Colorado BOCES Selects ADC Kentrox for WestCEL Network; Distance Learning Network Breaks Down the Barriers for Better Education in Rural Schools.

PORTLAND, Ore.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 3, 1998--ADC Kentrox, the Network Access Company(TM), has been selected by the Western Slope Consortium for Excellence in Learning (WestCEL), Northwest Colorado Board of Cooperative Educational Services, Steamboat Springs, Colo., to provide the ATM network access that is delivering data and videoconferencing connectivity among 15 school districts in Western Colorado.

In the future, this network will also connect vocational-technical centers, community colleges, four-year colleges, graduate programs and library districts. The network is installed and has been in use since spring 1998.

The network has an ATM Backbone with four nodes connected by ADC Kentrox AAC-3(TM) Multi-service Access Concentrators, via T1 lines for video and data. ADC Kentrox AAC-1(TM) Access Concentrators connect a router and videoconferencing equipment at 11 of the high school sites plus two vocational education centers and a community college. The AAC-1 Access Concentrators support both video and data, allowing individual sites to dynamically allocate network resources between applications such as videoconferencing and Internet access.

Another key feature of the WestCEL network is its use of the Inverse Multiplexing over ATM (IMA) capability in the AAC-3 product. This feature allows the bandwidth from multiple T1 connections to be aggregated for greater than T1 bandwidth to individual school sites. The IMA feature gives the sites connected to the WestCEL network a low-cost entry point with capacity for future expansion. "This network design allows us to incrementally add bandwidth as needed," said Ed VanderTook, executive director of WestCEL. "The IMA capability is extremely important for a rural network that doesn't have access to the bandwidth available in urban areas."

The ADC Kentrox network access products for the WestCEL network were provided by U S WEST Communications Services. "We have a solid track record with U S WEST of providing cost-effective solutions for their customers. The IMA capability of our AAC-3 products offered a solution for WestCEL that met their current needs but allows for future expansion as their network requirements expand, all at a price they could afford," said Sean Martin, Director of Marketing, ADC Kentrox. WestCEL's VanderTook noted, "We have found ADC Kentrox products to be the best available in the marketplace to meet our needs, and that they back up their products with the highest levels of service and support."

The members of the WestCEL consortium are located throughout rural portions of western Colorado. Other agencies outside the consortium are working with WestCEL to expand services to other districts and establish a statewide infrastructure for future connectivity. "This network is an important step for us to break down the barriers to rural education," said WestCEL executive director Ed VanderTook. "By sharing teaching resources over the network, we will provide our students with educational resources that would otherwise be unavailable to rural Colorado. We're confident that this network will serve our region well now, and in the future."

The WestCEL consortium was initially formed to provide data and videoconferencing connectivity for its members. As the network developed, consortium members saw the opportunity to improve the access and delivery of educational opportunities and offer excellence in learning through technology. Seeing the success of the consortium, other districts are interested in joining to expand connectivity across more of the state.

About ADC Kentrox

ADC Kentrox, the Network Access Company, is a leading supplier of network access and ATM WAN access concentration equip equipment for global voice/video/data networking. The company holds a preeminent market position in T1 DSU/CSUs and CSUs and is a pioneer in DSL and ATM connectivity products. Based in Portland, Ore., ADC Kentrox is a subsidiary of ADC Telecommunications Inc. of Minneapolis, Minn. ADC Telecommunications (NASDAQ:ADCT) is a leading supplier of transmission and networking systems to both public and private networks, with $1.2 billion in FY97 revenues.

For additional information on ADC Kentrox high-speed access solutions, please contact Customer Service at 503/643-1681 or visit our Web site at www.kentrox.com.

    CONTACT:  ADC Kentrox
               Carol Hilden, 503/350-6317
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