[e.spire Expands High Speed Multi-Protocol Infrastructure Into Major Business Markets]
Nation's Fastest-Growing Network Company to Construct New Networks in Atlanta, Washington D.C., South Florida and San Antonio
Multi-Million Dollar Investment Increases e.spire's Network Footprint
ANNAPOLIS JUNCTION, Md., June 29 /PRNewswire/ -- e.spire Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ:ESPI), formerly "ACSI," today announced that it plans to invest nearly $150 million over the next 12 months in a major infrastructure expansion program that extends the company's voice, data and Internet networking capabilities into four of the nation's fastest-growing markets - Atlanta, Washington, D.C., South Florida and San Antonio - and that at the same time, increases e.spire's network footprint in 15 of its 32 markets where the company currently provides an array of sophisticated business communications services. e.spire's network expansion into these large growing markets will encompass the deployment of state-of-the-art fiber optic transmission facilities and Lucent 5ESS-2000 digital switches with its existing Newbridge ATM data switches. In all, e.spire expects to increase its network footprint by nearly 50 percent, creating one of the nation's largest advanced network infrastructures capable of bridging multi-protocol applications for customers' voice, Internet and high-bandwidth data needs.
"Named by Network World magazine as the nation's fastest-growing network company in 1997, e.spire has established a solid record of building more networks more quickly than virtually any other company in the business," said Jack Reich, e.spire President and CEO. "Now, with this latest expansion, we will be able to bring the benefits of choice and integrated communications to an even broader group of customers within our established markets, as well as in the exciting, high-growth business centers of Atlanta, Washington, D.C., South Florida and San Antonio. e.spire's network expansion increases our ability to reach new business customers who seek an alternative provider that can offer tailored solutions that meet their specific needs."
e.spire's new network expansion into Atlanta, Washington, D.C., San Antonio and South Florida establishes the company as a major telecom presence in cities widely viewed to be among the nation's fastest-growing population centers, each with a burgeoning business and high tech community that relies on state-of-the-art telecommunications services. In Atlanta, e.spire's fiber network, which opens later this year, extends 101 miles. The Washington, D.C., San Antonio and South Florida networks, due to be in service in the Fall of 1998, will serve the downtown areas, with extensive "expansion rings" throughout each city. Additionally, Washington's 124-mile network will serve Northern Virginia as well as connect with its 109-mile Baltimore/ Washington corridor network, creating nearly 250 route miles of fiber in the greater Washington/Baltimore market.
Among the city network expansions recently completed, e.spire has opened nearly 100 miles of new fiber transmission facilities to serve customers in the Dallas-Fort Worth, TX; Jacksonville, FL; Greenville, SC; and Birmingham and Mobile, AL markets. Further expansions are planned in Baltimore, MD; Birmingham, Mobile and Montgomery, AL; Greenville, SC; Jacksonville and Tampa, FL; Louisville, KY; Austin, El Paso and Fort Worth, TX; Colorado Springs, CO; Little Rock, AR; New Orleans, LA; and Tulsa, OK. e.spire's planned new network construction projects will expand the company's facilities-based service from 32 markets to 36 markets.
e.spire is a leading provider of integrated communications solutions, Internet and networking solutions, in markets throughout the United States. e.spire has been recognized as 1997's fastest-growing network company in the United States by Network World magazine. For more information on e.spire, contact espire.net on the Internet.
SOURCE e.spire Communications, Inc.
-0- 06/29/98
/CONTACT: Peggy Disney, Director, Corporate Communications of e.spire(TM), 301-361-4259; or Jim Crawford of Crawford Public Relations, 703-715-0844, for e.spire/
/Company News On-Call: prnewswire.com or fax, 800-758-5804, ext. 111731/
/Web site: espire.net |
