Pacific Bell and Ascend Communications announce Internet NOW; new reseller program makes Internet connections easier, faster, less costly for small- and mid-sized businesses.

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 22, 1995--A new program developed by Pacific Bell and Ascend Communications Inc. (NASDAQ:ASND) will significantly simplify and streamline ISDN connections for businesses, it was announced Monday by company officials.

Called Internet NOW, the effort will provide high-speed access to the Internet via Pacific Bell's FasTrak ISDN lines with a single phone call to a certified Ascend reseller. Internet NOW was designed specifically for small- and medium-sized companies, and is part of Pacific Bell's recently launched initiative to make ISDN accessible to mainstream markets through industry partnerships.

``Our goal is to make ISDN as easy to use as possible for small- and mid-sized business,'' said Tom Bayless, data products marketing manager for Pacific Bell. ``This program provides an all-in-one solution so that these businesses can have the same edge as large corporations that use the Internet regularly.''

Internet NOW is a turnkey solution that consists of Pacific Bell ISDN features, Ascend's Pipeline 50 ISDN remote access router and a business account with the client's choice of Internet service providers. Under the program, initial installation fees for the ISDN line, Internet business account and Ascend router will be waived.

Typically, charges for the Internet account and router can run up to $3,000 for business owners. Internet NOW customers must commit to participating in the program for at least two years.

``Business traffic on the Internet is increasing at an astounding rate, but setting up ISDN access to it can be time consuming, confusing and costly,'' said Robert Ryan, Ascend's founder and chief executive officer.

``Internet NOW is the first program of its kind to address the unique needs of the growing number of ISDN Internet business customers. It's easy, and using ISDN for Internet access is 10 times faster than traditional modem services.''

Businesses can obtain information on Internet NOW by calling 800/366-4058, or through e-mail at [e-mail]. Each customer will be referred to a local reseller, who will order the ISDN line, install the Ascend Pipeline 50 and arrange for an account with an Internet service provider. Customers will be billed monthly by Pacific Bell for the ISDN service and rental of the Pipeline 50. Internet usage charges will be billed separately by the service provider.

The Ascend Pipeline 50 includes a built-in terminal adaptor and allows Ethernet LAN users to access the Internet at speeds of up to 112 kbps. Features include standards-based bridging and IP routing, ISDN dial-on-demand, inverse multiplexing, four-to-one data compression, SNMP remote management and extensive security features.

Pacific Bell is a subsidiary of Pacific Telesis Group, a diversified communications corporation based in San Francisco.

Ascend Communications develops and manufactures a broad range of high-speed digital wide-area network access products. These products use bandwidth on demand to enhance and extend existing corporate networks for applications such as Internet access, videoconferencing and multimedia access.

CONTACT: Pacific Telesis Group

Mary Hancock, 213/975-5547 ([e-mail])

or

Ascend Communications

Jerri Emm, 510/814-2325 ([e-mail])