Outstanding Contribution to the Unified Communications Industry Awarded to Frode Greisen - Ebone.

Business Editors & High Tech Writers

LONDON & VIENNA, Austria--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 16, 2001

Frode Greisen, Ebone's Chief Internet Officer, has won the Unified Comms International Award 2001 for "Outstanding Contribution to the Industry". Greisen has been pioneering major developments in the Internet and international networking for over fifteen years. Indeed, he is believed by many to be the single most influential figure in the development of the European Internet.

Amongst his many achievements, Greisen was president of the European Academic Research Network (EARN), Europe's original network of networks and the precursor to the European Internet. He has also been a driving force in many other leading international organisations. These include RARE (the Association of Academic Research Networks in Europe), TERENA and, perhaps most importantly, the Internet Society (ISOC), where he was a founding board member, and president in 1997-98.

Greisen is probably best known for his involvement in Ebone. Founded in 1991 as a non-profit co-operative of national and regional research networks, Ebone was in many ways Europe's original Internet. Greisen became General Manager in 1992, and has been a key player in the various stages of Ebone's development, and the parallel development of IP-networking in Europe, since that time. In 1997, Ebone transformed into a private company and Greisen became Managing Director. Later, Ebone was acquired by Global TeleSystems but it maintained the Ebone name to represent its IP and broadband networking activities. Perhaps Greisen's most lasting contribution was his crucial role in bringing international networking to Central and Eastern Europe, first through EARN and then through Ebone IP connectivity.

The awards ceremony took place at the Hofburg Palace in Vienna on 14 November 2001. The Unified Comms International Awards 2001 are the only awards ceremony to recognise industry innovation and excellence in the collocation, wholesale, data centre and hosting industries worldwide. According to UCI, the awards celebrate the achievements of those carriers, service providers and individuals that have contributed most to the international wholesale capacity market over the past year, and recognise everything from outstanding services and facilities to excellent management.

NOTES FOR EDITORS:

For Frode Greisen's Biography and Picture please contact Olivia Harris on [phone] or [e-mail]

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 harbours 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.