Blue Ridge InternetWorks Launches IP Telephony System for Musictoday.com; Local Internet Retailer to Make the Most of Convergence Technology.

Business Editors

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 16, 2003

Blue Ridge InternetWorks (BRI) announces the deployment of a Cisco IP Telephony System for Musictoday.com, a Charlottesville-based Internet retailer and fulfillment company providing online merchandising, ticketing and fan club solutions to hundreds of clients in the music and entertainment industry including Dave Matthews Band, the Rolling Stones and Dixie Chicks. With the installation of IP Telephony, Musictoday.com can lay claim to using some of the most sophisticated and revolutionary operations technology available. IP telephony technology reduces infrastructure costs and simplifies a company's operation by converging voice and data networks, making the phone part of an organization's data network.

"IP telephony technology will help us move firmly into the future," said Ford Englander, Chief Operating Officer of Musictoday.com. "It has brought us new capacity and new capabilities to our call center such as advanced call routing. For instance, now we can run a skills-based routing system so the employees with certain abilities - such as ticketing or fan clubs - are able to handle the phone calls related to those issues more readily. IP Telephony will increase our internal efficiency and clearly improve our customer service."

Other advantages of using an IP-- or Internet Protocol-- telephony system include unified voice and e-mail capabilities for employees. Internal voice communications can be sent over the same lines as e-mail messages, saving on the cost of toll calls.

"This is the year of IP telephony. It is one of the fastest growing mainstream technology product lines," said Jeff Cornejo, managing partner of BRI, noting that the market for IP systems is expected to reach $15 billion within four years. "This telephony technology enables a traditional data network to route voice traffic. A pleasing result is that your e-mail in-box accepts voice-mail messages. The voice quality is equal to, or superior to, the sound quality of a regular phone call. So, instead paying toll for a call to the Salt Lake City office from New York, you can now send it over your pre-existing network connections."

Additionally, with an IP telephony system, the organization has the ability to add, move or change the system based on the company's growth, and the system can managed by the organization's network administrators.

"One obvious advantage for us was that, from a maintenance standpoint, the IP telephone system allows our staff network administrators to maintain the phone system. It basically is a computer system and not a separate technology," said Ford.

Added Baylor Fooks, managing partner of BRI, "Also, growth is easily accommodated in an IP phone system--new phones are added by plugging them in and authorizing them, and moves are handled by plugging the phone in at the new location."

Industry experts note obvious cost advantages, as well. "A company with about 100 employees would save about $100 per phone per employee by choosing an IP telephony set-up than a traditional PBX telephone set-up," said Cornejo. "The organization can save many of the fees tied to conventional phone service between employees in different locations, and it certainly saves maintenance and support costs."

Furthering its partnership with Cisco Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: CSCO), BRI recently announced receiving the Cisco IP Telephony Revised Specialization. First in the Central Virginia region to receive this certification, BRI strengthened its foothold in the IP telephony market by being authorized to design, sell, install and support Cisco IP Telephony Solutions. Cisco makes Internet telephone switches and phones, among other products, and it has more than 10,000 IP telephony customers.

"Blue Ridge InternetWorks was the clearly the best choice to install this technology," added Ford. "We've had a long history with BRI and found their knowledge of IP telephony to be unparalleled."

For more information on BRI, contact Jeff Cornejo at 434-817-0707, ext. 2001 or visit www.brnets.com.

About BRI:

Blue Ridge InternetWorks LLC, founded in June 2000, helps organizations creatively use broadband Internet service. As one of Central Virginia's fastest growing network solution providers, BRI operates a multi-DS3 Internet data center in its Charlottesville headquarters. By doing it right the first time, BRI has helped more than 100 clients such as PRA International, SNL Securities, Media General, Riverbend-Charlottesville apartment complex, achieve network efficiency and stability. Through its BRIConnect division, BRI provides wholesale, high speed Internet access for the multi-tenant housing industry throughout the East Coast. BRI is a Cisco Premier Certified Partner. Visit www.brnets.com for more information.