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COM NET, INC.
WAPAKONETA, OH 45895


News Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 9, 1994

INTERNET GATEWAY'S PLANNED FOR RURAL OHIO

Wapakoneta, OH - Com Net, Inc., a consortium of nineteen Ohio based independent telephone companies, announced today the formation of a data network to provide Internet gateways to greater Ohio.

The network will have a host site in Columbus interconnecting with Internet backbone provider CICNet in Chicago. Members of Com Net and other gateway access providers will provide low cost access for both business and home users of the Internet in Ohio's smaller localities. The participating telephone companies will provide communications terminal servers in their communities to give telephone subscribers access to E-mail, The World Wide Web (WWW), File Transfer Protocal (FTP), Internet Relay Chat (IRC) service, and all other Internet information services, all by dialing a local telephone number. Service packages available will include a direct data link option for businesses and organizations with multiple users.

Janet Sholl, General Manager of Arthur Mutual Telephone Company and President of Com Net, said that Com Net was formed in November 1993 by the independent telcos to provide advanced intelligent networking services to Ohio's rural areas. Com Net's first business unit is an SS7 signaling network placed in service in July 1994 to provide data base controlled signaling service to Ohio's independent telephone companies. SS7 switches in the network are located in Kalida and»G`

Internet gateways are initially planned for Chillicothe, Defiance, Doylestown (including Akron), the Archbold/Bryan/Napoleon area, Kalida (to serve Putnam and Paulding Counties) and Wapakoneta (to serve both Allen and Auglaize Counties). The service is targeted to begin as early as January 1995.

Com Net member companies include:

Arthur Mutual Telephone Company   Ayersville Telephone Company   Benton Ridge Telephone Company
Buckland Telephone Company   The Chillicothe Telephone Company   Doylestown Telephone Company
Farmers Mutual Telephone Company   Ft. Jennings Telephone Company   Glandorf Telephone Company
Kalida Telephone Company   McClure Telephone Company   Middle Point Telephone Company
The New Knoxville Telephone Company   The Ottoville Mutual Telephone Company   The Ridgeville Telephone Company
Sherwood Mutual Telephone Association   Telephone Service Company (Wapakoneta)   Vaughnsville Telephone Company
Wabash Telephone Company