OTCBB FTEL
For Immediate Release
August 5, 1996
FRANKLIN INTERNET (FNet)GOES NATIONAL
Westlake Village, CA.> Franklin Telecom announced today that it has reached an
agreement with GridNet International, based in Atlanta, Georgia, which will allow Franklin
Internet (FNet) to have full use of GridNet's Internet presence throughout the country.
GridNet, a business unit of WorldCom, Inc. offers Dial-up, Frame Relay and ATM
service in more than 150 major American cities with many additional cities to be added
this month.
According to Franklin's President and C.E.O. Frank Peters, "The use of GridNet's
nationwide Internet presence will allow Franklin to take the integration of our channel
bank technology and voice applications nationwide. Franklin has been very active in
providing communications solutions for customers who require advanced applications.
We believe our latest product development will be widely accepted in this market. This
new National Product offering (F-Link) will reduce the cost for many corporations for
international Internet Phone (available in the Fall.) We intend to provide solutions that will
dramatically reduce the cost of Corporate Communication for Dial-up, Frame Relay and
ATM connections."
According to O.G. Greene, President & C.E.O. for GridNet, "We are extremely excited
about the future relationship with Franklin Telecom and FNet. Franklin is positioned to
offer unique, innovative and comprehensive solutions by utilizing GridNet's extensive
access network, coupled with a high quality, fully meshed ATM network for connection to
the Internet and Intranet."
Greene went on to say, "The broad geographic coverage and capacity of The Grid
(GridNet's Network), will allow Franklin to deploy its services nationwide very quickly.
GridNet is not burdened with legacy systems. We have efficiently deployed the latest
technologies in a way no other carrier has done before."
GridNet has deployed a nationwide switched access, value added network using IP,
X.25 and other protocols at speeds up to and including 28.8 Kbps. The dial-up services
utilized by Franklin are carried on an IP backbone accessible by an end-user's dialing
either a local or toll-free number. Calls are then routed to a GridNet point of presence
and are terminated in an adaptive access device which includes a digital
modem/channel bank and either contains or is connected to a terminal server. The
terminal server sets up the IP session and the call is then routed to WorldCom, Inc.'s
fully meshed and multi-homed asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) network for
forwarding directly to the Internet or to Franklin's hosts, depending upon the service.
Additionally, GridNet maintains Unsurpassed, First Tier Internet connections via
WorldCom's ATM backbone. The Grid dedicated Internet services utilized by Franklin
will offer Frame Relay connections with speeds ranging from 64 Kbps to 1.536 Mbps.
The unique architecture of The Grid allows Franklin's customers to be literally "one hop"
away from multiple Internet Exchange Points.
FNet's objective is to be one of the leading worldwide suppliers of complete
communications solutions to businesses, professionals and individuals, utilizing
Internet-related technologies. FNet intends to develop this business offering a rich suite
of Added Value Applications such as Voice Messaging, FAX Broadcast and many
others.
FNet is a provider of a comprehensive range of Internet access options, applications
and consulting services to businesses, professionals and on-line service providers.
FNet provides dedicated high speed and low cost dial-up Internet access and other
applications and services which include Web server hosting. Voice telephone calls,
voice messaging, FAX and FAX Broadcast over the Internet free of long-distance
charges will also be included in the near future.
Franklin Telecom is the parent corporation, a designer and manufacturer of channel
banks and other high speed communications equipment including X.25 and frame relay
products which FNet uses.
GridNet is a limited liability corporation majority owned by WorldCom, Inc. WorldCom,
Inc. is one of the largest long distance telecommunications companies in the United
States, offering domestic and international, voice, data and video products and services
to business customer, other carriers and the residential market. The company operates
a nationwide digital fiber optic network in the United States and has worldwide network
capacity. The common shares of WorldCom, Inc. traded over the counter Market as
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