eLink Strengthens Its Position As Premier Broadband Supplier In New York and the Washington Metro Area With Strategic Acquisition of OnSite Access Inc.'s Assets.

Business Editors/Hi-Tech Writers

BETHESDA, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 17, 2001

Seasoned Telecommunications Leader John Prisco Takes Helm as CEO; Will

Guide eLink's Acquisition Strategy to Boost Industry Leadership and

Accelerate Profitability

eLink Communications Inc., a leading in-building provider of broadband connectivity and communications services to small and medium businesses, has received court approval to acquire the primary assets of OnSite Access Inc., a New York City-based in-building service provider that is restructuring under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code.

A bankruptcy judge in the Southern District of New York last week approved eLink's bid to acquire OnSite's assets, encompassing a customer base in 194 wired buildings in the Washington, DC and New York metropolitan areas--including the Empire State Building in midtown Manhattan.

The acquisition strengthens eLink's position as a leading provider of in-building broadband services to multi-tenant buildings in the two markets.

In a related move, seasoned telecommunications leader John Prisco has been appointed Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of eLink Communications, Inc. Prisco brings to eLink more than 20 years of experience in launching new telecommunications services for Bell Atlantic (now Verizon) and other diversified technology companies.

"The strategic acquisition of OnSite's assets enables us to enhance our market position in both New York City and in the National Capital area, and revenue from the acquisition will substantially accelerate our path to profitability," Prisco said. "eLink is already the Washington-area leader in the in-building services market. By acquiring these high-value assets from OnSite, we improve upon our already strong position in New York to become the leader there as well."

OnSite Access is currently operating with approximately $2.5 million in debtor-in-possession financing from eLink. Under eLink's proposal approved by the court, eLink will acquire a selected majority of OnSite's assets, including in-building network infrastructure, property-management contracts and customer contracts in the New York and Washington, DC-area markets.

Specifically, eLink will acquire the wired infrastructure of 194 buildings in the two metropolitan areas and will provide a full range of voice and broadband data services to customers within these buildings. Over the next few months, eLink will integrate the two companies' operations and service offerings.

The total investment eLink will make to acquire the OnSite assets will not be known until the acquisition becomes final, which is expect to occur within 90 days following federal and state government regulatory approvals.

"This acquisition begins the logical evolution of the in-building services provider market," Prisco continued. "eLink has the right combination of low debt load, ready access to capital resources, a strong track record of execution, a high customer-retention rate and an evenly measured growth strategy to take advantage of consolidation opportunities in today's capital-constrained environment. We are taking advantage of our sound capital position to dramatically grow our business in cities with high office density and strong broadband demand, and we are doing so in the most fiscally conservative manner possible.

"We believe that by acquiring the significant assets and revenue streams of OnSite and other companies at favorable prices, we will reach net cash-flow positive status sooner, and tap into the full profit potential of in-building communications services," Prisco said. "Small and medium business owners seeking cost-effective and reliable broadband and telecommunications services will benefit immensely."

Background on Chairman, President and CEO John Prisco

Formerly CEO and President of diversified communications provider 2nd Century Communications, John Prisco held senior positions at Bell Atlantic, playing a leading role in building strong market franchises and leading start-up ventures.

As president of Bell Atlantic's CAI Wireless venture, he launched the nation's first wireless Internet access services in Boston, New York City, and Rochester, NY, and established the nation's first wireless digital video systems in Boston, MA, and Norfolk, VA. Before that, Prisco managed the start-up phase of CellularVision's LMDS wireless cable television services.

Before joining Bell Atlantic, Prisco founded Penn Access Corporation, a competitive access provider based in Pittsburgh. After five years of operation, Prisco sold Penn Access to TCI in 1993. Prisco received a Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from Columbia University and a Master's degree in electrical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

About eLink Communications Inc.

eLink Communications provides broadband communications services to small and medium businesses.

eLink partners with commercial building owners and property managers to wire their buildings with high-speed fiber-optic infrastructure, in order to offer connectivity solutions to their tenants, including high-speed Internet access and a wide range of networking, applications and productivity products and services.

eLink differentiates itself from other broadband providers through its CyberSuper(R) program, providing face-to-face technical support and IT consulting services. eLink, which operates in New York and Washington, DC, recently closed a $70 million round of private financing from investors that included Mayfield, CIBC and the Edward P. Bass Group.

For more information on eLink, visit our website at http://www.elinkcommunications.com.