Comstar.net Pays Profit Losses If Internet Services Go Down.

Business Editors, High-Tech Writers

ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 13, 2000

Industry's first e-Commerce Guarantee(tm) backs pledge for 100%

reliable connectivity for dedicated server hosting and colocation.

Infrastructure solutions provider Comstar.net announced today its e-Commerce Guarantee (eCG) for giving businesses complete confidence in its Internet Data Center (IDC) operations. eCG promises 100 percent Internet availability for Comstar.net's dedicated application server hosting (DASH), colocation and high speed connectivity offerings - or businesses will be reimbursed for profits lost during unscheduled disruption of services.

eCG is designed for companies with business-to-business or consumer e-commerce initiatives. Comstar.net currently offers a secure and fully redundant telco-grade IDC in Atlanta, with a sister facility in Washington, D.C. becoming operational in April. Additional data centers are planned to open in Boston, Chicago, Miami and Dallas later this year.

Comstar.net has been providing dedicated Internet connectivity since June 1996, serving some 700 business customers in the Southeast. In the last 35 months, it has had zero network downtime. It also boasts engineer-level tech support with a response time that is half that of its competitors.

Comstar.net's expansion from a regional business ISP to a full-service IDC reflects the growing interest in outsourcing to reduce IT costs and increase performance for Internet applications. DASH and colocation are supported by security, back-up power sources, 24x7 network monitoring and consulting.

"We're offering `take it for granted' reliability and speed essential for mission-critical e-commerce operations," said Comstar.net CEO Cary Howell. "We are so confident in our services that we are backing them with a guarantee that enables your Internet site to continue earning for your company, even if you lose connectivity. Simply put, if you go down, we pay up."

Comstar.net achieves reliability and performance with private network access points (NAPs) that pass information across the Internet at maximum speeds. Each private NAP features redundant physical connections with scalable bandwidth from backbone providers such as UUNet, Sprint, GTE, e.spire and others. The design allows Comstar.net to route traffic directly to the majority of carriers over private leased lines, bypassing congested public exchange points.

In addition, by working with multiple backbone carriers, if a major carrier goes down, Comstar.net automatically detours traffic to the next best roadway. All this happens seamlessly for the customer.

The eCG program is being underwritten by INSUREtrust.com, a program administrator with a national insurance carrier (AM Best Rated A, VIII) and, Hamilton Dorsey Alston, one of the largest independent brokerages in the U.S.

"It's revolutionary that a true network uptime guarantee is being made by an Internet solutions provider," said INSUREtrust.com CEO Steve Haase. "By offering compensation for losses covered by the eCG warranty, eCG negates the risk for companies. Comstar.net is setting a new customer expectation above traditional service level agreements that others will have to follow."

Haase added that Comstar.net's 35 months of continuous uptime, along with a thorough evaluation of the Atlanta IDC, led to the decision to back the eCG offering.

With eCG, Comstar.net customers will be compensated if and to the extent they suffer profit losses as a direct result of a services interruption, up to a maximum of $50,000 per event for a fractional or full T1 line or $500,000 per event for a fractional or full T3 line. Services interruption is the inability of a customer's customers or other third parties to access the network or equipment due to Comstar.net's failure to provide services. It does not include outages caused by events such as natural catastrophes, acts of war, or misuse (intentional or otherwise) of Comstar.net services by the customer.

Comstar.net will add a small monthly upcharge to any client's solution set to activate the eCG.

Comstar.net plans to make eCG available April 1, 2000. Comstar.net already offers DASH, colocation and connectivity services to approximately 700 customers at its Atlanta-based IDC.

About Comstar.net

Comstar.net is a business-focused infrastructure solutions provider, headquartered in Atlanta. The company specializes in customers with mission-critical e-commerce applications, as well as those that require 100 percent Internet availability. Comstar.net was founded by ex-MindSpring employees Cary Howell and Ed Landa.

Comstar.net features a powerful, "off-the-backbone" redundant network and fault-tolerant operations centers supported 24x365 by a knowledgeable and responsive staff. Customers receive advanced technology and maximum reliability, combined with extraordinary customer care. For more information, call 1-800-4-ComStar or on the Internet, go to www.Comstar.net.