eCi announces its intention to provide third-party Helpdesk Support for Alpine Communications, an Iowa Internet Service Provider (ISP).

As of March 1, 2001, eCi will be providing Alpine Communication's Helpdesk Support Services. This change allows Alpine Communications to respond to customer needs more quickly and conveniently, 24 hours, 7 days a week. eCi's established infrastructure allows them to offer flexibility and cost savings to smaller ISPs like Alpine Communications. Through this partnership, eCi assumes the identity of the Internet Service Provider, so end-users attribute the customer service they receive to the ISP.

"eCi's helpdesk representatives are also your friends and neighbors, people who know why good service matters and who'll go out of their way to deliver it, " explains Carol Bamford, eCi's Chief Operating Officer.

eCi announced its intention to offer Helpdesk Services to ISPs in November 2000, following years of experience providing third-party technical support for leading consumer electronics manufacturers. eCi has now become partners with several Midwestern ISPs, who benefit from eCi's expertise. The skilled and committed work force at eCi delivers excellent customer service to end-users. eCi's infrastructure including telephone, email, and World Wide Web support is already in place. These advantages allow eCi to provide service at a much lower cost than most companies can match in-house. eCi can also tailor its services to meet the needs of each individual ISP. These options include 24 hour a day support, Internet support, market and statistical research, and performance benchmarking.

About eCi:

Headquartered in Des Moines, eCi also has offices in Santa Clara and Thousand Oaks, CA and Manning, IA. Most ISP support will be provided from Manning. The new facility, a cooperative effort between eCi and the city of Manning, has added new jobs to the Manning area. As eCi's technical support business expands, the company intends to establish additional centers in rural Midwest locations to take advantage of the strong work ethic and educational level these areas offer, as well as to bring employment opportunities to underemployed residents.

About Alpine Communications:

Alpine Communications, based in Des Moines, Iowa, is a telecommunications firm serving several communities. Most of Alpine's customers are located in Northeastern Iowa. Alpine provides local and long distance telephone service, in addition to dial-up and high-speed Internet access services.