Akamai Announces Participation in Windows Media 9 Series Beta Launch.

Business/Technology Editors

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 4, 2002

Akamai's market-leading streaming distribution services to be featured within Microsoft Partner Pavilion during Windows Media 9 Series beta launch event

Akamai Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: AKAM), the leading provider of edge computing solutions, delivering secure content and distributed applications across the Internet, intranets, and extranets, today announced it has been selected by Microsoft to help support the Windows Media 9 Series Showcase website as part of the Windows Media 9 Series Beta Launch, Microsoft's next-generation digital media platform. To demonstrate its value to Windows Media users, Akamai will showcase the capabilities of its streaming technology in Microsoft's Partner Pavilion during the Windows Media 9 Series beta launch event this week in Hollywood, California.

Built on Akamai's global network, Akamai's live and on-demand streaming services offer unmatched performance and scalability so that businesses can maximize the impact of their audio or video files across the Internet, corporate intranets, and extranets. As a key participant in the Windows Media 9 Series beta launch program, Akamai, known for its ability to support landmark streaming events on the Internet, will help to provide high quality, reliable delivery of Windows Media content to worldwide audiences visiting the Windows Media 9 Series Showcase website. Akamai's market-leading streaming services used in conjunction with Windows Media 9 Series can provide customers with a comprehensive digital media platform to support their advanced streaming requirements with high performance, massive scalability, and global reach. Akamai has integrated Windows Media 9 Series with its proprietary technology to provide the most optimal experience for end users.

"Akamai's continued support for innovative streaming technologies has enabled Premiere Radio Networks to scale its business to meet the evolving digital media needs of its end users," said Brian Glicklich, vice president of interactive services, Premiere Radio Networks. "Together with Akamai, as our streaming delivery provider, and Microsoft, as our digital media compression provider, we can provide the highest quality audio experiences for our customers while increasing the reach of our services to broad audiences."

"In today's information-centric world, customers, consumers and constituents need more and more on-demand availability of rich media to run their business and enrich their daily lives. Akamai and Microsoft continue to work together to deliver this frictionless access around the room, around the country and indeed around the globe," said Mark Vargo, vice president, product marketing, Akamai. "Taking our streaming business another step forward, Akamai's support for Windows Media 9 Series underscores Akamai's commitment to the streaming marketplace and to offering customers access to the latest streaming technologies."

"Akamai's service has proven to provide a highly reliable and scalable architecture for delivering streaming media, and has enabled streaming on the Web to reach new milestones. We're pleased that Akamai sees Windows Media 9 Series as a key asset to the success of its streaming business as well as that of its customers," said Dave Fester, general manager of the Windows Digital Media Division at Microsoft Corp.

About Akamai

Akamai is the leading provider of edge computing solutions, delivering secure content and distributed applications across the Internet, intranets, and extranets. These solutions enable customers to achieve optimal results from their e-business initiatives, thereby reducing the cost of ownership, improving ROI, and creating new revenue streams. Akamai's globally distributed edge computing platform comprises more than 12,900 servers in more than 1,000 networks in 66 countries, ensuring the highest levels of availability, reliability, and performance. Headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Akamai provides services and world-class customer care to hundreds of successful enterprises, government entities, and leading e-businesses worldwide. For more information, visit www.akamai.com.

Akamai Statement Under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act 

The release contains information about future expectations, plans and prospects of Akamai's management that constitute forward-looking statements for purposes of the safe harbor provisions under The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by these forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors including, but not limited to, the dependence on Akamai's Internet content delivery service and technology products, the effects of any attempts to intentionally disrupt our services or network by hackers or others, failure of our telecommunications suppliers to provide sufficient transmission capacity, a failure of Akamai's network infrastructure, and other factors that are discussed in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, and other documents periodically filed with the SEC.