Alcoa Fujikura and Corning Selected as Primary Suppliers for NEESCom's New England Expansion.

Business Editors/High Tech Writers

BRENTWOOD, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 31, 2000

ADSS-based network will contain

Corning(R) LEAF(R) and SMF-28(TM) fibers

Alcoa Fujikura Ltd., a global provider of fiber-optic cable, and Corning Incorporated (NYSE: GLW), a world leading supplier of optical fiber, and announced today that they have been selected as the primary cable and optical fiber suppliers for NEESCom's expansion of its New England network.

Comprised of All-Dielectric, Self-Supporting (ADSS) fiber optic cable supplied by Alcoa Fujikura Ltd. (AFL), the network will also contain Corning's SMF-28(TM) and LEAF(R) optical fibers.

NEESCom, the telecommunications subsidiary of National Grid USA, recently completed a 325-mile fiber optic network expansion in Eastern Massachusetts that begins in Telecom City in the Malden/Medford/Everett area and ends in Quincy. Major cities and regions connected along this route are Lawrence, Lowell, Metro West Region, Attleboro, Brockton, Pawtucket, Providence, and Quincy. This expansion complements NEESCom's existing facilities that connect Springfield to the Metro West Region through their Worcester underground fiber optic ring network.

Additional projects scheduled for the Quincy, Providence and Malden areas will build out the NEESCom network to more than 700 miles by the end of this year.

NEESCom has also completed the first of two underground metro rings in the City of Providence.NEESCom continues its aggressive Metro West expansion in 2000 with the completion of four fiber optic metro rings totaling more than 70 miles. Construction of a 25-mile fiber optic ring to Salem NH is scheduled for completion by 6/1/00.

By leveraging the advantages of aerial network construction, NEESCom has been able to meet critical speed-to-market goals. For NEESCom, aerial cable is a cost-effective, easily deployable solution given their extensive rights-of-way tower ownership. Aerial cable is not subject to backhoe damage that hampers many buried cable systems. Quickly deploying a regional network was essential to meeting the explosive bandwidth requirements of businesses and carriers in New England.

The continued expansion is made up of 288 fibers that will provide broadband access for carriers and hundreds of area businesses in several cities and regions in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New Hampshire. A hybrid cable containing both standard single-mode fiber and the world's leading non-zero dispersion-shifted fiber provides two advantages: carriers can take advantage of long-haul transmission over LEAF fiber while local businesses along the route can tap into high performance SMF-28 fiber to improve the efficiency of their automated operations.

In commenting on the announcement, Corning's Utilities Market Manager, Ed Cook, said, "NEESCom selected Corning as its fiber supplier after a rigorous review process. We're proud the analysis validated Corning's product performance and the technical assistance we provide to our customers."

AFL's Patrick Dobbins, Commercial Manager ADSS, stated, "AFL congratulates NEESCom on this next phase of network expansion. Over the last year, NEESCom earned their reputation as a leading dark fiber provider by completing one of the most aggressive ADSS build-out programs in the country. As the industry leader in ADSS cable and hardware systems, AFL is proud to be a part of NEESCom's success. With ADSS cable products containing up to 432 fibers, AFL will continue to develop solutions to help our customers meet their goals."

"AFL and Corning were able to provide the most cost effective, high performance cable and fiber solution," said NEESCom's Director of Operations, Joe Luchini.

NEESCom (www.neescom.com) is a subsidiary of National Grid USA, which is headquartered in Westborough, Mass. National Grid USA is a division of The National Grid Group plc (LSE, NYSE:NGG), which is the world's largest independent electricity transmission company currently headquartered in Coventry, England.

Alcoa Fujikura, Ltd. (www.aflfiber.com), one of 24 Alcoa business units, is a leading global provider of fiber optic products and services to the telecommunications, data communications, CATV, and electric utility industries. AFL is headquartered in Brentwood, Tenn., with several manufacturing locations in the U.S. and Mexico. All AFL manufacturing facilities are ISO 9001 certified.

Established in 1851, Corning Incorporated (www.corning.com) creates leading-edge technologies for the fastest-growing markets of the world's economy. Corning manufactures optical fiber, cable and photonic products for the telecommunications industry; and high-performance displays and components for television and other communications-related industries. The company also uses advanced materials to manufacture products for scientific, semiconductor and environmental markets. Corning revenue's in 1999 were $4.7 billion. More information on Corning optical fiber is available at www.corningfiber.com.

Editor's Note: Corning and LEAF are registered trademarks and SMF-28 is a trademark of Corning Incorporated.PR8534