Vicom Subsidiary Awarded $2.4 Million Fargo Public Schools Metropolitan Area Network Contract; Contract Includes 22 Schools in Metropolitan Area to Provide Phone, Networking Systems

Business Wire, Jan 5, 2000

Business Editors & Education Writers

MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 5, 2000

Vicom Incorporated (VICM-BB: Nasdaq LOTC Bulletin Board) announced today that through its subsidiary, Corporate Technologies USA, Inc., it has won the contract to install data networking service solutions, telecommunications systems and provide ongoing service to those systems within the Fargo Public School's Metropolitan Area Network throughout the greater Fargo, North Dakota area. The company expects the contract to exceed $2.4 million, and it will include Fujitsu (FJTSY.OB) telecommunications systems and Nortel Networks (NYSE/TSE: NT) networking equipment designed to connect the area's 22 schools and related facilities.

The definitive agreement for Vicom's merger with Corporate Technologies was signed recently, forming a publicly-held, telecommunications company with revenues in excess of $50 million, serving private and public sector customers throughout the upper-Midwest. The merger pushed the combined company to the 11th ranking in a recent Teleconnect magazine list of the nation's largest telecommunication companies, using combined numbers only from the effective date of the merger, including November and December of 1999.

James L. Mandel, Vicom's Chief Executive Officer, stated, "This contract win is an excellent example of the significant synergies we expected to enjoy as a result of our merger with Corporate Technologies. We will continue to aggressively pursue these opportunities to leverage our growing strength within the telecommunications industry."

Dave Ekman, President of the combined operation, commented, "The Fargo Public School system has been a Corporate Technologies client for a number of years. This significant contract win is as much a result of the profound capabilities of the new company as it is our shared, ongoing commitment to quality and service excellence."

Corporate Technologies was an eighteen year-old Fargo, North Dakota-based company that ranked as one of the nation's 50 largest network value-added resellers. Corporate Technologies is among a select few companies in the nation that is a Microsoft (Nasdaq NM: MSFT) Certified Solutions Provider-Partner, a Novell (Nasdaq: NOVL) Platinum Reseller, and a Citrix (Nasdaq: CTXS) Platinum Reseller. The company also maintains strong ties with Compaq (NYSE: CPQ), Cisco (Nasdaq/NM: CSCO) and Nortel. The Company's voice partners include Lucent (NYSE: LU) and Fujitsu.

Vicom, Inc., provides a full range of voice, data and video communications systems, including products from NEC (Nasdaq NM: NIPNY), ECI/Tadiran (Nasdaq NM: ECILF/TTELF), Hitachi (NYSE: HIT), Active Voice (Nasdaq NM: ACVC), Cisco (Nasdaq/NM: CSCO) and Nortel. The Company provides service, system integration, training and related communication sales and support activities for commercial, professional and institutional users in the Upper Midwest and throughout the United States. The Company offers the communication products and services most essential for business today: communications hardware, long distance service, local dial tone and Internet access. Vicom has provided clients with state-of-the-art, flexible and cost-effective communication solutions since 1975 and can be found on the Internet at www.vicomtel.com.

The discussion above contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements by their nature involve substantial risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially depending on a variety of factors.