Broadwing's Rick Ellenberger Sees Technology Breakthroughs and Economic Conditions Creating Bandwidth Inflection Point.

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LAGUNA NIGUEL, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 24, 2001

Lightwave Solutions Deliver Capacity, Quality,

Speed-to-Market Advantages over 'Old World' Legacy Services

Rick Ellenberger, president and CEO of optical network communications leader Broadwing Inc. (NYSE:BRW), today discussed the changing communications environment and the industry turning point represented by the emergence of lightwave services, during remarks delivered to a packed audience of communications leaders and corporate chief executives at Vortex 2001.

"The leaders of tomorrow are providers, like Broadwing, who are today attacking instead of protecting, have little exposure to declining revenue models, and are using innovative technologies to create new markets and profitable revenue streams," said Ellenberger.

Ellenberger discussed the sea change within the communications industry created by Broadwing's completion of the world's first intelligent, all-optical network and the new services it can now offer its customers, such as Optical Gigabit Ethernet service and Optical Media Centers.

"The unique capabilities of the Broadwing intelligent, all-optical network leverage the scaleable, burstable, power of Ethernet technology into a coast-to-coast wide area network that can encompass all of a company's locations without sacrificing speed or performance," said Ellenberger.

In responding to questions from the audience, Ellenberger explained that an inflection point is being created by the intersection of tight capital markets, technology breakthroughs that enable lightwave services, and customers' increasing appetites for higher bandwidth solutions.

"Broadwing never bought into the approach that customers would buy bandwidth speculatively, in the hopes that their needs would expand, or they would have the capital to light dark fiber in the future," said Ellenberger. "We built our all-optical network knowing that companies would want the freedom to demand bandwidth on a just-in-time-basis. And today's reality is, only a very few carriers, like Broadwing, now have the networks, capacity and systems for delivering bandwidth where, and more importantly, when customers want it," Ellenberger explained.

"Any revolutionary idea undergoes four phases of scrutiny, by your competitors, as it comes to life -- intellectual curiosity, skepticism, denial, and finally imitation. The recent announcements by two other providers that they will also build intelligent, all-optical networks like Broadwing's is tremendous validation of our vision and another step in the changing of the guard in our industry," continued Ellenberger.

Ellenberger also forecasted that additional providers would continue to follow in the wake of Broadwing's 12 month lead in creating the next-generation of all-optical networks to meet customers' requirements for flexible, available bandwidth.

About Broadwing

Broadwing Inc. (NYSE:BRW) is parent to two of the industry's leading communications companies, Broadwing Communications and Cincinnati Bell. Broadwing Communications, headquartered in Austin, Texas, leads the industry as the world's first intelligent, all-optical, switched network provider and offers businesses nationwide a competitive advantage by providing data, voice and Internet solutions that are flexible, reliable and innovative on its 18,500-mile optical network and its award-winning IP backbone. Cincinnati Bell is one of the nation's most respected and best performing local exchange and wireless providers with a legacy of unparalleled customer service excellence and financial strength. Cincinnati Bell provides a wide range of telecommunications products and services to residential and business customers in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana. Broadwing Inc. is headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio and has 6,400 employees in 56 sales and service offices across the country. For more information, visit www.broadwing.com.

Except for the historical information contained herein, this press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and are subject to the safe harbors created thereby. The Company's future actual results could differ materially from the forward-looking statements discussed herein. A list of the factors that could cause actual results to differ materially can be found in the documents the Company files with the SEC, including those contained in the Company's prospectus, and the Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2000.