2/9/99 PRESS RELEASE
(BSNS WIRE) Franklin's FNet Brings ADSL to Pacific Bell Customers;
FNet Franklin's FNet Brings ADSL to Pacific Bell Customers; FNet FastLink: A Bargain for Business at 25 Times Modem Speed
Business Editors/Telecommunications Writers
WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 9, 1999--
FNet Corp., an IP Telephony and Internet subsidiary of Franklin Telecom(OTC BB:FTEL) Tuesday announced that an agreement has been reached with Pacific Bell to provide ADSL service in Southern California.
This follows FNet's previously announced arrangement with GTE
(NYSE:GTE) to provide ADSL. Pacific Bell is a subsidiary company of SBC Communications Inc.(NYSE:SBC). Mike Peters, vice president of Operations for FNet's ISP division, commented: "Following the breakup of AT&T (NYSE:T) during the mid-1980s, the virtual monopoly in providing telephone services ceased to exist. In the ensuing years, the twin telephony giants in southern California emerged as Pacific Bell and GTE. "There are two reasons to be pleased with this new agreement with PacBell: (1) added to our arrangement with GTE, this gives us virtually complete coverage of this key territory in southern
California and (2) since many of the so called Baby Bells maintain
close working relationships, this agreement opens a channel for
potential future business with them. "For example, Southwestern Bell, Nevada Bell, Cellular One and SNET are sister subsidiaries to Pacific Bell under the SBC Communications umbrella."
Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) is an established
modem-based technology that is now being used to enable a dedicated
connection to the Internet that is up to 25 times faster than
conventional 56K modems. This technology facilitates simultaneous
transmission of voice and data on an existing phone line. ADSL features what is known as "always on technology," which means it provides instant access to the Net with no dialing, no waiting, no busy signals, and no need for a separate data line. At present, only about 2.5 percent (representing 20 million subscribers) of Telco central offices are conditioned for DSL but because of demand, increasing this percentage is a high priority.
Peters continued: "ADSL provides small businesses a level of
service which was, up until now, only affordable by much larger
companies. This agreement with PacBell will help small to medium
businesses match capabilities with their larger competitors.
"Since the outset, FNet has focused on corporate and professional
Internet usage, so getting in on the very ground floor of a service
with this potential is extremely satisfying. FNet FastLink will bring
our customers the fastest available download speeds and position them
to take advantage of the many rapidly emerging Internet features such
as e-commerce, streaming content and full-motion video."
During the next few days, a team of FNet employees will complete
a special PacBell seminar that is required for ADSL certification.
PacBell customers may place orders for ADSL service starting
mid-February by calling FNet's ISP division at 805/373-8688.
Additional territories for ADSL usage are currently beingevaluated by FNet.
SBC Communications is a global leader in the telecommunications
industry, with more than 36.9 million access lines and 6.5 million
wireless customers across the United States, as well as investments in
telecommunications businesses in 10 other countries.
Under the Southwestern Bell, Pacific Bell, SNET, Nevada Bell and
Cellular One brands, SBC, through its subsidiaries, offers a wide
range of innovative services. Among them are local and long-distance
telephone service, wireless communications, data communications,
paging, Internet access, messaging, telecommunications equipment, and
directory advertising and publishing.
The primary business of Franklin Telecom, founded in 1981, is the
design and manufacturing of communications devices, high-speed LAN,
WAN, Telco and Satellite Systems and software. Franklin customers have
installed more than 100,000 nodes worldwide. Franklin's Internet
subsidiary FNet provides Voice over Internet Protocol global Telcoservices.
Certain statements in this news release constitute
"forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the
Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown
risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual
results, performance, or achievements of the company to be materially
different from any future results, performance or achievements,
expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.
For additional information about this announcement, visit the
Officer's Message page at Franklin's Web Site: www.ftel.com;
www.franklin.net -- for Internet Services and Access; www.fnet.net --
for Internet Telephony & Franklin's Next Generation Telephone Company.
--30--MT/la* LES/la
CONTACT: Franklin Telecom
Helen West, 805/373-8688 (investors)
Debra Kent, 805/373-8688 (media) |
