Cbeyond Selects Quintessent's ASP Solution to Interconnect With Trading Partners.

Business/High Tech Editors

REDMOND, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 7, 2001

Hosted Software Solution Saves Next-Generation Service Provider

Time and Up-front Cost in Accessing ILEC Networks

Quintessent(R)Communications, Inc. (www.quintessent.net), a leader in electronically integrated telecommunications service ordering, today announced that Cbeyond Communications, a Broadband Applications Services Provider, has chosen Tele.Commerce(TM)ASP, Quintessent's hosted electronic-bonding gateway suite.

Atlanta-based Cbeyond Communications will use Quintessent's hosted software to translate, validate and transmit service orders with trading partners. Cbeyond will save up-front cost and time associated with establishing interconnections between carrier networks, using Quintessent as the single conduit to the service networks of Ameritech, BellSouth, Qwest (US WEST), Southwestern Bell, Verizon East (Bell Atlantic) and Verizon West (GTE).

"'Changing the customer experience' is one of our founding tenets and we see Quintessent's hosted interconnection software as one way to increase our service level to consumers," said Cbeyond's Bill Schellhardt, VP of Operational Support Systems. "We can concentrate on better customer care and network allocation, knowing that Quintessent is enabling our service representatives to complete orders in an efficient manner."

Cbeyond will use Quintessent's ASRXchange(TM) Send, LSRXchange(TM) and PreOrderXchange(TM) gateway applications to check on service availability and customer account records as well as transact orders for local loops. Quintessent will maintain Cbeyond's solution availability and will update the interconnection software as new industry business rules must be implemented.

"Since Tele.Commerce ASP was first announced in 1999, Quintessent has offered a growing list of customers a compelling option for trading partner interconnection and automated data delivery, and we're excited to extend the same benefits to Cbeyond Communications," said Janis Nantz, vice president of marketing for Quintessent.

To learn more about Quintessent's integrated gateway solutions, please visit: www.quintessent.net.

About CBeyond Communications

Cbeyond Communications, a national Broadband Applications Services Provider (BASP), is focusing on "bridging the digital divide" that currently denies small businesses access to the communications services they need at prices they can typically afford. Using Internet Protocol (IP) architecture, Cbeyond has entered the market with an integrated product of local, long distance, Internet access, and Internet-based applications. The business strategy is to facilitate the movement of business processes via Internet access, making possible electronic communications, collaboration and e-commerce opportunities that will enhance a small business's competitive strength and efficiency. Converged applications seamlessly integrated and delivered over a single platform is a marked improvement over legacy technologies, which are harder to implement, maintain and enhance, and more costly. Savings in capital and infrastructure are being reinvested into a decentralized, market approach to support a vision of high-touch customer service. For more information on Cbeyond, visit the website at www.Cbeyond.net.

About Quintessent Communications, Inc.

Quintessent Communications, Inc. (www.quintessent.net) enables the on-going integrated services revolution in telecommunications through its business-to-business e-commerce solutions. Quintessent's Tele.Commerce suite of OSS interconnection software products and services efficiently and seamlessly connects the OSSs of telecommunications carriers, enabling them to act as trading partners and thereby allow the consumer to reap the benefits of open competition. Headquartered in Redmond, Washington, Quintessent is known for building, integrating and supporting network and service management products for the telecommunications industry. For more information, see www.quintessent.net or call 425/897-6500.

Quintessent is a registered trademark and Tele.Commerce, ASRXchange, LSRXchange and PreOrderXchange are trademarks of Quintessent Communications, Inc. All other product and company names may be the trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.