Posted: 3/2004

NEWS BRIEFS

Global Crossing Ltd. and XO Communications Inc. announced theyve signed two five-year-agreements to provide each other
network services. The first agreement requires XO to commit at least $50 million
over five years to buy voice termination and private line termination services
from Global Crossing. The pact contains provisions for Global Crossing to sell
up to an additional $50 million in network services to XO. The companies also
amended a separate deal to specify Global Crossing will purchase a least $70
million in services from XO over the next five years.

DSL.net Inc. has completed the integration of its broadband network with the
facilities of two companies it acquired in 2003 Herndon, Va.- based Network Access Solutions Corp.
(NAS) and Wilmington, N.C.-based TalkingNets. The NAS broadband network included approximately 300
central offices throughout the mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions. TalkingNets
voice and data network assets are in the Washington, D.C., metro area, which
includes parts of Maryland and Virginia.

Level 3 Communications Inc. is expanding a service it says will lower the fixed
network costs and capital expenses of U.S. and European phone providers. The
carrier says its expanded softswitch-based voice termination service will allow
phone companies managing an IP network to hand off traffic to Level 3 in the
same format. The service initially will be available in 14 U.S. cities and four
European cities on the network by the end of the first quarter of 2004, says
Level 3. The company says it plans to expand the capability to about 75 U.S. and
European cities by the end of this year.

In other news, the carrier announced it has completed the sale
of a network based in the Midwest, which it acquired when it bought Genuity, to CenturyTel Inc.
in a deal valued
at $17 million.

FiberNet Telecom Group Inc. says it will acquire the assets of Gateway Colocation
in a deal valued at
approximately $4 million. Gateway Colocation operates a 49,000-square-foot
colocation facility in Newark, N.J. New York-based FiberNet says the purchase
price will consist of 2.9 million shares of its common stock valued at $3.8
million and $170,000 in cash. FiberNet says the agreement was scheduled to close
Jan. 31.

Covad Communications Group Inc. has announced plans to expand its broadband network to
reach nearly 50 million more homes and businesses in large metropolitan areas.
Covad says installation of broadband equipment in about 200 central offices
across the country should be completed by midyear.

Scott Widham has joined Broadwing
Communications as president of strategic accounts and
will manage the carriers relationships with its largest carrier, cable and
wireless service providers. Prior to joining Broadwing, the 25-year telecom
veteran was the owner and operator of Capital Cable, executive vice president of
Corecomm and director at MTV Networks.

360Networks Corp. has acquired the assets of bankrupt Touch America Holdings Inc.
360Networks, of Vancouver, British Columbia, acquired Touch Americas private
line and Internet customers and a U.S. network stretching across 15 states. The
business will generate about $50 million in annual revenue and immediately
generate positive cash flow, said 360Networks. 360Networks hired 75 Touch
America workers and will keep an office in Butte, Mont.