Broadwing Announces Completion of World's First Intelligent, All-Optical Ring; Major Milestone Places Next-Generation Leader At the Forefront of Optical Leadership.

Business Editors & High Tech Writers

AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 1, 2001

Broadwing Communications, a wholly owned subsidiary of Broadwing Inc. (NYSE:BRW), today announced the completion and initiation to commercial service of the eastern optical ring of its all-optical network.

Upon final completion of the central and western rings within the next 45 days, Broadwing will "light up" the world's first fully optical network which will redefine standards of excellence for optical service delivery, enabling provisioning of coast-to-coast IP networks and creation of bandwidth-on-demand services.

"The completion of the Eastern Ring is a significant milestone for the overall completion of the world's first all-optical network, a goal that Broadwing has championed since its inception," said Rick Pontin, Broadwing President and COO. "We are on the verge of providing corporate America with bandwidth on demand -- at the click of a button -- and eradicating the constraints of bandwidth availability and provisioning problems that have prevented customers from realizing the true potential of multimedia and rich content in their business applications."

Today's announcement further reinforces Broadwing's launch of the world's first all-optical network, and follows on the heels of recent initiatives, including the first field trial of an optical signal traveling over 4000km without electrical regeneration; the creation of the only all-optical network interoperability lab; the first commercial traffic carried on an all-optical network segment; the installation of the industry's first all-optical switch manufactured by Corvis Corporation; and the completion of on-ramps to the optical network via Nortel's Optera LH and CIENA's CoreDirector Optical Switching Systems.

Broadwing's eastern ring features optical switches in Fort Worth, Cleveland, Atlanta, and Joplin, Missouri and covers 4000 route miles between New York and Fort Worth. Broadwing's fully-optical portion of its award-winning, 18,500-mile network, which currently carries revenue traffic, will be officially "lit" upon culmination of the central and western rings, within the next 45 days.

About Broadwing

Broadwing Inc. (NYSE:BRW) combines unparalleled customer service with the industry's most advanced and flexible 18,500-mile next-generation fiber optic network and award-winning IP backbone, to create data and internet solutions that are innovative, reliable, and provide businesses a competitive advantage. Broadwing will be the first provider with a fully deployed optical network and sets the standard for customer accountability with the industry's only Installation Guarantee. Headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, and Austin, Texas, with 6,000 employees in 56 sales and service offices across the country, Broadwing can be found on the web at www.broadwing.com.

BROADWING'S OPTICAL MILESTONES

-- June 2000 -- Broadwing completes industry's first all-optical field trial
with Corvis' network technology

-- June 2000 -- Broadwing first to announce plans for commercial deployment of
all-optical network

-- August 2000 -- Broadwing reinforces commitment to optical networking with
strategic partnership, equity position in Corvis Corporation

-- August 2000 -- Broadwing is first communications service provider to
complete a field trial of an optical signal traveling 10-gigabits per second
without electrical regeneration

-- September 2000 -- Broadwing strengthens commitment to optical, with launch
of industry's first all-optical network interoperability lab

-- October 2000 -- Broadwing moves first operational traffic over completed
end-to-end optical route between Fort Worth and Phoenix

-- October 2000 -- Broadwing takes delivery of industry's first all-optical
switch from Corvis Corporation

-- December 2000 -- Broadwing builds on ramps to optical network with
deployment of CIENA CoreDirector Optical Switching Systems to provide business
customers a direct link to the industry's first all-optical network

-- February 2001 -- Broadwing lights the eastern ring of first all-optical
network