Fiber Optic Communities of the United States Launch In Washington, D.C.

Washington, DC, Oct. 25, 2004 (BUSINESS WIRE) – Fiber Optic Communities of the United States (FOCUS), a non-profit organization representing communities with the most advanced communications networks in the world, today officially launched at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. with the goal of educating consumers on the life-enhancing benefits of optical access networks.

Joined by representatives of fiber communities from across the nation, FOCUS heard from industry leaders including Verizon, UTOPIA, Jackson (Tenn.) Energy Authority, and the Brambleton Group of Loudoun County, Va. FOCUS also unveiled an event agenda designed to build awareness of the more than 200 optical fiber communities in the United States. According to the latest analysis from market research firm, Render Vanderslice & Associates, U.S. fiber to the premises (FTTP) deployment has increased by over 400 percent in the last six months, from 180,000 to 970,000 homes passed.

"FOCUS will help homeowners and businesses realize the benefits of living and working in a fiber community," said Max R. Kipfer, founder and president of FOCUS. "This organization will unite fiber optic communities from urban, rural, and suburban settings with the aim of propelling America into the next generation of communication."

Planning to pass about one million homes in parts of nine states with FTTP technology by 2005, Link Hoewing, assistant vice president of Verizon, described the company's first live deployment in Keller, Texas.

Kim Kersey, senior vice president of the Jackson Energy Authority, commented on his organization's construction of one of the largest municipally-owned FTTP networks in America. "Our initiative to deploy fiber optics in Jackson provides consumers with an affordable and innovative telecommunications solution to directly link homes and businesses to a top quality network," said Kersey. "Fiber optic communities are the way of the future and Jackson is ahead of the curve."

Additional speakers at the FOCUS launch included Paul Morris, executive director of the Utah Telecommunications Open Infrastructure Agency (UTOPIA); Amanda Jensen, communications manager for Brambleton; Leonard Ray, president-elect Fiber-to-the-Home Council and vice president Atlantic Engineering Group; and Lawrence Freedman, partner, Fleischman and Walsh, LLP.

FOCUS also announced seventeen Charter Members, including Bechtel, Capital Broadband, Corning, CTS, Hitachi, Millenium Cable & Wireless, One Economy Corporation, The Telework Consortium, The Telework Coalition and White Rock Networks. Communities and organizations interested in exploring FOCUS membership can find information at http://www.CommunitiesInFocus.org or by calling (202) 223-6287 or e-mailing info@CommunitiesInFocus.org. Event video will be available after October 25 at http://www.CommunitiesInFocus.org.

About FOCUS
Fiber Optic Communities of the United States is a non-profit organization representing communities with the most advanced communications networks in the world -- optical fiber running all the way to the home and business. The unlimited capacity of fiber allows super high quality voice, video and data services, plus applications like home security, home automation, and videoconferencing. The scalability, security, reduced maintenance and extended life of fiber-to-the-premise make it the most "future proof" of all communications infrastructures.