*  Availability of extended links as unbundled network elements.  Such
       links facilitate cost-effective delivery of e.spire's facilities-based
       services to a broader array of customers.

    *  Critical collocation alternatives and installation intervals.
       Collocation is the process of placing one carrier's network equipment
       in another's switching end office.  The traditional method, called
       physical collocation, currently costs competitors hundreds of thousands
       of dollars for each site. e.spire seeks cost-effective and flexible
       alternatives such as extended link, shared collocation, and off-site
       collocation.

    *  Performance penalties.  Business contracts typically include language
       that guarantees performance and provides remedies for failure by one
       party to meet terms of the agreement.  e.spire seeks these standard
       contract rights for BellSouth's failure to meet installation intervals
       and other critical implementation metrics.

    *  Compensation for terminating local traffic. e.spire seeks payment to
       recover its costs for use of its network by BellSouth to terminate
       local traffic.

    *  The unbundling of advanced telecommunications services.  An Order by
       the Federal Communications Commission in August 1998 requires incumbent
       monopolies to provide unbundled elements to competitive carriers for
       data as well as for voice services.  As the first competitor to
       successfully arbitrate network-to-network interconnection for data
       services in the US West region, e.spire is also seeking those
       arrangements in the BellSouth region.

    *  Cost-based recurring and non-recurring pricing of unbundled network
       elements.  e.spire is demanding cost-based rates for extended links and
       for customers to change to a competitor.