High-Speed Internet Access Ready for Mass Deployment

Universal ADSL Working Group Hosts Interoperability Showcase at Supercomm'99

Transitions Efforts to ADSL Forum as G.lite Standard Reaches Crucial Milestone

ATLANTA (SUPERCOMM’99) -- June 8, 1999 - More than 30 leading high tech companies demonstrated products and services here today based on a newly formed industry standard for a consumer version of high-speed Internet access called ADSL. The Universal ADSL Working Group (UAWG), a consortium of industry leading PC, networking and telecommunications companies, organized this event to demonstrate that products and services based on the G.lite ADSL specification interoperate with one another -- a key milestone for the broad deployment of ADSL services to the consumer market segment. The UAWG also announced that it will transition future development of the G.lite specifications to the ADSL Forum which provides contributions to the standards process.

"Interoperability is critical in ensuring that customers are able to obtain equipment from vendors and retailers without concerns over compatibility," said John Cahill, UAWG co-chair and executive director of BellSouth advanced networking. "This is a significant industry victory and all UAWG members are to be congratulated for the truly remarkable efforts that enabled us to accelerate the development of G.lite ADSL."

Immediately following the closing of SuperComm'99, the UAWG will transition on-going work to the ADSL Forum to continue efforts in developing an open-market environment for ADSL, while delivering the benefits of this technology to millions of end users around the world. Since its formation in 1998, the UAWG has facilitated the deployment of G.lite ADSL and ensured equipment interoperability among all participants in various areas of the network and at customers' sites.

"The UAWG was formed to accelerate a standards-based version of ADSL suited for the consumer environment and the Interoperability Showcase demonstrates we have completed our task," said Kevin Kahn, Co-chair of the UAWG and Director of Communications Architecture for the Intel Architecture Labs. "ADSL momentum is growing and we expect G.lite to further accelerate this adoption by bringing high-speed Internet access to the masses. We are pleased that the ADSL Forum will carry this standard-based specification forward." Dr. Kahn was recently elected to the ADSL Forum Board of Directors.

About G.lite ADSL

G.lite is a version of ADSL that accesses the Internet at 30 times the speed of the fastest 56K analog modems and is specifically tailored for the consumer market segment. Continuing the momentum of ADSL deployments, G.lite provides for a cost-effective solution that reduces the complexity of an on-site installation by reducing the need for new wiring and reducing the need for a special signal "splitter" to separate voice and data at the user's home.

G.lite dramatically improves consumers' Internet experience with the ability to deliver "always-on" Internet access at high speeds using existing wiring and allowing concurrent use of normal telephone service. Combine these benefits with consumer plug and play installation, G.lite reduces the need for phone companies to send out a representative to complete an onsite installation.

About the Universal ADSL Working Group

The Universal ADSL Working Group (UAWG) , composed of leading PC industry, networking, and telecommunications companies, was formed in January 1998, to spur the widespread adoption and availability of high-speed digital Internet access for the mass market. The UAWG successfully developed a set of contributions building on the present ANSI T1.413 standard to enable quick deployment and adoption of G.lite ADSL. The UAWG's work complements full-rate ADSL products and services.

Leading Universal ADSL Working Group (UAWG) companies include Ameritech, Bell Atlantic, BellSouth, British Telecommunications, Compaq, Deutsche Telekom AG, France Telecom, GTE, Intel, MCI WorldCom, Microsoft, NTT, SBC Communications, Singapore Tel, Sprint and U S WEST.

About the ADSL Forum

ADSL Forum is a non-profit international organization of about 250 companies representing the world's computer, networking and telecommunications industries. Established in 1994, it is dedicated to the development and mass-market deployment of broadband communications technologies based on DSL (digital subscriber line) over existing copper telephone cable infrastructures.

The speed that DSL provides delivers high-speed data transfer for applications as diverse as Internet access for email, education, telecommuting or shopping to accessing broadcast quality video and two-way video conferencing. Successful worldwide commercial deployments are well underway in both business and residential markets. Further information on the ADSL Forum is available at www.adsl.com

(Note to Editors: A press conference is scheduled on Tuesday, June 8th at 11:30 EST in Room 170 West at SUPERCOMM'99. The G.lite Interoperability Showcase is located on the main show floor, booth #52. Additional information is also available on SUPERCOMM'99's web site at www.supercomm99.com. )