AREA GETS NEW PHONE SERVICE
INTERNET PROVIDER ALSO PHONE PROVIDER

BELLEVILLE - A local Internet service provider will begin offering local and long distance telephone service throughout the metro-east today.

"We're able to provide service throughout the state of Illinois, but our focus is the metro-east," said Michelle Wuller, vice president for operations at Peak Communications. "We want to be able to provide the metro-east
customers with the service they provide."

Customers who switch from their current carrier to the Belleville-based Peak Communications will be able to keep their same
telephone numbers and lines through an agreement reached with SBC. Peak Communications will lease telephone lines from the
national phone giant.

"I think this is certainly indicative of the competition that is thriving in
Illinois," SBC spokesman Andrea Brands said.

"It's great news," said Gary Mack, executive director of the Illinois Coalition for Competitive Telecommunications. "Consumers are going to save money because whenever they have more than one company to chose from they
always win."

The average cost for residential service with Peak Communications is $22.95 a month for unlimited local calls and three special
features, such as call waiting, call forwarding, voice mail or caller ID. The same service costs $29.95 a month with six features.

SBC offers several different plans for telephone customers in the metro-east. Unlimited local calling with no features costs $15.15 a month. The cost jumps to $28.63 a month with two features.

Peak Communications can sign up customers across the state, however, the company will focus on gaining customers in St. Clair,
Madison and Monroe counties. The plan is to lure new consumers through a high level of customer service.

"When you call, you won't have to press five different numbers to talk to a human being," Wuller said. "If you call us, you're going to
speak to a live person."