Letter from Neil Matkin to Avenew Customers

March 8, 2001, 2:45 p.m.

Greetings,

The Illinois Century Network (ICN) has engaged in discussions with Ameritech to consider how to best serve current Avenew customers. To date, even though the ICN is more than willing to consider absorbing Avenew's existing infrastructure, we cannot begin this discussion with Ameritech unless Avenew's president, Marty Gilmore, communicates Avenew's intention to Ameritech to allow this discussion. Legally, Avenew has contracts with their customers and with Ameritech and the ICN cannot and will not infringe where we have no authority to do so.

The ICN has established links on its web site (www.illinois.net or directly to www.illinois.net/news/archives/avaenew/avenew.htm) for Avenew customers to fill out a participation application, read current answers to frequently asked questions, and join the ICNmove@list.illinois.net list serve. Regardless of the outcome of discussions with Avenew and Ameritech, it would help in current planning and discussions if Avenew customers could fill out the participation application as quickly as possible. Filling out the agreement in no way obligates any customer to utilize ICN services.

Some of the information presented on other list serves is inaccurate. Please note the following update:

1. ICN has offered to consider assumption of Avenew's network and customer connections but cannot begin this process until Avenew indicates its willingness to allow discussion of this option with their vendor, which is Ameritech.

2. The ICN is in conversation with Ameritech to determine options for providing services to Avenew customers should Avenew not be able or willing to fulfill its commitments in the future.

3. The availability of ICN services to education customers currently using Avenew - and for that matter, all K-12 schools in the state of Illinois - does not depend on successful conversations with either Avenew or Ameritech. Any K-12 school, community college, university, museum, or library can fill out a participation agreement and start the process to connect to the ICN.

4. The time period for connection averages 4-6 weeks. The time period may vary depending on Ameritech's ability to respond to equipment and service orders in a timely manner. Ameritech account executives assigned to the ICN project have indicated a commitment to respond aggressively to orders to ensure connectivity to ICN customers in a timely manner.

5. There are many entities in the region requesting consideration as a community point of presence for Avenew customers, if indeed Avenew customers choose to come to the ICN. The ICN staff is considering these recommendations and, since ICN funding comes from Illinois taxpayers to whom we are ultimately responsible, the staff will make the best fiscally responsible decisions to provide services.

As events and conversations continue, I will update you via this list serve and the ICN web site

Thank you,

H. Neil Matkin
Director
Illinois Century Network

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