CommWorks 5020 Intelligent Activation System From 3Com Carrier Networks Business Supports DSL Service for Florida Digital Network.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

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ORLANDO, Fla. & SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 11, 2000

Intelligent Flow-Through Service Activation System is Integrated

With Paradyne's Hotwire(R) GranDSLAM; Allows Florida Digital Network

to Activate DSL Services Quickly and Economically

Florida Digital Network, a full-service telecommunications company, has expanded its use of intelligent service activation solutions from 3Com Corporation's (Nasdaq:COMS) Carrier Networks Business to include the rapid and accurate provisioning of digital subscriber lines (DSL) services, the companies announced today.

The CommWorks(R) 5020 Intelligent Activation System from 3Com Carrier Networks Business is integrated with the Hotwire(R) GranDSLAM DSL Access Multiplexer from Paradyne Corp. (Nasdaq:PDYN) to deliver DSL services faster, more accurately and with higher customer satisfaction to Florida Digital Network's growing subscriber base.

The integrated solution from 3Com Carrier Networks and Paradyne addresses a major problem facing broadband service providers: how to speed the DSL service activation process. In a recent report, DVG Research (a unit of Daedalus Venture Group LLC) stated that "provisioning problems remain a major obstacle to DSL competing with cable modem services."

"We chose the integrated CommWorks 5020 Intelligent Activation System and Hotwire GranDSLAM solution because it is a robust, fully-automated interoperable approach to DSL provisioning," said Jim Dabramo, vice president of sales and customer service at Florida Digital Network. "With increasingly more customers subscribing to our DSL service, we can now rapidly deploy service, increase customer satisfaction and improve our revenue stream. This integrated DSL service activation solution greatly increases the value of our business for us and for our customers."

"Interoperability between our Hotwire GranDSLAM and the CommWorks 5020 Intelligent Activation System offers DSL broadband providers such as Florida Digital Network, an accurate, DSL provisioning solution for quickly activating new subscribers," said Mark Housman, vice president of marketing for Paradyne. "This integration with 3Com and Florida Digital Network further emphasizes the interoperability of the Hotwire GranDSLAM within different network environments."

"New realities in the market require new solutions," said Glen Hellman, vice president, 3Com Carrier Networks OSS Division. "As the market changes, technological needs also change. Our cutting-edge integrated 3Com/Paradyne solution empowers providers such as Florida Digital Network with the ability to easily and reliably activate DSL service for new subscribers. The results are satisfied customers."

System Features High-Performance Rules-Based Engine

Interoperation occurs when the CommWorks 5020 Intelligent Activation System automates activation of the Hotwire GranDSLAM by working through Common Object Request Broker Architecture (CORBA) and Extensible Markup Language (XML) to integrate fully with Florida Digital Network's order entry and management system. After pre-qualifying the orders through a high-performance, flexible rules-based engine, the CommWorks 5020 Intelligent Activation System automatically flows through configuration changes to network elements. Interoperability between the two solutions enables Florida Digital Network to activate and process service requests and configure services for individual subscribers from a central location. By automating the processing of service activation orders, entry errors that often resulted from manual processing are eliminated.

The CommWorks 5020 Intelligent Activation System is a next-generation software platform that provides automated activation, provisioning and validation of next-generation services. The platform uses a high performance, flexible rules-based engine to turn on services, making it virtually impossible to enter customer order data incorrectly. Services are turned on in a fraction of the time it took when orders were processed manually. Studies have shown that for large networks only 28 percent of manual user activations were successful. By contrast, the CommWorks 5020 Intelligent Activation System is capable of delivering success rates of 90 percent or better for complex network provisioning.

The Paradyne Hotwire GranDSLAM solution is a leading business class digital subscriber line access multiplexer (DSLAM) that supports multiple services, technologies, transports, and interoperability with a variety of systems. The interoperability of this integrated solution affords Florida Digital Network high-speed DSL service with accurate and timely provisioning. More specifically, the integrated 3Com Carrier Networks/Paradyne solution reduces the need for additional staff required to maintain and operate systems, and decreases the number of errors generated from the onset of bad orders entering the system. With this solution, Florida Digital Network has dramatically reduced the order turn-around time for DSL service activation requests.

About 3Com Corporation

3Com simplifies how people connect to information and services through easy-to-use, connectivity products and solutions for consumers and commercial organizations. The company also provides access infrastructures and IP services platforms for network service providers. For further information, visit www.3com.com or the press site at www.3com.com/pressbox.

About Florida Digital Network

Florida Digital Network is a facilities-based Competitive Local Exchange Carrier (CLEC) headquartered in Orlando, Fla. A full-service telephone company, Florida Digital Network provides local and long distance service, and the latest in advanced telecommunications products, including high-speed (DSL) Internet access, to business throughout the state of Florida. Florida Digital Network is helping companies better communicate in a state of growth by providing superior telecommunications service at a lower rate. Privately owned, Florida Digital Network is well-capitalized, having previously raised equity funding from M/C Venture Partners, Clark Mcleod (founder and current chairman of McLeod USA), Richard Kolsby (founder of Intermedia Communications), GATX Telecom Investors, among other investors. For further information on Florida Digital Network, call toll free 1.877.CALL.FDN (877/225-5336) or visit www.floridadigital.net.

Note to Editors: 3Com and CommWorks are registered trademarks of 3Com Corporation. Hotwire and FrameSaver are registered trademarks and Hotwire Connected is a trademark of Paradyne Corporation. All other company and product names may be trademarks of the respective companies with which they are associated.