solutions, Inc. (NASDAQ: ADSX), today announced the termination of the letter of intent that called for Applied Digital Solutions to acquire ATEC Group. Market conditions were cited for the termination. As announced May 5, 2000, Applied Digital Solutions and ATEC Group had entered into a letter of intent for the acquisition in an all-stock transaction.

Surinder Rametra, chairman and CEO of ATEC Group, commented on the termination: "While we feel that the shareholders of Applied Digital Solutions and ATEC Group could benefit greatly from the proposed acquisition, now is not the time to move forward. The market conditions dictate that we terminate the letter of intent."

Richard J. Sullivan, chairman and CEO of Applied Digital, elaborated on the decision: "We are working within extremely difficult market conditions. In this environment, acquisitions, regardless of their synergies or benefits to the top and bottom lines, are not being well received. Although our acquisition of ATEC represented potential for a positive long-term relationship, we have determined that it is in the best interest of our collective shareholder base to terminate the letter of intent at this time."

About Applied Digital Solutions, Inc.

Applied Digital Solutions, based in Palm Beach, Florida, is a leading edge, single-source provider of e-business solutions. The company differentiates itself in the marketplace by enabling e-business through Computer Telephony Internet Integration (CTII(TM)). With its five-year revenue growth (from 1994 to 1998), Applied Digital Solutions was ranked as the fifth fastest-growing technology company by Deloitte & Touche in its 1999 Technology Fast 500 listing. For more information, visit the company's web site at www.adsx.com.

About ATEC Group, Inc.

Based in Hauppauge, New York, ATEC Group, Inc., is a leading system integrator and provider of a full line of information technology products and services. As a one-stop company for the computer needs of businesses, government agencies and educational institutions, ATEC Group offers computer hardware and software, system integration networking, graphic arts, Internet and Intranet. The company is positioned for growth through its capabilities as a PC manufacturer of Nexar technology, in software development and e-commerce. For more information, visit the company's web site at www.atecgroup.com. Statements about the Company's future expectations, including future revenues and earnings, and all other statements in this press release other than historical facts are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and as that term is defined in the Private Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The Company intends that such forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, and are subject to change at any time, and the Company's actual results could differ materially from expected results. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect subsequently occurring events or circumstances.