TELECOMNEXT SHOWCASING INNOVATIVE COMPANIES

WASHINGTON, March 9, 2006 - With telecommunications companies forecast to spend nearly $950 billion in the U.S. this year on equipment, devices and services, TelecomNEXT promises to be a seller's market for the companies exhibiting. Held in Las Vegas, March 19-23, TelecomNEXT replaces SUPERCOMM as USTelecom's annual industry event and is the only place where the business and technology of communications and entertainment meet

Nearly 300 companies are exhibiting at TelecomNEXT, many of them dynamic startups offering innovative solutions - equipment, software, applications, entertainment and content - designed to meet the substantial needs of network operators in the converged marketplace. To help facilitate the growth of its startup exhibitors, TelecomNEXT announced today it is waiving the registration fee for members of venture capital firms.

"TelecomNEXT presents a unique opportunity for venture capitalists to discover - under one roof - the up-and-coming companies that are poised to dramatically impact the communications and entertainment marketplaces," said John Abel, Senior Vice President - Membership, Marketing and Business Development for USTelecom. "It's important for the ongoing evolution of this converged market to bring the startups and the funders together, and TelecomNEXT is the best place to do it."

The complimentary registration for venture capitalists includes not only access to the exhibit floor but also conferences, programs and networking events. The regular cost for this package is $975 if booked in advance, $1,275 on-site.

In addition to the exhibits and other events, TelecomNEXT features a stellar group of speakers from the communications and entertainment industries, including Duane Ackerman, Chairman & CEO, BellSouth; Robbie Bach, President - Entertainment & Devices Division, Microsoft; Glenn Britt, President & CEO, Time Warner Cable; John Chambers, President & CEO, Cisco; Scott Ford, President & CEO, Alltel; Jonathan Glickman, President, Spyglass Entertainment Group; Dan Hesse, President & CEO designee, EMBARQ; Robert Iger, President & CEO, The Walt Disney Company; John Meyer, President, Lucent World Wide Services, Lucent Technologies; Mike Quigley, President and COO, Alcatel; Ivan Seidenberg, Chairman & CEO, Verizon; Stan Sigman, President & CEO, Cingular; Norio Wada, President & CEO, Nippon Telegraph and Telephone; and Ed Whitacre, Chairman & CEO, AT&T.

TelecomNEXT will take place at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, with the exhibit floor open Tuesday and Wednesday, March 21 and 22. More information is available at www.telecom-next.com. Venture capitalists wishing to take advantage of the complimentary registration offer should email registration@thetelecomevent.com.

TelecomNEXT is the only place where the business and technology of communications and entertainment meet. Recognizing the dramatic changes in today's integrated communications market, the TelecomNEXT exhibit floor and conference program fully reflects the industry's continuing evolution and will bring together the most dynamic, talented and innovative players of the digital age.

SUPERCOMM is a registered trademark of the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) and the United States Telecom Association (USTelecom). The final SUPERCOMM was held in 2005.

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