GTE launches dedicated Internet connectivity service with 100 percent guarantee availability for small- to medium-sized businesses. New service removes the price barrier for premium-quality T1 Internet access

IRVING, TexasSmaller businesses looking to make the leap to a higher level of Internet access service no longer have price as an obstacle. GTE Internetworking, a division of GTE Corp., today announced the availability of GTE BizConnect^(SM)SIZE>, a fully managed dedicated Internet access service that costs up to 40 percent less than comparable services and comes with a 100 percent availability service level guarantee.

Targeted at small- and medium-sized businesses and remote offices of larger organizations, GTEs new BizConnect is a fully managed, dedicated T1 Internet access service (1.5 megabits per second). In addition to eliminating the price hurdle that has made this type of service prohibitive for many companies, GTE guarantees the service will remain up and running at all times. BizConnects service level guarantee not only covers the actual Internet connection through GTEs backbone IP network, but it also covers the local loop, the Internet equipment at the customers premises and the amount of time GTE will take to install it.

"Continuous Internet connectivity is a luxury many corporations and end-users take for granted. With BizConnect, we can now enjoy the ability to access the Internet for a variety of business reasons at an affordable monthly fee," stated Arsalan Abassi, MIS manager, ProSight, Inc.

"This service is a real value for the small- or medium-sized business looking for a top-tier dedicated T-1 access service at an affordable price," said Chuck Eberl, senior product manager for BizConnect. "Not only will our customers realize a large savings over comparable services, we give them a 100-percent service level guarantee. With BizConnect, smaller companies can enjoy the connectivity and high level of service that were previously only affordable for large enterprises."

The Real Value of BizConnect

GTE provides 24 x 7 full-service management and monitoring of the customers Internet connection, as well as the hardware they are running at their premises. With BizConnect, customers assign management of their Internet access equipment and operational responsibilities to GTE Internetworking. BizConnect customers can choose point-to-point dedicated T1 leased lines or frame relay access at speeds of 128, 256, 512 or 1.544 kbps. Service charges start at $450 per month.

BizConnect is delivered over GTEs nationwide Global Network Infrastructure (GNI), one of the most secure, reliable, high-capacity, multi-service, private networks in the industry. The GNI is capable of eliminating single points of network failure through the use of SONET technology. GTE designed the GNI from the ground up to provide virtually limitless capacity to meet the demands of our customers most data-intensive applications.

GTE Internetworking technicians remotely install BizConnect during a simple tele-activation installation process. Under GTE Internetworkings service level agreements, BizConnect will be installed within 35 business days, including circuit installation, provisioning, Internet Protocol (IP) address assignment, domain name registration, service activation and acceptance testing. BizConnect includes primary and secondary DNS, Web-based e-mail, SMTP mail relay and statistical usage reports.

Customers can order BizConnect by calling 1 (877) 483-0156.

About GTE Internetworking

GTE Internetworking, a unit of GTE Corporation (NYSE:GTE), offers customers, from consumers to Fortune 500 companies, a full spectrum of integrated Internet services using IP networking technologies. GTE Internetworking delivers complete network solutions, including dial-up and dedicated Internet access, high-performance Web hosting, virtual private networks (VPNs), managed Internet security, network management, systems integration, and Web-based application development for integrating the Internet into business operations.

GTE Internetworking draws upon its expertise in funded research and development of advanced technologies, including satellite networks, packet radio networks, gigabit routers, network and information security, and speech recognition, and GTEs strong existing telecommunications services, including local and long distance, wireless, paging, video and Internet. GTE is one of the worlds largest telecommunications companies and a leading provider of integrated voice, video and data services. Additional information about GTE Internetworking and GTE Corp. can be found on the Internet at http://www.gte.com.

About GTE

With 1998 revenues of more than $25 billion, GTE is a leading telecommunications provider with one of the industrys broadest arrays of products and services. In the United States, GTE provides local service in 28 states and wireless service in 17 states, as well as nationwide long-distance, directory, and internetworking services ranging from dial-up Internet access for residential and small-business consumers to Web-based applications for Fortune 500 companies. Outside of the United States, the company serves customers on five continents.

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