ConnectSouth and SBC Announce Successful Line Sharing Test. Austin-based Internet "E-Enabler" to service customers via existing telephone lines shared between ConnectSouth and SBC.

ConnectSouth Communications, Inc. announced today that it has successfully completed ordering and provisioning one of the state's first line sharing orders with Southwestern Bell. ConnectSouth Communications, Inc. is a leading provider of high-speed connectivity and Internet business tools for small and medium-sized companies across the Southern United States. The successful Southwestern Bell, ConnectSouth order makes Austin one of the state's first cities to implement line sharing.

Sharing existing local telephone lines means that most customers will not have to wait for the installation of a separate telephone line if they chose a competitive digital subscriber line (DSL) carrier. Also, line sharing allows a consumer to use his or her existing phone line for both normal phone service provided by the local phone company and high-speed DSL Internet access through another competitive service provider.

"Austin has a large Small Office/Home Office (SOHO) market and line sharing with Southwestern Bell will allow us an efficient means to quickly meet the service demands of our customers," said Doug Black, ConnectSouth Senior Vice President Operations and Engineering. "We would hope to extend the use of line sharing throughout our Southwestern Bell and Bell South service areas, as it becomes available."

On November 18, 1999, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) mandated line sharing between all incumbent local exchange carriers and competitive data carriers. The ruling set a June 6 deadline for all major regional phone companies to comply with the FCC ruling. The FCC ruling for the first time levels the data playing field by giving consumers the ability to choose any DSL or Internet provider that they want without the undue burden of separate lines, longer installation times, and higher prices.

"The successful line sharing order with ConnectSouth further supports the fact that Texas is a truly competitive marketplace with more customer options than ever before," said David Lopez, President, Southwestern Bell Texas. "ConnectSouth and SBC are demonstrating that cooperative efforts ultimately benefit customers."

Adam Guglielmo, an analyst with TeleChoice, added that "line sharing will undoubtedly bring greater competition to the DSL market. It will help CLECs like ConnectSouth compete on a more even playing field, because it will allow them to provision DSL services more quickly and with less dependence on the incumbent. Increased competition will lead to new and innovative services, and ultimately this will benefit the consumer."

ConnectSouth Communications, Inc., headquartered in Austin, Texas, is an "e-enabler," providing a full range of high-speed connectivity and Internet business application tools for small and medium-sized businesses in the Southern Region of the United States. For more information, visit ConnectSouth's website (www.connectsouth.com), or call 1-877-309-5557.