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FTV COMMUNICATIONS SELLS CAPACITY ON KEY INLAND 1,600-MILE PORTLAND - LOS ANGELES FIBER-OPTIC ROUTE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Monday, November 3, 1997
PORTLAND, Ore. - FTV Communications LLC, comprised of FirstPoint Communications (a wholly owned subsidiary of Enron Corp.), Williams Communications (one of The Williams Companies, Inc.) and Touch America (a wholly owned subsidiary of The Montana Power Company), announced today that it has signed an agreement to sell long term "dark fiber" capacity to Electric Lightwave Inc. (ELI). The contract is for 24 fibers on a fiber build linking Portland, Ore., to Los Angeles via Boise, Salt Lake City and Las Vegas.
The dark fiber sale involves a route already under construction that will traverse more than 1,600 miles and is expected to be completed by the end of 1998. The inland route is an important alternative to existing coastal segments and will provide new connectivity to several growing metropolitan areas in the West. In addition to Portland, Boise, Salt Lake City, Las Vegas and Los Angeles, the new network will provide advanced telecommunications services to rural populations along the route.
"We welcome ELI as our first customer to take advantage of this new fiber route," said Robert F. Frisbee, senior vice president and chief operating officer of FirstPoint. "Telecommunications companies such as ELI are demanding high-speed, high quality and expanded-bandwidth facilities, and we're pleased to provide this important segment to their network."
"The fiber route will add to our capability of providing high-bandwidth services to customers who do business in these important markets," said Dave Sharkey, ELI's president and chief operating officer. "This additional capacity will enable us to further enhance the sophisticated telecommunications services we currently bring to the competitive marketplace," he added.
About FirstPoint Communications
FirstPoint Communications, headquartered in Portland, Ore., is a telecommunications subsidiary of Houston-based Enron Corp.(NYSE:ENE). FirstPoint plans to provide, via its own facilities and through alliances, high-end data, video and multimedia services, both nationally and internationally. FirstPoint's primary focus is on the wholesale carriers' carrier market and on the rapidly growing high-bandwidth connectivity needs of multinational companies. The Portland to Los Angeles fiber system and its Portland fiber rings headline FirstPoint's plans to establish a robust telecommunications network throughout the west and targeted international destinations. Information about Enron can be found at http://www.enron.com.
About Williams Communications
Williams Communications provides a full range of enterprise network solutions, communications services and advanced applications to businesses domestically and globally. These services include integrated fiber-optic, satellite and teleport video transmission services; nationwide single source business communications systems integration; multipoint video- and audio-conferencing; satellite business applications; enhanced fax services; interactive technical training, on-demand distance learning, and Internet and telemarketing services. Williams Communications one of The Williams Companies, Inc., based in Tulsa, Okla. Information about The Williams Companies can be found at http://www.twc.com.
About Touch America
Touch America is a wholly owned telecommunications subsidiary of The Montana Power Company, providing long distance services, private line services, Internet and business telephone equipment throughout the Pacific Northwest since 1983. The company's digital fiber optic network employs the most advanced telecommunications technology available today. Touch America offers a full line of long distance services, as well as dedicated voice, data, video services and frame relay solutions. Touch America's equipment services include design, installation and maintenance of PBX and key systems. The company also offers construction management oversight in the installation of fiber optic systems. Touch America and The Montana Power Company are based in Butte, Mont. Information about Touch America can be found at http://mtpower.com.
About Electric Lightwave
Based in Vancouver, Wash., Electric Lightwave is a full-service communications company offering local and long distance telephone service, videoconferencing, prepaid calling cards, data and Internet access services to business customers throughout the Western United States. ELI offers business customers a competitive choice for full-service telecommunications. Visit ELI on the World Wide Web at http://www.eli.net.
ELI is a subsidiary of Citizens (NYSE:CZNA, CZNB), a full service telecommunications company with utility assets providing natural gas, electric and water services throughout the United States. Citizens also owns Citizens Communications, the nation's fifteenth largest independent telecommunications company, has a significant interest in Centennial Cellular Corp., and an investment in Hungarian Telephone and Cable Corp. Visit Citizens on the World Wide Web at http://www.czn.net.
Media Contacts:
FirstPoint Communications
Carol Hensley
713/853-6498
chensley@enron.com
Williams Communications
Gil Broyles
918/588-4740
gil.broyles@wilcom.com
Touch America
Cort Freeman
406/497-2368
cfreeman@mtpower.com
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