October 11, 2004

EXPEDIENT PARTNERS WITH HATTERAS NETWORKS  TO EXPAND METRO ETHERNET SERVICES TO COPPER-FED BUSINESS

Hatteras Networks' solution powers Expedient's plans to “own the whole customer”

Research Triangle Park, NC– October 11, 2004 – Hatteras Networks, an innovative provider of high-bandwidth, last-mile Ethernet access and service platforms, today announced that Expedient is leveraging Hatteras Networks' award-winning Metro Ethernet Copper Access (MECA) solution as the enabling technology for expanding the carrier's fiber-based Metro Ethernet services to copper-fed businesses. Expedient, an innovative Metro Ethernet Connectivity and Managed IP service provider, plans to rapidly turn up Ethernet over copper services in Pittsburgh, PA, Erie, PA, and Cleveland, OH by the end of the year and expand to all 20 of their current markets in 2005.

“Hatteras Networks' platforms gives Expedient a clear first-mover advantage as we target the 80 percent of businesses connected with copper with high bandwidth, high-value business services such as Expedient LAN-to-LAN, Internet access, Voice over IP and Managed IP Services,” said Mark McGinness, vice president of business development for Expedient. “Not only does Hatteras Networks' solution give us an advantage in winning new customers with high performance last-mile services, it enables Expedient to generate additional revenue from existing customers, as we can now seamlessly interconnect our fiber-based customers to facilities served with last-mile copper.”

Expedient's strategy is to continually break through the barriers inherent with traditional telecommunications networks and services.  Deploying Hatteras Networks' platforms gives Expedient the requisite tools to fulfill this strategy by enhancing speed and flexibility, and reducing the costs, and complexity associated with delivering high-performance services over last-mile copper.  Expedient currently operates in the following markets: Boston, Cleveland, Chicago, Columbus, Dallas, Denver, Erie, Houston, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Syracuse, Tampa, Topeka and Washington DC.

“By deploying the first platform certified as complaint with the recently completed IEEE 802.3ah EFM (Ethernet First Mile) standards, Expedient is creating a clear competitive differentiation as they compete for last mile copper-connected business customers,” said Kevin Sheehan, president and CEO of Hatteras Networks. “Expedient is resetting the bar for last-mile business services and we're pleased to have helped set the standard for the next-generation broadband infrastructure.”

With Hatteras Networks' broadband delivery platforms, carriers can deliver up to 45 Mbps of symmetrical Ethernet service over existing last-mile, voice-grade copper. This bandwidth flexibility gives carriers the ability to create a rich service portfolio that includes Ethernet private line, Transparent LAN services, Voice-over-IP, Internet Access flexibility from 1-45 Mbps, and virtual private networks (VPNs). These services are delivered seamlessly over the existing last-mile copper network, effectively bridging the existing T1 – T3 service gap and economic disparity. With Hatteras Networks' platforms, Expedient is able to deliver multiple services via a single access link, speeding time-to-market with additional services. As a full Ethernet switch with layer-2 functionality such as VLAN Tagging and Class of Service with Quality of Service, Hatteras Networks' platform is capable of leveraging Ethernet's service multiplexing abilities to deliver business-grade Ethernet transport and switching services, while assigning Service Level Agreements (SLAs) on a per service basis, all over a single physical Ethernet connection per customer.

About Hatteras Networks

Hatteras Networks, a privately held company headquartered in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, offers carrier solutions to deliver high-bandwidth business services to locations that are not served with fiber. Hatteras Networks enables carriers to fully deliver the requisite high-bandwidth, access infrastructure to support converged voice, video and data network services to business customers. Carriers can use Hatteras Networks' standards-based solutions to extend fiber-based Ethernet services over copper, or upgrade private line customers to higher-performance services. Hatteras Networks' platform is built to operate in central offices (COs), controlled environmental vaults (CEVs), remote terminals (RTs) and on poles, allowing carriers to deliver Ethernet to nearly all business buildings on their copper and fiber infrastructure. For more information, visit www.hatterasnetworks.com .

About Expedient

Expedient is a national telecommunications company offering innovative Connectivity and Managed IP services through its Gigabit Ethernet IP-over-fiber network now deployed in more than 20 U.S. cities—and growing. Through its technology infrastructure and its staff of business and networking professionals and engineers, the company's mission is to dramatically raise the bar for telecommunications—enabling the growth of advanced IP services and fueling innovative applications and commercial enterprises, while substantially lowering telecommunications costs and increasing customer productivity. The company's strategy is to continually break through the barriers inherent with traditional telecommunications networks and services.  Barriers of speed, cost, complexity and flexibility.  To deploy the global gold standard for networking—Ethernet and fiber; taking it from the desktop to metropolitan area, national, and global networks.

Expedient currently maintains business and data center facilities throughout the United States.  The company's clients include some of the most technologically-savvy and telecom-intensive enterprises and organizations—in industries ranging from health care to retailing, from advanced manufacturing to broadcasting and entertainment. 

Expedient markets

Boston, Cleveland, Chicago, Columbus, Dallas, Denver, Erie, Houston, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Syracuse, Tampa, Topeka, Washington DC

To learn more about Expedient, please email us or call 877-570-7827, toll-free.  We'll expedite our reply. 

Expedient.  Simple.  Fast.  Expedient

Note to Editors: Hatteras Networks and Metro Ethernet Copper Access are trademarks of Hatteras Networks. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

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Media Inquiries:
Richard M. Williams
Connect2 Communications
919-554-3532
rmwilliams@connect2comm.com