Grande Communications strengthens Texas footprint, expands to adjoining states

March 10, 2003

March 10, 2003--Grande Communications has purchased approximately 3,000 route miles of fiber throughout Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana from C3 Communications, allowing Grande to expand its product and service offerings to retail and wholesale customers.

Grande Communications (San Marcos, TX) has purchased approximately 3,000 route miles of fiber throughout Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana from C3 Communications (Los Angeles), allowing Grande to expand its product and service offering to its retail and wholesale customer base.

The fiber network architecture consists of three SONET rings that serve south Texas; Central Texas and Houston; and Dallas/Fort Worth, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Louisiana. C3 is a wholly owned subsidiary of American Electric Power (Columbus, OH), a top power generator in the United States.

With this strategic asset, Grande adds capacity and control to its growing Internet, phone, and cable retail business. The addition permits the accelerated growth and improved network efficiencies of its local, metro-area network (MAN) and long-haul, on-net business.

Specifically, the C3 fiber network compliments Grande's MAN, which connects large broadband users, such as schools and major employers, to other large users. This network will enable Grande to provide new services to its wholesale customers who are looking for both long-haul and metro-area bandwidth in the South.

Grande will acquire approximately 3,000 fiber-miles that connect Texas' major markets of Houston, Dallas/Fort Worth, Austin, San Antonio, Corpus Christi, and the Rio Grande Valley with Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana.

In July 2002, Grande acquired ClearSource, a broadband service provider that operated in complimentary Texas markets. In April 2000, the company acquired Thrifty Call, and now operates a multi-regional switching platform to provide wholesale long-distance, data, and local phone service.