NEWS BRIEFS

Posted: 1/2004

NEWS BRIEFS

ILD Telecommunications Inc. has
formed a strategic marketing partnership with Lightyear Communications to
market ILDs ROLLCALL conference-calling product as part of a service bundle,
through Lightyears team of 150 sales agents. ROLLCALL includes audio
conferencing options with toll-free access numbers, such as Meet-Me
reservationless conferencing, operator-assisted event conferencing and
international conference access. Lightyear customers will have access to ILDs
new Web-based support platform Conference Master.

Kansas City, Mo.-based reseller Southwest
Communications Inc. (SCI) has implemented the Info Directions Inc. hosted
CostGuard software solution to manage rating, billing and customer care. CostGuard provides the control, functionality and scalability we need for
our rapidly growing organization and Info Directions ASP allows us to enhance
support to our customers and anticipate our monthly costs, says John Kirby,
SCI president.

CommPartners LLC,
a new broadband applications service provider, will implement Syndeo Corp.s
Syion Call Management Server and Media Gateway Controller for its VoIP
services allowing CommPartners cable operators and other resellers to offer
their customers a branded VoIP service with their video and data products. CommPartners chose Syndeos out-of-the-box VoIP solution, Syndeo PLUS, for
systems integration. CommPartners is building its distributed network and says it will be ready
for VoIP deployment during the first half of 2004.

StraitShot Communications Inc. and
New Edge Networks Inc. have joined forces to deliver business-class
broadband connectivity. Under the agreement, New Edge Networks will deliver national DSL and T1
last-mile access services to be integrated into StraitShots Consolidated
Private Networking suite of corporate networking products. By integrating with
New Edge Networks, StraitShot says it has significantly increased its access
reach and now has national multi-access coverage. StraitShot says the company
also is in the process of integrating its back-office systems with New Edge
Networks.

Encore Networks Inc.,
a developer of integrated IP+Legacy VPN security solutions, has signed a
reseller agreement with IsoTropic Networks. IsoTropic, specializing in
the transmission of audio, video, real-time financial information and
time-sensitive data over private end-to-end satellite networks, will sell,
service and install Encores complete line of IP+Legacy BANDIT VPN security
appliances in its broadband satellite networks, systems and solutions.

Broadwing Communications has
made three enhancements to its wholesale flat-rate MultiConnect product to
address enterprise disaster- recovery and business-continuity needs, frame relay
integration and international private line connectivity. MultiConnect ReDirect
is an outsourced network security service that allows customers to add a back-up
host location to their hub-and-spoke MultiConnect networks. MultiConnect International Extension enables customers to designate one or
more T1 lines from their MultiConnect bundle as the U.S. component of an
international private line. FrameConnect also offers customers one of six
pre-configured standards for always-on connectivity.