Worldwide Fiber sells $120 million worth of broadband capacity on trans-Atlantic network - 360networks - Company Business and Marketing

Cambridge Telcom Report, March 20, 2000

Worldwide Fiber Inc., which is changing its name to 360networks, Monday announced it will sell KPNQwest broadband network capacity between North America and the United Kingdom, valued at more than US $120 million.

KPNQwest will use multiple STM-16 channels to transmit data at up to 2.5 gigabits per second per channel on 360networks' transatlantic cable, a wholly owned, self-healing network ring currently under development and scheduled to enter service prior to March 2001.

"This is our first major sale of bandwidth capacity across the Atlantic," said Greg Maffei, chief executive officer of 360networks. "It highlights our capability to provide sophisticated customers like KPNQwest seamless, low-cost connections between Europe and North America."

360networks also announced an agreement with KPNQwest to purchase 7,300 kilometers of fiber infrastructure on networks linking 19 cities in Europe, including Milan, Zurich and Madrid. As a result, 360networks will have a strong network presence in Spain, Italy, France and Switzerland, and will offer network services in southern Europe beginning in the third quarter of 2001.

"Early next year, we will have a leading technology, low-cost fiber optic network linking 10 countries throughout Europe," Maffei added. "This will enable us to offer advanced IP-based network services not only within Europe, but also to any of the 85 largest population centers in Europe and North America."

"This is a major milestone for us," said Jack McMaster, chief executive officer of KPNQwest. "We are delighted that 360networks has become a major customer on our Iberian ring."

360networks (formerly known as Worldwide Fiber) offers broadband network services for telecommunications companies, ISPs, application service providers and data-centric enterprises. 360networks is completing a technologically advanced 90,300-kilometer (56,100-mile) network, including a fiber optic terrestrial network in North America and Europe and undersea cables linking North America, South America and Europe. 360networks and its predecessors have been developing communications networks since 1988. More information is available at www.worldwidefiber.com.

KPNQwest (NASDAQ & ASE: KQIP) is a leading facilities-based, pan-European provider of data-centric Internet protocol-based services to business customers. It is deploying a technologically advanced fiber-optic network connecting 46 cities throughout Europe, enabling the company to provide a broad range of high-speed, high-quality data-centric Internet protocol-based services and other advanced telecommunications services. The company is one of the largest business ISPs in Europe with operations in 14 countries. KPNQwest has 12 CyberCentres and plans a further 6 mega-cybercentres, of which two are extensions of existing CyberCentres, on its high-capacity fiber-optic network to provide Web hosting, application sharing and telehousing services. Web site: www.kpnqwest.com.