US LEC Completes Next Generation IP Network

Addition of MPLS VPN to New York City marks completion of next-generation IP-based data service across footprint 


CHARLOTTE, N.C., Oct. 10  /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- US LEC Corp. (NASDAQ:CLEC), a full-service provider of IP, data and voice solutions to businesses and enterprise organizations throughout the Eastern United States, today announced the completion of its planned MPLS VPN data network. With the addition of the service to New York City and the surrounding area, US LEC's MPLS VPN service is now available throughout its footprint.

"Today completes the evolution to a next-generation IP-based data network that now covers our entire footprint," said US LEC CEO Aaron Cowell. "The completion of our MPLS VPN network positions US LEC for future growth and enables the company to offer a broader range of integrated services delivered over an IP-based data network throughout the company's footprint."

US LEC MPLS VPN service provides a robust solution for businesses that allows data traffic with differing requirements to co-exist on the same network, such as Internet access, critical business applications such as Customer Resource Management applications and enterprise-wide or inter-office VoIP calling.

MPLS VPN supports quality of service (QoS) guarantees, allowing US LEC customers to prioritize critical traffic for delivery first. With traffic prioritization, the most important traffic travels over available bandwidth first with other traffic utilizing remaining bandwidth. As priority traffic decreases, all other traffic uses available bandwidth providing businesses with a better value to their bandwidth investment. Better bandwidth utilization helps businesses reduce the amount of bandwidth needed, reducing costs and improving a business' ability to utilize its bandwidth investment effectively.

MPLS VPN offers a considerable improvement to legacy data networking solutions, namely its meshed network architecture. Previous data networking solutions offered a "hub and spoke" design that relied on a central host location to maintain operation for all locations. Instead, MPLS VPN is built on a "meshed" architecture eliminating the requirement of a central host. Speeds may also be scaled incrementally from fractional T-1 speeds below 1.5 Megabits per second (Mbs) to DS3 (45 Mbs) to Ethernet Local Loop at 100 Mbs.

"US LEC's MPLS VPN network architecture and scale offers a considerable advantage to our customers," said Alan Fitzpatrick, US LEC senior vice president of engineering. "A fully meshed, scalable network provides US LEC customers the survivability for business continuity and a data networking service that can grow incrementally as the business grows."

About US LEC

Based in Charlotte, N.C., US LEC is a full-service provider of IP, data and voice solutions to medium and large businesses and enterprise organizations throughout 16 Eastern states and the District of Columbia. US LEC offers advanced, IP-based, data and voice services such as MPLS VPN and Ethernet, as well as comprehensive Dynamic T(SM) VoIP-enabled services and features. The company also offers local and long distance services and data services such as frame relay, Multi-Link Frame Relay and ATM. US LEC provides a broad array of complementary services, including conferencing, data backup and recovery, data center services and Web hosting, as well as managed firewall and router services for advanced data networking. US LEC also offers selected voice services in 27 additional states and provides enhanced data services, selected Internet services and MegaPOP(R) (local dial-up Internet access for ISPs) nationwide. For more information about US LEC, visit http://www.uslec.com/.

Except for the historical information contained herein, this report contains forward-looking statements, subject to uncertainties and risks, including the demand for US LEC's services, the ability of the Company to introduce additional products, the ability of the Company to successfully attract and retain personnel, competition in existing and potential additional markets, uncertainties regarding its dealings with ILECs and other telecommunications carriers and facilities providers, regulatory uncertainties, the possibility of adverse decisions related to reciprocal compensation and access charges owing to the Company, as well as the Company's ability to begin operations in additional markets. These and other applicable risks are summarized in the "Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Statements" and "Risk Factors" sections and elsewhere in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the period ended December 31, 2005, and in subsequent reports, which are on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

US LEC is a registered service mark of US LEC Corp. US LEC and Design (R) is a registered service mark and trademark of US LEC Corp.  StarNet(TM) and MegaPOP(R) are service marks of US LEC Corp.

Media Contact: Marisa Puthoff, Edelman Public Relations, 404-262-3000, ; Corporate Contact: Brian Crenshaw, APR, US LEC, 704-319-1942, ; Investor Contact: James Stawski, US LEC, 704-319-1189,  

DATASOURCE: US LEC Corp.



CONTACT:  Media, Marisa Puthoff of Edelman Public Relations,

[phone], or ; or Corporate, Brian Crenshaw,

APR, [phone], or , or Investors, James Stawski,

[phone], or , both of US LEC



Web site:  http://www.uslec.com/ 

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