Carrier Access Completes ILEC Certification, Signs Significant RBOC DS3 Equipment Agreement.

Business Editors & Technology Writers

BOULDER, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 18, 2001

Carrier Access (Nasdaq:CACS):

Selection of Wide Bank(R) 28 Follows Year-Long Development and

Network Certification That Marks Expanded Business Focus

On Serving ILEC Customers

Carrier Access Corporation (Nasdaq:CACS), a broadband telecommunications equipment provider to leading carriers and communication service companies, announced today that it has been selected to provide one of the Regional Bell Operating Companies (RBOC) with the intelligent DS3 and STS-1 equipment required to build its next-generation broadband network.

This is a significant milestone in Carrier Access' previously announced plans to refocus its product approval, marketing and sales efforts toward serving higher-growth markets -- including Incumbent Local Exchange Carriers (ILEC) -- as business from several segments slow with the economy.

The carrier will deploy the widely-accepted, high-performance Wide Bank 28 to more cost-effectively deliver broadband connectivity and bundled Internet services to its millions of customers. Key selection criteria included integration with existing ILEC and network management systems, the ability to address inherent DS3 legacy problems and the capacity to become a fully integrated part of the carrier's network -- providing intelligence capabilities and significant cost-reduction benefits.

"Engineering our Wide Bank 28 to meet stringent ILEC standards further extends Carrier Access' leadership in broadband and circuit distribution," said Roger Koenig, Carrier Access president and chief executive officer.

The RBOC selected Carrier Access' Wide Bank 28 after a year-long development and certification process that ensures the device will integrate operationally with Telcordia management standards, which are used to monitor and analyze more than two-thirds of the nation's transport and network switching equipment. A key selection criteria was the industry-leading intelligence of the Wide Bank 28, which allows remote provisioning, monitoring, and maintenance -- unique functionality that significantly reduces labor costs. Carrier Access has already placed more than 45,000 Wide Bank products in service provider facilities since 1998.

"Incumbent carriers and wireless providers are aggressively re-evaluating their networks and investing in technologies to keep up with increasing end-user service demand at the lowest possible cost. We are highly focused on using both current and future product offerings to accelerate the ILEC broadband overhaul," said Koenig.

About Carrier Access

Carrier Access' high-performance digital broadband equipment gives telecommunications providers significantly more effective and cost-efficient platforms to deliver bundled voice, data and video services in concert with any "last-mile" high-speed access technology. The Company's Access Navigator(TM), Adit(TM), Broadmore(TM) and Wide Bank(R) products can be located in both carrier and customer facilities to improve service delivery and speed while lowering operating costs. For more information please visit www.carrieraccess.com.

Wide Bank is a registered trademark and Access Navigator, Adit, and Broadmore are trademarks of Carrier Access Corporation. Any other trademarks are the property of its respective company.

This press release contains forward-looking statements about the expected benefits of our being selected to provide DS3 equipment to one of the RBOCs. These statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, including the potential that the product may not be deployed in high-volume by the RBOC as currently anticipated. Further risks are detailed from time to time in Carrier Access' SCC reports, including its form 10K report for 2000 and subsequent form 10Q reports.