INGRAM MICRO TO DISTRIBUTE ASCEND'S MARKET LEADING PRODUCTS

Pipeline and MAX Product Lines Provide Complete Remote Networking Solutions
To Ingram Micro Resellers

ALAMEDA, CALIF., MAY 6, 1996 -- Ascend Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ: ASND),
a leading provider of ISDN remote networking products, and Ingram Micro
Inc., a Santa Ana, Calif.-based worldwide wholesale distributor of
microcomputer products, today announced an agreement whereby Ingram will
distribute Ascend's remote networking products to its value-added
resellers (VARs) in North America and Canada. The agreement is part of
Ascend's two-tier distribution strategy using leading national
distributors to support the growing number of VARs and systems integrators
interested in selling Ascend products.

"Ascend has distinguished itself as the industry's leading vendor of both
remote site and central site ISDN equipment and continues to gain ground
over its competition," said Mike Terrell, Ingram Micro's vice president of
purchasing.  "Ascend's Pipeline and MAX product lines lend clout to our
efforts to provide VARs with affordable, easy-to- use solutions for
telecommuting, remote office connectivity and Internet access. With
Ascend's first-rate end-to-end remote networking products and Ingram's
strong pre- and post-sales support services, even resellers with limited
telecommunications experience are guaranteed the most powerful remote
networking solution in the marketplace."

In an effort to make ISDN useable by a broader base of resellers, Ingram
recently set up an ISDN Service Desk that helps VARs select ISDN equipment
and services. ISDN Service Desk staff are available 24 hours a day to
recommend ISDN products, verify ISDN service availability and provide
post-sales technical support. In addition to its ISDN Service Desk, Ingram
also provides a full range of services that include technical support,
technical education, field services, configuration, fulfillment and an
on-line distribution system that offers up-to-the-second information on
product availability and pricing.

"Our agreement with Ingram Micro, a premier provider of value-added
services to resellers, bolsters our ability to deliver solutions to more
VARs than ever before," said Bernie Schneider, Ascend's vice president of
marketing. "Our remote networking products give Ingram Micro's resellers
everything they need to fulfill their customers' remote access needs --
scalability, standards-based management and security, and support for a
full range of network services including ISDN, analog modems, Switched 56,
frame relay and leased lines."

Ingram Micro Inc., headquartered in Santa Ana, Calif., is the world's
largest wholesale distributor of microcomputer products, with 1995 sales
of $8.8 billion. The company's inventory includes 34,000 products from
more than 1,000 of the world's leading hardware and software companies.
Subsidiaries in Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico,
the Netherlands, Norway, Singapore, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom
sell to 108,000 resellers in 120 countries. Servicing additional worldwide
locations through export offices in Santa Ana, Miami and Brussels, the
company's international division fulfills orders from exporters and
foreign customers in Europe, Asia Pacific and Latin America. Ingram Micro
is the leading provider of advanced services, including technical support,
technical education, filed services, configuration and fulfillment.

Ascend Communications, Inc. is a leading, worldwide provider of remote
networking solutions for corporate central sites, Internet Service
Providers' points of presence, remote offices, mobile workers and
telecommuters. Ascend develops, manufactures, markets, sells and supports
products which utilize bandwidth on demand to extend existing corporate
networks for applications such as remote LAN access, Internet access,
telecommuting, SOHO connectivity and videoconferencing/multimedia access.
Detailed information on Ascend products, news announcements, seminars,
service and support is available on Ascend's home page at the World Wide
Web site http://www.ascend.com.

Ascend is headquartered at 1275 Harbor Bay Parkway, Alameda, CA 94502
Phone: 800-621-9578; fax 510-214-2300;
E-mail: info@ascend.com.
Ascend's World Wide Web address is http://www.ascend.com.
 
 =========================================================
 From the 'New Product News' Electronic News Service on...
 AOL (Keyword = New Products) and Delphi (GO COMP PROD)
 =========================================================
 This information was processed from data provided by the
 company/author mentioned. For additional details, please
 contact them directly at the address/phone# indicated.
 Trademarks are the property of their respective owners!
 =========================================================
 All submissions for this service should be addressed to:
 BAKER ENTERPRISES,  20 Ferro Dr,  Sewell, NJ  08080  USA
 Email:   rbakerpc@aol.com   --or--   rbakerpc@delphi.com
 =========================================================
