Ebone Underpins Austrian Academia With Europe's Largest Broadband Network.

Business Editors/Hi-Tech Writers

LONDON & VIENNA, Austria--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 7, 2002

ACOnet, the Austrian Academic Computer Network and one of the largest ISPs in the country, has upgraded its IP and broadband network with Ebone due to growing user demand, the need to increase network effectiveness, and to improve access to other international networks. Ebone, which first provided ACOnet with broadband services in 1992, has upgraded ACOnet's bandwidth Internet connectivity to 600Mbps.

ACOnet connects over 200,000 users at Austria's leading universities, schools and academic institutions using broadband IP technology. The academic world is perfectly suited to enjoy the benefits of IP technology because of the large and dispersed number of users sharing bandwidth-hungry information such as meteorological, scientific and nuclear research data. ACOnet is also connected to other academic networks like the pan-European Gigabit Research and Education Network (GEANT) - the world's largest academic and education network. ACOnet was established in 1986 to provide the Federal Ministry of Science and Research with a reliable network service. It is one of the many academic networks that operate in Europe and the rest of the world.

Dr Peter Rastl, director of Vienna University's computer centre and a luminary in the development of European and Austrian Internet technology, said, "Key to us is guaranteed security and network availability. Ebone is able to ensure that our users consistently experience peak performance with near zero congestion. Ebone also gives us the freedom to optimise communication by offering bandwidth on-demand to meet further increasing capacity needs. We were particularly impressed with the close contact we had with network management and the good response we have always received from Ebone."

"Ebone's heritage sprang from academia, so we understand only too well the demands that organisations like ACOnet face in delivering high-quality, high-performance and always-on broadband networks. Networks like ACOnet are essential to the development of commercial IP and broadband networks worldwide," said Duncan Lewis, CEO Ebone. "Many academic networks are self managed and maintained, and are still some of the most data intensive networks in use."

ACOnet was one of the original components of the Ebone network and before that an original member of EARN (European Academic Research Network), positioning ACONet as pivotal to the development of Europe's own Internet. Rastl has been involved in the evolution of ACOnet from its inception and is seen as a leading figure in the development of the European Internet.

Other industries are also realising the benefits that a dedicated network can bring, these include the media, pharmaceutical and automotive industry who are establishing community networks in order to share and transfer large amounts of data between themselves.

ACOnet is just one of the professional networks that Ebone serves. Other similar networks served by Ebone include ENX, The European Network Exchange Association, the largest consortium of European car-makers and automotive equipment suppliers. It was established to support a business network for the entire European automobile industry. ENX uses Ebone's IP backbone for bandwidth-heavy applications where high volumes of data need to be transferred quickly, reliably and securely.

About ACOnet

ACOnet is the network for science, research and education in Austria funded by the Ministry for Education, Science and Culture (BMBWK). ACOnet provides a powerful network-infrastructure for data communication between the different locations of the 19 universities in Austria. ACOnet provides also full Internet connectivity and Internet services.

About Ebone

Ebone, a division of Global TeleSystems, Inc. (GTS), is the original and most experienced broadband IP and optical networking company in Europe. Serving Europe's leading carriers, service providers, media companies and enterprises with the highest quality IP and optical networking services, Ebone's fibre and IP network extends more than 25,000 kilometres to nearly every major European city. Overall, Ebone has operations in 69 European cities plus the United States. Operating headquarters are in London. On 19 October 2001, GTS announced that it had signed a definitive share purchase agreement under which KPNQwest ("KPNQwest") (NASDAQ and ASE: KQIP) has agreed to acquire, under the terms and conditions in the agreement and subject to normal regulatory approvals, the business of Ebone and GTS Central Europe. For further information, please visit us at www.ebone.com.

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, which are intended to be covered by the safe harbors created thereby. Investors are cautioned that all forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. Although GTS believes that the assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements contained herein are reasonable, any of the assumptions could be inaccurate, and therefore, there can be no assurance that the forward-looking statements included in this press release will prove to be accurate. In light of the significant uncertainties inherent in the forward-looking statements included herein, the inclusion of such information should not be regarded as a representation by GTS or any other person that the objectives and plans of GTS will be achieved.