Broadband Digital Group, Providers of FreeDSL Acquires Winfire.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 18, 2000

Winfire Becomes `Virtual Operating System' and Centralized 

Development Platform Supporting Broadband Delivery

of Internet Content to Computing and Communications Devices

Broadband Digital Group (BDG), the first provider of free broadband Internet access for consumers through its FreeDSL(TM) service, today announced it has acquired Winfire for an undisclosed amount. Winfire, developer of the Personalized Browser Assistant(TM), provides the application development platform and technology that BDG will use to seamlessly connect users to its broadband network, deliver advertising to its users and create desktop branding opportunities for its partners.

Operationally, the Winfire acquisition more than doubles the number of BDG employees, which now totals more than 90, in addition to filling some key management positions at BDG that remained unfilled. In the new company, Chad Steelberg, former Winfire CEO, will become CEO and chairman of Broadband Digital Group, while Ryan Steelberg will serve as BDG's president. Richard Shields, Winfire CFO, will step into that same role for BDG.

"This is a natural migration for the two companies," said Ryan Steelberg. "Not only did the Winfire development platform and its Browser Assistant application enable Broadband Digital Group to become fully operational in just a few months, it represents the core technology that will enable BDG to develop one of the nation's largest broadband, interactive networks."

Winfire, which released its first public beta Winfire Browser Assistant in August 1999, has quickly established itself as the market leader in the category, having signed more than 100 content and distribution partners, including ABCNEWS, Forbes.com, iVillage.com: The Women's Network (Nasdaq: IVIL), RealNames, The Weather Channel(R) Web site, weather.com, FreeRealTime.com, Ask.com (Ask Jeeves) and Upside Media. These and Winfire's other partners are involved in distributing their own branded Browser Assistant to their users, and/or providing content and other services to users. To date, more than 150,000 users have downloaded the Winfire Browser Assistant.

Broadband Digital Group will not only utilize Winfire as its own core technology, it also will expand Winfire to become an open applications development platform for any E-business wanting to build a branded desktop application to strengthen the relationship with their users. Partners that build and distribute their own branded Browser Assistant also can create their own virtual, high-speed communications network through FreeDSL(TM), offering tailored broadband services to their users.

"Winfire has moved far beyond the browser assistant market to become an independent development platform where E-companies can extend their reach beyond the restricted confines of a Web page, and actually interoperate with desktop applications," said Chad Steelberg. "Combined with the Winfire Studio, which we will announce in the coming weeks, Winfire becomes the centralized platform for web developers and content providers to deliver a host of content to their users on a variety of devices, whether PCs, handhelds, pagers or cell phones."

About Broadband Digital Group

Broadband Digital Group is the first provider of free broadband Internet access for the high-demand consumer market. Recognizing the growing need for widespread, high-speed Internet access, Broadband Digital Group is playing a key role in fostering the delivery of media-rich content, including advertising, to Web users. Broadband Digital Group's focus is to create the largest broadband interactive network. For more information, visit www.freedsl.com.