SoFlo Internet Service Corp. outsources nationwide dial-up Internet access services to GTE. Agreement will facilitate 80 percent expansion of SoFlo's market reach.

IRVING, Texas - GTE today announced an agreement with SoFlo Internet Service Corp. that will enable SoFlo and its subsidiaries to provide high-quality, local dial-up Internet access to customers nationwide through GTE's existing nationwide Internet access infrastructure.

GTE Internetworking's Internet dial-up network, managed by the company's DiaLinx service division, will be resold by SoFlo to its subsidiaries to enable them to service additional U.S. customers and rapidly expand into new markets. The access numbers offered by the DiaLinx network provide access to local dial-up Internet service nationally and internationally. Previously, SoFlo had limited dial-up access in only Miami and Boca Raton, Fla.

SoFlo will resell DiaLinx Internet access services to Internet Service Providers (ISPs) such as USAserve and Megalinx. The DiaLinx service is enabling SoFlo to expand far beyond Miami and Boca Raton and sign an additional nine ISPs.

GTE Internetworking's DiaLinx division maintains more than 750 local Internet access numbers across the United States that will enable SoFlo customers to dial a local telephone number from their homes, and almost anywhere in the United States if they are traveling, to connect to the Internet.

"The DiaLinx network of Internet dial-up numbers allows our subsidiaries to rapidly move into new markets while offering the most consistent, highest-quality Internet access to their customers," said Bob DeGouveia, president of SoFlo Internet Services Corp. "Outsourcing this service to GTE Internetworking allows SoFlo to concentrate on our core competencies, while reducing network maintenance costs and positioning us for significant growth."

In addition to providing ISPs such as SoFlo with expanded reach across the United States, GTE Internetworking's DiaLinx division provides global Internet dial-up access to businesses that require a cost-effective, turnkey solution for connecting employees, customers and business partners to corporate intranets, extranets and the Internet.

"The DiaLinx mission is to provide the most reliable, available and secure remote Internet dial-up services to corporations and Internet Service Providers," said Patrick Kloepfer, director of dial-up networking for GTE Internetworking. "The extensive reach of our network takes SoFlo and its subsidiaries to new areas with the highest level of service. The bottom line impact is reduced long- and short-term overhead with an expanded market. That translates into profitability."

To support its high standards of availability, reliability and security, GTE Internetworking's Network Operations Center (NOC), Customer Support Center and stringent engineering requirements provide SoFlo and other ISP and corporate customers with personalized service, timely notification of problems and expedited problem resolution. Further information on GTE Internetworking's DiaLinx services is available on the GTE Internetworking Web site at: http://www.bbn.com/groups/dialupaccess.

About SoFlo Internet Services Corp.

SoFlo was established in July of 1996, and has been active in the Internet industry ever since. SoFlo offers its clients the full spectrum of services including but not limited to; nationwide dialup access (DiaLinx service) through GTE, Web hosting and registration, search engine and link submitting, Web page development and Graphic design, voice over IP development and technology, computer supplies and network development. We firmly believe in the future of the Internet and will continue to put all of our energies into its development.

About GTE Internetworking

GTE Internetworking, a unit of GTE Corporation (NYSE: GTE) offers customers, from consumers to Fortune 500 companies, a full spectrum of integrated Internet services using IP networking technologies. GTE Internetworking delivers complete network solutions, including dial-up and dedicated Internet access, high-performance Web hosting, virtual private networks (VPNs), managed Internet security, network management, enhanced IP services, systems integration, and Web-based application development for integrating the Internet into business operations.

GTE Internetworking draws upon its expertise in funded research and development of advanced technologies, including satellite networks, packet radio networks, multi-gigabit routers, network and information security, and speech recognition, and GTE's strong existing telecommunications services, including local and long distance, wireless, paging, video, and Internet. GTE is one the world's largest telecommunications companies and a leading provider of integrated voice, video and data services. More information about GTE Internetworking and GTE Corp. can be found on the Internet at http://www.gte.com.

About GTE

With 1998 revenues of more than $25 billion, GTE is a leading telecommunications provider with one of the industry's broadest arrays of products and services. In the United States, GTE provides local service in 28 states and wireless service in 17 states, as well as nationwide long-distance, directory, and internetworking services ranging from dial-up Internet access for residential and small-business consumers to Web-based applications for Fortune 500 companies. Outside the United States, the company serves customers on five continents.

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DiaLinx is a registered trademark of GTE Internetworking Incorporated.