GTE feeds consumers' bandwidth hunger with high-speed Internet access

G.lite DSL compatibility achievements narrow "digital divide" and pave way for millions of PC users to reap benefits of high-speed, broadband Internet access using standard telephone lines

June 8, 1999

Editor's Note: The Universal ADSL Working Group (UAWG), a consortium of industry leading PC, networking and telecommunications companies including GTE, today demonstrated a standards-based, consumer-friendly version of ADSL (asymmetric digital subscriber line) high-speed Internet access during an interoperability showcase at SuperComm '99 in Atlanta. The following statement may be attributed to Bev White, GTE Manager-New Product Development.

IRVING, Texas - As a leading member of the UAWG, GTE embraces the benefits of G.lite as an attractive, consumer-friendly form of DSL. We anticipate that the need for technicians to be dispatched to a customers' home or office will be dramatically reduced, and in most cases, eliminated. As a result, G.lite will pave the way for GTE's customers to obtain DSL services faster and easier than today.

GTE has conducted successful tests of the G.lite DSL standard in Oregon, and expects to offer it early next year after ensuring that equipment from various manufacturers will meet the performance requirements of customers and service providers.

As DSL-ready PCs become more widely available, customers nationwide will boost their Internet experience by gaining the most valuable online commodity today -- raw speed.

By the end of 1999, GTE's existing ADSL service will be offered in locations serving more than 10 million customer access lines, becoming available to more than 6 million customers in some 35 markets. GTE currently offers ADSL from 470 central offices in 17 states, plans to provision another 80 central offices this year, and currently has reselling agreements with 180 regional Internet service providers. GTE remains committed to being one of the nation's most aggressive deployers of full-rate ADSL that allows customers to access the Internet, and download information up to 50 times faster than is possible with a 28.8 kbps modem.