MCI Communications' Labs Provide a Unique Testing Environment for CMP's Network Computing

Publication Will Use the Company's Labs to Test Larger and More Complex Products, Including ADSL and WAN Switches

PRNewswire
MANHASSET, N.Y.
May 1, 1997

CMP's Network Computing announced that it has formed a partnership with MCI Communications Corp. (NASDAQ: MCIC) that gives the publication access to the company's Richardson, Texas labs for the testing of key wide-area network problems and services. The first of several planned lab announcements for 1997, Network Computing will conduct several lab-based reviews at MCI this year, including first testing ADSL and WAN switches.

"Our relationship with MCI gives us unique access to top-of-the-line test facilities, equipment and engineering skills for the wide area environment," said Patricia Schnaidt, Editorial Director/Associate Publisher of Network Computing. "With these tools we'll be able to test larger and more complex products, giving our readers (IS and network professionals) even more in-depth information they can apply directly to their networked enterprises."

Network Computing's first use of MCI's lab facility will be to test ADSL modems -- a new carrier service that handles high-speed data such as Internet access, videoconferencing, interactive TV and video on demand. The results of these first tests will be published in the magazine's May 1 issue.

"Published ADSL testing has been mediocre at best," said Fritz Nelson, Editor-in-Chief. "From what we've seen, we're breaking new ground here. There are only two ADSL carrier trials going on in the U.S., one in Chicago and one in Redmond, so this is an extremely new issue to our readers."

The MCI relationship is different from alliances Network Computing has with its other Real World LabsV sites distributed throughout the country -- including those in Madison, Wisconsin, Syracuse, New York and at a California energy company in the Bay Area. Rather than having a full-time editor located on-site at MCI's Texas facility, the publication will use that lab as-needed for discrete testing to supplement these other facilities.

Network Computing delivers lab-based, real-world enterprise-wide solutions to 200,000* Network Technology Drivers twice monthly. Its Web site is located at http://www.networkcomputing.com/. For the third consecutive year, the publication was the best read networking title, according to Simmons and IntelliQuest**.

CMP Media Inc. provides publishing, marketing and information services to the broad high-technology spectrum -- the builders, sellers and users of technology -- through print and electronic media. All of CMP's publications and online products can be accessed through the company's TechWeb site on the World Wide Web (http://www.techweb.com/). Print titles include EE Times, Computer Reseller News, InformationWeek and WINDOWS MAGAZINE.

*Circulation Data 11/96

**Ranking based on highest average coverage among audience. Best read compared with DataCommunications, Internetwork (LAN Computing in v1.0), LAN Magazine, LAN Times, CommunicationsWeek and Network World. (Simmons CompPro II,III, IV and IntelliQuest v1.0, v2.0, v3.0).

-0- 05/01/97
NOTE: All of CMP's press releases are available on the Web at
http://techweb.cmp.com/corporate. Journalists and reporters may also set up
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SOURCE: CMP Media Inc.

CONTACT: Steve Rubel, 516-562-7434, srubel@cmp.com, or Leslie Dunbar,
516-562-7040, ldunbar@cmp.com, both of CMP Corporate Communications