WorldCom Adds First-Of-Its-Kind Web-Enabled IP VPN Service To Industry's Most Complete Suite of IP Networking Solutions.

WorldCom IP VPN Customer Directed(sm) service utilizes SmartPipes technology to offer businesses secure Web-based control of an outsourced VPN

SUPERCOMM, ATLANTA, June 5, 2001 - WorldCom (Nasdaq: WCOM), the leading global business data and Internet communications provider, today announced the immediate availability of WorldCom IP VPN Customer Directed(sm), a first-of-its-kind service that allows customer-directed control of an outsourced IP VPN using a simple Web-based interface. This latest, highly versatile addition to the industry's most complete suite of IP VPN solutions combines innovative SmartPipes technology with WorldCom's extensive data networking expertise and unrivaled global IP network assets.

WorldCom IP VPN Customer Directed offers a best-of-both-worlds choice for businesses that want to enhance the operating efficiencies of a fully managed IP VPN with the ability to easily administer network changes and security policies at their convenience. The introduction of Customer Directed follows the recent launch of WorldCom IP VPN Select Access, the first customer-managed solution from a major IP networking provider. Targeting businesses of all sizes, WorldCom is the only provider to offer a choice of fully managed, customer-managed, and now, customer-directed IP VPN services.

"The SmartPipes Web-based interface tools allows us to hit the 'sweet spot' between our existing fully outsourced and customer-managed services," said Greg Moore, WorldCom vice president of Internet Services. "Our newest offering gives customers something that they didn't have before - the ability to control their network on demand and still offload the management of their network. Only WorldCom offers this full 'continuum' of IP networking services and no other major provider comes close to matching it."

Offering a secure enterprise-empowering enhancement to a fully managed IP network solution, WorldCom IP VPN Customer Directed allows a company's network administrators to implement day-to-day network changes and deploy network security policies in real-time using an intuitive Web-based graphical user interface. In a matter of minutes, in-house IT personnel can enable users at any branch office, remote location or business partner site to access and transmit private corporate information and applications securely and reliably over the Internet.

"In today's dynamic business environment, a company's ability to swiftly adapt its IP services to evolving market conditions and business requirements is key to creating and sustaining a competitive advantage," said Hank Nothhaft, president and CEO of SmartPipes, Inc. "The combination of WorldCom's networking know-how, its worldwide IP network and SmartPipes technology - in its new Customer Directed service - offers customers a new value-added means to establish their own competitive edge."

As more and more businesses turn to the Internet for communications, e-business applications - such as intranets, extranets and e-commerce services - become increasingly important business requirements. IP VPNs are the foundation for these applications, allowing companies to enhance communications on a global scale in a cost-effective and secure manner via the global Internet. With an IP VPN, a company can connect its headquarters, branch offices and mobile workers worldwide, using dedicated site-to-site and global remote access services to reliably and securely access and transmit private company information over the Internet. Extranet links to maintain communications with key customers, vendors, suppliers and business partners can also be established and managed through WorldCom IP VPN services.

WorldCom IP VPN Customer Directed Features
Offered as a fully managed IP VPN solution, WorldCom provides Customer Directed users with Cisco Systems customer premise equipment (CPE), a Web-based customer-directed software tool, flexibly scalable WorldCom IP VPN connectivity (including the local loop) with monitoring and management of the router, encrypted tunnels and dedicated link - all backed by WorldCom's industry-leading performance guarantees. WorldCom IP VPN Customer Directed offers connection speeds from T-1 (1.544 Mbps) through full OC-3 (155 Mbps) and IPSec-based security. All WorldCom-managed IP VPN services are standards-based, with 24x7 centralized monitoring and management through WorldCom's dedicated global VPN Network Operations Center (NOC). Currently available globally for U.S.-based companies, WorldCom plans to deploy the service in 28 countries by the end of 2001.

WorldCom IP Networking Services and Products for generation d
WorldCom offers the new generation of digital enterprises, generation d, the full continuum of private, public and public/private hybrid data networking services - supported by the world's most extensive and reliable IP and high-speed data networks, and WorldCom's unparalleled expertise as a pioneering force in the development and growth of the Internet.

The complete suite of WorldCom IP Networking Services includes: Remote Access, a fully managed remote access IP VPN solution; Total Access, a fully managed IP VPN solution with both site-to-site and remote access options; Select Access, the first carrier-class customer-managed IP VPN solution; Customer Directed, a fully managed IP VPN solution allowing customer-directed control via Web-based interface; and Private IP Service, a network-based IP service enabling businesses to utilize ATM and Frame Relay connections to build private IP-based extranets and shared intranets.

As the premier, single-source provider of network-based e-business services, WorldCom offers a wide array of easily implemented solutions for the digital generation. These include its managed Web hosting solutions; Internet and network colocation services; IP communications; dedicated broadband and dial-up Internet access services; as well as traditional Private Line, Frame Relay and ATM data networking services. Each can be integrated with WorldCom's IP VPN services to provide companies with complete e-business solutions.

About SmartPipes
SmartPipes is an IP software services company that simplifies the process of designing, deploying, and operating secure IP VPNs and empowers enterprise customers to accelerate IP-based network deployments. With SmartPipes Global IP Services, enterprises gain increased control of their networks and decrease the time and energy required to provide network-based services to their customers, both inside and outside their business. Headquartered in Redwood City, California, with a carrier-class Network Intelligence Center in Dublin, Ohio, and additional sales offices in Reston, Virginia and Denver, Colorado, the privately held company has more than 200 employees. SmartPipes can be found on the Web at http://www.smartpipes.com.

About WorldCom
WorldCom (NASDAQ: WCOM) is a preeminent global communications company for the digital generation, operating in more than 65 countries with 2000 revenues of $39 billion. WorldCom provides the innovative technologies and services that are the foundation for business in the 21st century. For more information, go to http://www.worldcom.com.