Columbia Communications Inks New Agreement With Merged Japanese Telecom Companies.

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 17, 1997--Columbia Communications Corporation announced a new two-year agreement with Japan Telecom Co., Ltd. (JT).

This is a new company formed through a merger between International Telecom Japan (ITJ) and Japanese long distance domestic telephone company, Japan Telecom Co. The contract calls for use of a full 36MHz transponder on the Pacific Ocean Region satellite, TDRS-5. Service, under the new agreement, begins January 1, 1998.

JT accesses the Columbia satellite from its earth station, located at Tokyo's Telecom Center. The C-Band transponder will be used for Perfect TV backhauls between the U.S. and Japan, along with occasional video service between Japan, Hong Kong, the U.S. and other locations within the satellite's coverage.

Columbia's President and COO, Kenneth Gross, noted that this agreement further extends current opportunities for Pacific Rim and Asia customers to link with the Atlantic Ocean Region satellite, TDRS-4, for C-Band coverage throughout all of North America and Europe.

Columbia controls and operates the commercial C-Band capacity on board three satellites in NASA's Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS). The company markets its SkyWay family of domestic, international and maritime telecommunications services to a wide variety of commercial and governmental users throughout Asia, North America and Europe. The COLUMBIA/TDRSS Satellite System serves a geographic area stretching from the Asian Pacific Rim countries, throughout North America and all of Europe, including Eastern Europe and Northern Africa. Columbia maintains offices and operations in the Washington D.C. area and in Honolulu, Hawaii.

CONTACT: Columbia Communications

Ken Gross, 301/907-8800

Ray Sweeney, 808/533-0033