AT&T, five companies sign alternative access agreements

APRIL 11 -- NEW YORK -- AT&T today announced agreements with five companies
allowing business customers in 70 cities to connect with AT&T's network
for some services as an alternative to access provided by local phone
companies. Terms of the agreements were not disclosed.

The alternative access providers are: American Communications Services,
Inc., Annapolis, Md.; Brooks Fiber Properties, St. Louis; Hyperion
Telecommunications, Coudersport, Pa.; IntelCom Group, Denver; and Time
Warner Communications, Denver.

"At the 'new' AT&T, we intend to use a variety of means for offering long
distance and local phone service to our customers," said AT&T Chairman
Robert E. Allen. "These agreements give us the flexibility to provide
high-quality service at competitive prices and are part of our commitment
to meet customer needs for business and personal communications, on-line
and home entertainment services."

The Time Warner Communications agreement includes dedicated and switched
local phone service and switched access for business services. American
Communications Services, Inc., Brooks Fiber Properties, Hyperion
Telecommunications and IntelCom Group will supply dedicated connections
for businesses, and AT&T is discussing terms for an agreement with them
that would provide switched local phone service and switched access
service. None of the agreements involves an equity investment from AT&T.

"These agreements demonstrate that AT&T will not limit itself to reselling
local service obtained from monopoly phone companies," Allen said. "We'll
continue to pursue arrangements with other companies that provide access
to customers and also build network facilities on a selective basis to
offer local service."

In early March AT&T announced it had filed with state commissions in all 50
states to provide local service to business and residence customers. Under
terms of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, AT&T also is discussing with
the seven regional Bell companies and GTE fair and reasonable terms to
connect with their networks and the prices at which AT&T will purchase
local phone service at cost-based wholesale rates to sell at retail. The
Telecommunications Act requires local phone monopolies to unbundle their
local network elements and price them at cost.

AT&T plans to offer local phone service throughout the country beginning as
early as this summer in some areas. The company also recently announced an
Internet access service, AT&T WorldNet(sm) Service, and that it would
begin selling DIRECTVR satellite entertainment service.

Cities connected with AT&T's Network by agreements

 Akron, Ohio
 Albany, N.Y.
 Albuquerque, N.M.
 Austin, Texas
 Bakersfield, Calif.
 Baton Rouge, La.
 Binghamton, N.Y.
 Birmingham, Ala.
 Boulder, Colo.
 Buffalo, N.Y.
 Burlington, Vt.
 Cedar Knolls, N.J.
 Charleston, S.C.
 Charlotte, N.C.
 Charlottesville, Va.
 Chattanooga, Tenn.
 Cincinnati, Ohio
 Cleveland
 Colorado Springs, Colo.
 Columbia, S.C.
 Columbus, Ga.
 Columbus, Ohio
 Dayton, Ohio
 Denver
 El Paso, Texas
 Fayetteville, N.C.
 Fort Worth, Texas
 Fresno, Calif.
 Grand Rapids, Mich.
 Greensboro, N.C.
 Greenville, S.C.
 Harrisburg, Pa.
 Hartford, Conn.
 Honolulu
 Houston
 Indianapolis, Ind.
 Irving, Texas
 Jacksonville, Fla.
 Knoxville, Tenn.
 Lexington, Ky.
 Little Rock, Ark.
 Louisville, Ky.
 Memphis, Tenn.
 Milwaukee, Wis.
 Mobile, Ala.
 Montgomery, Ala.
 Nashville, Tenn.
 New Brunswick, N.J.
 New York
 Oakland, Calif.
 Oklahoma City, Okla.
 Orlando, Fla.
 Philadelphia
 Phoenix
 Providence, R.I.
 Raleigh-Durham, N.C.
 Richmond, Va.
 Rochester, N.Y.
 Sacramento, Calif.
 San Diego, Calif.
 San Jose, Calif.
 Shreveport, La.
 Spartanburg, S.C.
 Springfield, Mass.
 Stockton, Calif.
 Syracuse, N.Y.
 Tampa-St. Petersburg, Fla.
 Tucson, Ariz.
 Tulsa, Okla.
 Wichita, Kan.

For more information, reporters may contact:

 John Heath
 908-221-6659
 jheath@attmail.com

 Ruthlyn Newell
 908-221-2737
 ruthlyn@attmail.com
 
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