NaviNet Selects Ascend SS7 Gateway and MAX TNT Access Switches to Ensure Internet Dial-Tone Nationwide

Business Wire, June 8, 1999

ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 8, 1999--

Supercomm, Booth no. 4121

Wholesale Internet Access Provider Combines Advantages of Switch Bypass Technology and Signaling System 7 (SS7) Network to Virtually Eliminate Internet Busy Signals

Ascend Communications, Inc. (Nasdaq:ASND), a leading provider of wide area networking (WAN) and Intelligent Network (IN) solutions for providers and users of the next-generation public network, and NaviNet, an innovative Internet Access Provider offering a high-availability national network and a majority-owned subsidiary of CMGI (Nasdaq:CMGI), today announced a strategic relationship that will expand the NaviNet GeoDial SP outsourced dial-up Internet access service to reach more than 80 percent of the national Internet user population in Q4 1999.

NaviNet has selected the Ascend SS7 Gateway (ASG) and the MAX TNT(TM) WAN access switches as critical building blocks in its NaviNet Technology Platform, designed to improve Internet dial-tone by diverting Internet calls off the public switched telephone network (PSTN) and onto NaviNet's IP-based data network. This will virtually eliminate Internet busy signals, the most prevalent complaint among end users.

"NaviNet's switch bypass solution enables us to route modem calls away from congested voice telephone networks and directly to NaviNet's Internet access switches. As a result, we can provide our ISP customers with the industry's most aggressive modem availability guarantee," said T.C. Browne, CEO, NaviNet. "By working with Ascend for our switching solutions, we are able to set a new standard for cost-efficiency and performance in the Internet access market."

The Ascend SS7 Gateway works with the MAX TNT WAN access switch to alleviate data call congestion on voice networks, without additional investment in circuit switches. This solution also enables NaviNet to lower infrastructure costs, to provide improved service quality, and to provide the first step for next-generation revenues from data, voice, fax, and video services over a single, packet-based network.

"We're pleased that our solutions are such a key part of the aggressive expansion planned by NaviNet, a company that is becoming increasingly known for its high-quality network services," said Ali Kafel, vice president, product marketing and business development, Carrier Signaling and Management division, Ascend Communications. "NaviNet's technical platform helps eliminate ISP busy signals to the delight of Internet subscribers while offering the best price and performance for ISPs. The company's ever-increasing national coverage makes it easier for ISPs to broaden and grow their subscriber base."

About NaviNet

NaviNet is a majority-owned subsidiary of CMGI, Inc. GeoDial SP is NaviNet's high performance, low cost wholesale dial-up networking service for Internet Service Providers (ISPs). GeoDial SP allows ISPs to increase their dial-up coverage, while significantly lowering their costs per subscriber.

GeoDial SP leverages NaviNet's innovative NaviNet Technology Platform to provide ISPs with the highest performance dial-up networking services available. The NaviNet platform combines a nationwide WAN, high speed Internet connectivity and switch bypass technology to provide dial-in users with more reliable modem connections while virtually eliminating busy signals and line drops. Each ISP customer has access to a complete set of richly featured Web-based real-time and historical management tools for capacity planning and user support.

For more information, visit NaviNet's Web site at www.navinet.net or call 877-NAVINET (877-628-4638).

About Ascend Communications

Ascend Communications, Inc. (Nasdaq:ASND) develops, manufactures, sells and services wide area networking solutions for telecommunications carriers, Internet service providers and corporate customers worldwide.

For more information about Ascend and its products, please visit the Ascend Web site at www.ascend.com, or send e-mail to info@ascend.com. For Investor Relations, please call our communications hotline at 800-648-3059 or 760-704-4423 (outside the US & Canada). Additional investor information can also be accessed on our Web site at: http://www.ascend.com/investor/. Ascend is headquartered at One Ascend Plaza, 1701 Harbor Bay Parkway, Alameda, Calif. 94502; phone is 800/ASCEND4 and fax is 510-814-2300.

In January 1999, the Company entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the "Merger Agreement") with Lucent Technologies, Inc. ("Lucent"), pursuant to which, each outstanding share of Ascend common stock will be exchanged for 0.825 shares of Lucent common stock and each outstanding option or warrant to purchase Ascend common stock will be converted into an option or warrant to purchase Lucent common stock (adjusted for the exchange ratio).

In February 1999, Lucent announced a two-for-one stock split, payable on April 1, 1999, to shareholders of record as of March 5, 1999. Under the terms of the Merger Agreement, the exchange ratio will be adjusted for the effect of this stock split and any similar changes in the capitalization of Lucent.