Acceris Communications Acquires Additional VoIP Patent Creates Seminal VoIP Patent Portfolio.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 9, 2003

Acceris Communications Inc. (formerly I-Link Incorporated; OTCBB:ACRS) today announced that it has acquired U.S. Patent No, 6,243,373 (the "VoIP Patent"), including a corresponding foreign patent and related international patent applications. The VoIP Patent, together with an existing Acceris patent (U.S. Patent No, 6,438,124, the "Acceris Patent") and its related international patent applications, form an international patent portfolio that covers the basic process and technology that enables Voice over Internet Protocol ("VoIP") communications as it is used in the market today.

The VoIP Patent was acquired from Telecom Internet Holdings Ltd. ("TIH"), a UK-based company, for an up front payment and a profit sharing arrangement whereby Acceris will retain 65% of net proceeds, after cost recoveries, generated by the VoIP patent portfolio, with TIH receiving the balance. Acceris has the option, over the next 12 months, to increase its share of net proceeds to 85% upon payment of certain contractual amounts.

"The acquisition of Telecom Internet Holdings' patent is a watershed event for Acceris," said Acceris Chairman and CEO Allan Silber. "The creation of this patent portfolio positions our Company as a major participant in the industry's adoption of VoIP. Our team has made a tremendous effort over the past year to reach this point and we are excited to begin working with the industry to realize value from our patented intellectual property."

Telecommunications companies that enable their customers to originate a phone call on a traditional handset, transmit any part of that call via IP, and then terminate the call over the traditional telephone network, are utilizing Acceris' patented technology. Acceris intends to aggressively pursue recognition in the marketplace of its intellectual property via a focused licensing program.

The comprehensive nature of the VoIP Patent, which is titled "Method and Apparatus for Implementing a Computer Network/Internet Telephone System," is highlighted by the patent's abstract, which describes the technology as follows:

        "A method and apparatus are provided for communicating audio
        information over a computer network. A standard telephone
        connected to the public switched telephone network (PSTN)
        may be used to communicate with any other PSTN-connected
        telephone, where a computer network, such as the Internet,
        is the transmission facility instead of conventional
        telephone transmission facilities."

Combined with the Acceris Patent, which is titled, "Voice Internet Transmission System," Acceris now owns the earliest identified patents linking the PSTN to the Internet for voice transmission. The Acceris and VoIP Patents are posted for interested parties on the Acceris website at www.Acceris.com.

Since August 2002, when the Acceris Patent was issued, Acceris has worked with several law firms to determine the strength and quality of the patent's claims. As part of this process, Acceris recognized that the VoIP Patent, which was issued more than a year before the Acceris Patent, complements the technology covered by the Acceris Patent. While each patent has unique value, the two patents together create a formidable portfolio covering the basic structure and process underlying VoIP as it is used to transmit voice traffic in the market today.

VoIP is one of the most promising technologies in the telecommunications market. In addition to eliminating long distance charges for the portion of any telephone call transmitted over the Internet:

-- VoIP networks are significantly less capital intensive to

build, much easier to deploy and much less expensive to

operate and upgrade than the legacy PSTN.

-- VoIP makes far more efficient use of bandwidth than

traditional circuit-based telephone systems, enabling the

transport of higher volumes of call traffic and data at much

greater speeds and at lower cost.

-- VoIP networks enable the cost-effective deployment of enhanced

services, such as unified messaging, over legacy

infrastructure.

About Acceris

Acceris Communications Inc. (formerly I-Link Incorporated) operates through specific marketing channels: Acceris Communications Partners (www.accerispartners.com), which offers a broad selection of voice and data telecommunications products and services to residential and business customers through a network of independent agents, primarily via multi-level marketing and commercial agent programs; Acceris Communications Solutions (www.accerissolutions.com), which offers voice services and fully integrated, fully managed data services to enterprise customers directly; and Acceris Communications Technologies (www.acceristechnologies.com), which offers a proven network convergence solution for voice and data utilizing its patented Voice over Internet Protocol ("VoIP") communications technology. For further information, visit Acceris' website at www.acceris.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

The statements made in this release that are not historical facts contain forward-looking information that involves risks and uncertainties. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, which address Acceris' expectations, should be considered as forward-looking statements. Such statements are based on knowledge of the environment in which it currently operates, but because of the factors herein listed, as well as other factors beyond its control, actual results may differ materially from the expectations expressed in the forward-looking statements. Important factors that may cause actual results to differ from anticipated results include, but are not limited to, obtaining necessary approvals and other risks detailed from time to time in the Company's securities and other regulatory filings.