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DRAFT 3

Contact:

For NetCentric

Merrill Freund, Marsha IlmonenSchwartz Communications617-431-0770http://www.scribd.com/fullscreen/70929052?access_key=key-1hn59jq9kdh4zxzep0ff

For

Compaq

George FavaloroXXX-XXX-XXXCOMPAQ AND NETCENTRIC PARTNER TO DELIVER UNIVERSAL INTERNET PLATFORM

Leading Companies Will Offer High Performance Servers ForDelivering New Class of Value-Added Internet Services

HOUSTON, Texas and CAMBRIDGE, Mass.— January 27, 1997—

Compaq Computer Corporation(NYSE:CPQ) and NetCentric Corporation todayannounced an agreement to jointly deliver an integratedhardware and software platform that lets InternetService Providers (ISPs) offer new, value-added servicesfor business communications. According to theagreement, NetCentric and Compaq have alsoestablished joint research and development facilities,and Compaq has invested $5 million in NetCentric’slatest round of financing.As prices for basic Internet connectivity drop, ISPs areseeking new ways to add value to their businesscustomers. This new technology platform allows ISPs tobetter address business communications needs anddramatically increase revenues by offering metered,pay-as-you-go services, such as Internet-based fax,voice, video conferencing and file management services,all through a standard Internet connection.Under the agreement, NetCentric and Compaq willcombine Compaq’s industry-leading Proliant servers with

NetCentric POPware (Point-of-Presence software), a newcategory of software designed to operate inside theInternet infrastructure to deliver high performance,extended network solutions. PSINet (NASDAQ: PSIX), aleading provider of corporate Internet and intranetaccess, recently announced a new service for Internetfaxing called Internet Paper that relies on POPwareservers deployed throughout PSINet’s global network."With this announcement, Compaq is moving forwardwith a strategic initiative to provide ‘Cloud Computing’to businesses," said John T. Rose, Senior Vice Presidentand Group General Manager, Enterprise ComputingGroup at Compaq. "We are helping businesses use theInternet cloud to extend the capabilities of theenterprise.""This strategic relationship with Compaq redefines theInternet’s role for businesses. Now companies can relyon the commercial Internet providers to supply high-performance, global solutions. Together, Compaq andNetCentric will dramatically expand the role of theInternet as the ubiquitous channel for delivering allforms of digital information.” said Sean O’Sullivan,founder and chief executive officer of NetCentricCorporation. The combination of Compaq servers and NetCentricPOPware will provide the Internet infrastructure with apowerful, universal platform to rapidly deploy andmanage a wide range of Internet-centric applications.Features of the new technology platform include userauthentication, authorization, resource allocation,routing, telephony, accounting and networkmanagement. The new platform allows commercialInternet providers to offer metered pay-as-you-goservices like faxing, voice messaging, videoconferencing and file management to their customers.

Joint development and distribution

Compaq and NetCentric have established joint research

and development centers in Houston and Cambridge todevelop and deliver innovative technologies. Thecompanies will also work with other leading independentsoftware vendors and inter-networking companies toestablish industry standards, enable new capabilitiesinside the Internet infrastructure and support emergingbusiness models within the commercial Internetindustry. The agreement brings NetCentric’s POPware toCompaq’s large and growing customer base. The new joint offerings will be available in more than 100countries through a network of authorized Compaqmarketing partners. Compaq recently announced thesale of their millionth server, a Proliant 5000.

About NetCentric’s POPware

NetCentric’s POPware is network software that runs onMicrosoft NT-based Internet servers at the ServiceProvider’s point of presence (POP). POPware off-loadsnetwork services from the LAN to the Internetinfrastructure, allowing organizations to augment theirInternet connections with advanced network servicessuch as fax, voice, video and file management providedby their ISP. Since POPware resides at the POP

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the juncture of the phone network and theInternet

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communications can be delivered both overthe Internet to computer users and through phone linesto everyone else.

About the Compaq Proliant family of servers

The Compaq ProLiant 5000 family of servers—the newPentium® Pro-based servers are the first in the industryto integrate the latest technology, dual peer PCI busarchitecture and redundant NIC technology on industry-standard architecture. These servers are designed toprovide new levels of performance, availability andintegration for distributed enterprise environments. And