CTC Communications Completes Purchase of Lightship Telecom

May 24, 2005

Merger creates largest competitive telecom company headquartered in New England

Waltham, MA– CTC Communications announced today that it has received final regulatory approval from state and federal agencies, and has completed its purchase of Lightship Telecom.  The merging of CTC and Lightship creates the largest competitive telecommunications company headquartered in New England.  It also creates a powerful new voice, data and Internet service alternative for businesses and other organizations across the region.  Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

“I'm pleased to welcome the loyal customers and employees of Lightship. Together CTC and Lightship are well-positioned to deliver an even broader portfolio of innovative services with greater value to businesses throughout New England and the Mid-Atlantic states,” said Ray Allieri, president and chief executive officer of CTC Communications. “This merger doubles the density of our network service area in New England and it significantly enlarges our sales and service organizations, both of which bring substantial benefits to our customers.”

The merged organization will market itself as CTC Communications, with headquarters located in Waltham, MA and regional offices located in eighteen communities from Maine to Virginia.  CTC Communications will provide both traditional and IP-enabled voice and data services to businesses, combining Lightship's experience in traditional telephony with CTC's success in implementing business grade Voice over IP services, which it has provided since 2000.

“This combination is a great first step in our strategy to both deepen our penetration and improve our economics in our Northeast footprint,” said Ken Peterson Jr., chairman of CTC Communications and chief executive officer of Columbia Ventures, the parent of CTC Communications. “We will continue to evaluate additional potential transactions as well as charge ahead in our own aggressive program of organic growth.”

About CTC Communications

CTC Communications is a leading integrated communications carrier providing customers with a full range of converged voice, data and Internet services, dynamically allocated on a next-generation, all IP packet-based network.  The company serves small, medium and large business customers in 13 states from Virginia to Maine as well as the District of Columbia, and has a strong heritage of outstanding customer service.  CTC's Cisco-powered IP+ATM packet network runs over a fully managed and CTC-owned 8,600 mile fiber optic network.  CTC Communications has provided cost-effective communication solutions since 1981 and is today part of Columbia Ventures Corporation's worldwide family of businesses.  Visit CTC Communications online at http://www.ctcnet.com.

About Lightship Telecom

Lightship Telecom provides New England businesses with high-speed Internet and data access, local and long distance telephone service, dynamic bandwidth allocation, Wide Area Networks, co-location and hosting services.  Other services and features include conference calling, voicemail, account codes, e-mail, and managed modem services.  Lightship delivers voice, Internet and data access over a facilities-based digital switching network deployed throughout the business centers of Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine, Rhode Island and Vermont.  Additional information is found online at http://www.lightship.com.

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