EAGAN, Minn. – April 4, 2002 – WAM!NET today announced its new Direct! IP (Internet-provisioned) content distribution service, extending the company's full line of industry standard services for secure, managed file transport. Commercially available this month, the Direct! IP service utilizes customer premise equipment (a WAM!NET customer point of presence or CPOP) to provide the convenience of secure file delivery directly to a customer's LAN, while allowing customers the flexibility to manage their own local network circuit. Particularly useful in remote geographies or in environments where the customer's required bandwidth is already in place, the Direct! IP service enables content distribution via a virtual private network (VPN) between the customer's local Internet connection and the WAM!NET private network. As with WAM!NET's fully managed Direct! service, Direct! IP is ideal for distribution of moderate to high volumes of content and features comprehensive file transaction tracking and reporting. Early users of the new service include Ohio-based Carey Color Incorporated and Alabama-based Walker Printing. "As a full-service, technology-driven communications company and a leader in digital imaging, we routinely evaluate and implement new technologies that allow us to deliver unsurpassed value and service to our customers," said Nathan Smith, senior network systems analyst, Carey Color Incorporated. WAM!NET's Direct! IP service has allowed us to quickly and cost-effectively drive efficiency and reduce turn times in our key business areas of interactive media, prepress, digital photography and database management. With the service in place, we have enabled secure, seamless content distribution among our customers and partners." "At Walker Printing, we have built a business around delivering a full range of printing, prepress, binding, and graphic design services to our customers," said Connie Manoliu, prepress manager, Walker Printing. "The ease of use and reliability of WAM!NET services supports our efforts to maintain and expand a competitive advantage in these areas. Additionally, WAM!NET Direct! IP is faster and more cost effective than leasing dedicated telecommunications circuits, particularly in the case where our customers are in remote areas where digital content distribution would otherwise be cost prohibitive or time intensive." WAM!NET's new Direct! IP service falls within the company's existing line of Direct! services, including: · WAM!NET Direct! – a fully managed content delivery service utilizing customer premise equipment connected directly to the WAM!NET private network through a dedicated circuit. Direct! provides customers with WAM!NET's fastest, most secure and guaranteed file delivery directly to the LAN, along with full transaction tracking and reporting. The Direct! service is ideal for distribution of high volumes of content, or content that is time-sensitive or highly confidential. · WAM!NET Virtual Direct! – a managed, Web-based content delivery service utilizing a centralized file server. Virtual Direct! provides WAM!NET clients with secure file delivery via upload and download access – via a supplied web interface, FTP client or AppleShare File Server (AFP) mounted volume – along with transaction tracking and reporting. The Virtual Direct! service is ideal for distributing content within environments where content volumes are moderate or inconsistent, the frequency of distribution is unpredictable or distribution points change frequently. "Direct! IP meets the requirements of our customers who have offices or partners in geographic locations outside of WAM!NET's standard area of coverage, or who choose to manage their own bandwidth," said Tim Elliott, executive director, Global Marketing. "The new service supports our commitment to help existing and new customers to dramatically cut costs and cycle times, and achieve a strong competitive edge as they streamline digital content distribution across their entire supply chains. In doing so, they also eliminate costly, time-intensive steps in their workflows, such as the use of removable media and couriers to distribute and share content."