Cayman 2E 500 Selected By WorkNet For Use In BitBeam Wireless Multi-Tenant Internet Access Service.

STONEHAM, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 21, 1998--

Enables Businesses To Save More Than 50% Of Cost Of T1 Fees;

Provides Zero-Configuration, Firewall-Protected, Networking

Capabilities

Cayman Systems and WorkNet(R) Communications, Inc., of St. Louis, Missouri, today announced a business partnership to include Cayman's 2E 500 router as the customer premise device in WorkNet's BitBeam(TM) Wireless Internet service. Outfitting each tenant with a Cayman 2E 500 router will enable WorkNet to provide multiple businesses within an office building with wireless Internet access at bandwidth rates as high as 11 Mbps, while also providing each with the ability to network multiple computers into individual, firewall-protected, Local Area Networks (LANs).

Announcing the partnership, Ken Harrington, President and Chief Executive Officer of WorkNet said, "Cayman's 2E 500 allows us to make high-speed access simple for our customers. Our customers appreciate the Zero-Configuration features of the 2E 500, as the device enables them to easily connect all of their computers to the Internet, while simultaneously creating an instant Ethernet-to-Ethernet LAN. Further, they feel secure knowing that the Cayman 2E 500's built-in firewall protects their networks."

BitBeam is a new wireless internetworking service that connects customers' computers within a twenty mile radius of a WorkNet central antenna to each other and/or to the Internet at speeds from 150 Kbps up to 11 Mbps. WorkNet will initially make the service available in the St. Louis metropolitan area, and plans to expand it to 20 additional markets by the end of 2000. Customers may choose the speed most appropriate for their needs, as BitBeam is available in a number of bandwidth options, enabling them to maximize cost-efficiency. For example, a customer's monthly cost for BitBeam, at bandwidth rates of 500 Kbps, will total $500. A customer requiring three times this speed may choose BitBeam's 1.5 Mbps service, for only $1,000. These prices represent significant cost savings over the cost of T1 fees, as 512 Kbps service typically costs around $950 monthly, and 1.5 Mbps T1 bandwidth averages $2,000. These comparisons illustrate how businesses can save fifty percent on their Internet access costs by using BitBeam. For detailed pricing information, visit BitBeam's web site at http://www.bitbeam.net.

"Partnering with WorkNet has enabled us to explore an entirely new implementation for the Cayman 2E 500 router - wireless Internet access," commented Heidi Clark, President and Chief Executive Officer of Cayman Systems. "WorkNet is one of the first companies to announce a wireless Internet product, and we are pleased that they recognize the technological capability, as well as the economic potential, of the 2E when used to provide high-bandwidth Internet to multi-tenant office buildings."

The integration of plug & play, Cayman Systems' Swift-IP capabilities and two Ethernet ports in one package create a unique and powerful tool for service providers that cater to businesses and homes. One Ethernet port supports PCs on the LAN, the other Ethernet port plugs directly into BitBeam's wireless backbone.

The Cayman 2E 500 uses version 4.2 of Cayman Systems' network operating software with Swift-IP. Swift-IP now affords plug & play setup and configuration to small offices using Cayman Systems' HDSL1000, HDSL1001, SDSL1400, ADSL2000, LR700-H and 2E series of routers. Swift-IP integrates Network Address Translation (NAT) and Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) to allow all the users in an office to connect to the Internet using a single IP address. This reduces costs for the small office, and makes maintenance easier for the service provider.

Headquartered in St. Louis, WorkNet is a Broadband Local Exchange Carrier providing small and medium-sized businesses with low-cost, high-speed data communications alternatives to conventional telephone company copper and fiber-optic local loop facilities. The company offers an integrated package of Internet access over BitBeam, its proprietary fixed wireless point-to-multipoint broadband network. WorkNet currently serves the St. Louis metropolitan area and expects to expand into 20 other cities by the year 2000.

Cayman Systems is the customer premise equipment provider of choice for service providers that sell to home and small office markets. Cayman's Zero-Configuration routers and turnkey support programs enable Cable Companies, C-LECs, ISPs, ILECs, and RBOCs to easily deliver Ethernet-to-Internet DSL and broadband solutions for their small office customers. Founded in 1987, Cayman Systems is a privately held company based in Stoneham, Massachusetts.

Cayman Systems, LR700, LR700-H, 2E500, HDSL1000, HDSL1001, ADSL2000, SDSL1400, Zero-Configuration, Swift-IP, and the Cayman Systems logo are trademarks of Cayman Systems, Inc. All other trademarks, brand and product names are the property of their respective holders.