Midwest data communications and value-added services provider expands and changes name to better reflect evolution of business strategy and expanded offerings

DES MOINES, Iowa—April 27, 2004—Lighthouse Communications, Inc., a Midwest leader in high-performance data communications and value-added services, today announced the completion of its acquisition of Focal Solutions, LLC, a Phoenix area firm specializing in Microsoft Business Solutions and managed services for small to mid-sized businesses. The combined company will operate under the name of LightEdge Solutions, Inc., which better reflects the company’s mission of embracing technology leadership and providing best-in-class products, services and support.

Focal Solutions serves a customer base of small to mid-sized businesses in the greater Phoenix area, with its main office located in Scottsdale, Ariz. The acquisition combines Lighthouse’s data communications and value-added services with Focal’s business application outsourcing and managed IT services. Together, the emerging company is poised to take advantage of a new Service-on-Demand^SM business model under which the company will offer fully-managed, end-to-end services including voice and data, Microsoft business applications and data center hosting services.

“Focal is the first acquisition in our strategy to grow the business because there is synergy between the capabilities and offerings of the two companies,” said Jim Masterson, president and chief executive officer of LightEdge Solutions. “At Lighthouse, we’ve built a high-speed, highly secure and high Quality of Service backbone network connecting IP points of presence in Des Moines, Omaha, Kansas City, Minneapolis, and Eastern Iowa markets. Expanding that network with Focal’s business and managed services will enable us to provide businesses with a more comprehensive managed services model in all of our existing Midwest markets as well as in the greater Phoenix area. Our business customers are technologically sophisticated and we’re seeing increased customer demand for the types of value-added offerings within our Service-on-Demand model.”

LightEdge’s Service-on-Demand strategy will enable businesses to acquire the level of network, business application and hosting services that they need, so they can focus on their core business, gain competitive advantage and scale for growth. With Service-on-Demand, businesses can secure their high-bandwidth connection from LightEdge and layer on any IT services, such as applications, security and monitoring. Rather than investing large amounts of capital on hardware and infrastructure, businesses can secure affordable monthly service from LightEdge.

All employees from both companies were retained. Co-founders Steve Jorgensen and Jason Studsrud of Focal Solutions will continue on with LightEdge Solutions as senior vice president of the Southwest region and senior vice president of Midwest operations respectively.

About LightEdge Solutions
LightEdge Solutions® empowers businesses to be more productive, mobile and effective with managed voice and data services delivered through a multi-homed, Cisco Powered Network data center environment. By out-tasking voice, data and IT services, small and medium sized businesses are able to realize unparalleled scalability and reliability with a lower total cost of ownership and reduced administration. For more information about services available for your business, visit LightEdge’s web site at www.lightedge.com.

LightEdge Solutions® and the LightEdge Solutions logo, and Scale-on-Demand™ are trademarks, registered trademarks, or service marks of LightEdge Solutions, Inc. EdgeBCC™ and the EdgeBCC logo are trademarks, registered trademarks, or service marks of the Edge Business Continuity Center. All other brands or products are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.

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Media Contact:
Scott Riedel
LightEdge Solutions
515-471-1256
sriedel@lightedge.com