TDSNET Selects Visual Networks' Solution To Enhance Dial-Up Services; IP InSight Product Enables Proactive Customer Care for Subscribers.

Business Editors/Hi-Tech Writers

ROCKVILLE, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 25, 2000

Visual Networks, Inc. (NASDAQ: VNWK), the leading provider of service management solutions for e-business, today announced that TDSNET, a product of TDS TELECOM based in Madison, Wis., has selected Visual Networks' IP InSight(TM) service-level management software to support its dial-up service.

TDSNET will use Visual Networks' solution to collect information about dial-up subscribers' connection quality, as well as any difficulties customers experience with Internet access numbers.

"TDSNET has a diverse - and growing -- base of subscribers and we see Visual IP InSight's Customer Care application as vital to retaining and growing our subscriber base," said Andrew Buchert, TDS TELECOM's Product Manager - Internet Services. "To provide the best possible service to customers, we need to thoroughly understand what kind of service we are delivering from an end-user perspective. IP InSight allows us to monitor the quality of service - in real-time - and solve problems that can dramatically impact our service quality."

The information IP InSight captures provides TDSNET with a comprehensive view of both the customer service and network operations management processes. By solving customer problems proactively, IP InSight not only helps increase customer satisfaction, but also reduces costs by reducing the number of calls to TDSNET's call center.

In addition, the key performance data provided by IP InSight enables those customer calls that do come through to be more effectively handled.

"Having a reliable network is only half the equation for ISPs," said Scott Stouffer, president and CEO of Visual Networks. "For a whole solution, ISPs also need to be able to understand the service experience of their customers and to be able to respond to their needs. Visual Networks offers ISPs a truly unique set of easy-to-implement service management solutions that deliver customer-service insight."

Previously, ISPs needed to create custom applications to collect, correlate and process information from customer databases. With IP InSight's Customer Care Suite, ISPs can collect information about the user's PC environment and about network-access experiences. Armed with information on the user, customer service personnel can locate and fix problems quickly and proactively.

And, context-sensitive help screens, diagnostics, log files and auto-fix capabilities help end users resolve dial-access problems themselves, reducing trouble calls and support costs.

In addition, TDSNET will be able to create customer "Hot Lists" that can be used to proactively reach out to subscribers. TDSNET can also customize and share alarm and alert views of end user performance.

About Visual IP InSight

In addition to the Customer Care Suite, Visual IP InSight offers two other powerful application suites that enable IP services managers to effectively monitor end-to-end network performance, provide real-time monitoring of service level agreements and offer new levels of end-user customer care.

Visual's Service Level Manager Suite is used by ISPs to validate to their customers the quality of service that they are receiving and to offer differentiated, premium products based on SLAs. It is also used by ISPs' Network Operations employees to better manage and troubleshoot dial and dedicated networks, including LAN, cable and DSL.

It helps sets SLA thresholds and compares actual service levels, provides a canned summary and exception reports. It enables wholesalers and retailers, alike, to customize and share alarm and alert views that reflect the exact end-user performance experience on any number of metrics or combinations of metrics for a dedicated or a dial customer, or group of customers.

Visual's Cisco SMS suite is used to monitor and correlate with CiscoWorks 2000 and the service agents within the Cisco Routers on the service path.

About TDSNET

TDS NET is a product of TDS TELECOM, a growing, national company that brings high-quality, locally based telecommunications services to 900 rural and suburban communities across the U.S. The TDSNET product offers highly reliable Internet services -- including dial-up access, web hosting and dedicated access -- serving more than 80 markets with local calling available to more than 1.2 million households.

Headquartered in Madison, Wis., TDS TELECOM, along with its subsidiaries TDS METROCOM and USLink, maintains 681,909 access lines and serves more than one million customers. TDS TELECOM can be accessed through the Internet at www.tdstelecom.com.

TDS TELECOM is part of the Telephone and Data Systems (TDS) family of companies. TDS is a diversified telecommunications corporation founded in 1969. Through its strategic business units, U.S. Cellular and TDS TELECOM, TDS operates primarily by providing cellular and local telephone service.

About Visual Networks, Inc.

Visual Networks, Inc. is the market leader in providing service management solutions for New World networks. The company provides reliable network infrastructure for the Internet and IP corporate networks, whether they are running on frame relay, ATM, IP VPN, DSL or any combination of transport technologies.

Utilizing Visual Networks systems -- such as Visual UpTime(R) Visual IP InSight(TM), Visual Trinity(R) and Visual eWatcher(R) -- service providers and their subscribers can increase network reliability, dramatically reduce operational expenses and lower their customers' total cost of ownership. Visual Networks' headquarters are located in Rockville, Maryland, with sales offices nationwide.

For sales information in the United States and Canada, call 1.800.240.4010 or visit www.visualnetworks.com.

Visual Networks, Visual UpTime, Visual Trinity and Visual eWatcher are registered trademarks and Visual InSight is a trademark of Visual Networks. All other trademarks mentioned in this document are the property of their respective owners.