AlphaStar Provides Direct Backbone Connectivity Via Satellite Broadband to ISP'S, Fixed Wireless...

Business Editors

SUPERCOMM 2001

GREENWICH, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 6, 2001

AlphaStar International is providing satellite broadband access direct to commercial and institutional users as part of the service offerings by www.skycrossing.net.

The service

is called SkyCrossing Direct and it provides access directly from satellites to dishes mounted at the user's premises. SkyCrossing provides "Broadband Backbone in The Sky" based on the innovative and affordable technology of Bandwidth-On-Demand ("BOD"), rather than the traditional and expensive Single Channel Per Carrier technology ("SCPC"). SkyCrossing provides an "Always On" two-way satellite broadband connection with speeds up to 33 Mbps and beyond.

The SkyCrossing Direct Service:

- targets geographical areas that are unserved and underserved by terrestrial
networks. SkyCrossing connects the unconnected,

- provides redundancy and back up to primary fiber connections in areas where
landlines are available. SkyCrossing protects the connected,

- avoids the congested terrestrial network and the landline local loop,

- allows for deployed within days with maximum flexibility and minimum cost.

Many broadband providers find themselves between a rock and a hard place - dependent on their competitors for backbone connectivity. The result, as witnessed during the last few months is that both the broadband providers and their customers suffer. SkyCrossing provides the answer by bypassing fiber and phone companies entirely, from the first mile to the last mile. SkyCrossing provides full service solutions to corporations, office buildings, MDU's, government agencies, non-profit organizations, educational institutions, fixed wireless and MMDS operators, cable TV MSO's, rural Telco'S, ISP's and ASP's among others.

SkyCrossing is available within the footprint of General Electric Americom satellite GE-5 and GE-6 covering the USA, Canada, Latin America and the Caribbean. Later this summer the service will include Europe, the Middle East and Africa. SkyCrossing can cover the entire globe with one satellite hop.

SkyCrossing pricing is both fair and innovative. Most satellite data carriers today offer prices based on SCPC technology and the customers pay for bandwidth whether they use it or not. This is waste of satellite bandwidth and money. SkyCrossing pricing is based on the new BOD technology that prices on actual use only. Why pay for a whole loaf, when you only need a slice? And why should an average user subsidize a heavy user?

SkyCrossing Direct basic packages start at speeds up to 512 kbps downstream and 128kbps upstream with an allotment of 2GB per month for $299 per month. Customer pays incrementally, per one MB for any bandwidth use in excess of the monthly allotment. Other packages with higher data rates and volumes are also available. Service packages and prices are posted at: www.skycrossing.net.

SkyCrossing's mission is to be the most innovative and least cost satellite broadband provider. In August 2000, SkyCrossing deployed an innovative residential 2-way satellite broadband service. SkyCrossing is expanding its residential service by deploying in five additional markets. The residential service is based on a hybrid model integrating satellite broadband as a backbone and fixed wireless as the final mile. SkyCrossing residential service is priced at $49.99 per month with speeds up to 512 kbps downstream/144 kbps upstream.

SkyCrossing is the lowest cost satellite broadband provider today with the lowest risk. Recent news reports indicate that many of the projects announced to provide satellite broadband sometime in the future and requiring billions of dollars to deploy and operate, are having difficulty finding financial sponsors. SkyCrossing does not believe in the notion that " when you build it, they will come". SkyCrossing's system is designed to minimize risk, as costs are rather low and incremental by design, therefore customer demand precedes capital expenditures, and operating costs. Furthermore, SkyCrossing is providing satellite broadband service today, not years in the future.