Multi-year agreement includes telecom service and marketing sponsorship Choice One named official telecommunications provider for New England Patriots and Gillette Stadium
Rochester, New York - September 18, 2003 - Choice One Communications (OTCBB: CWON), an Integrated Communications Provider offering facilities-based voice and data telecommunications services, including Internet solutions, to businesses in 29 Northeast and Midwest markets, today announced that the company has entered into a telecommunications service and marketing partnership with the New England Patriots.
As part of the multi-year agreement, Choice One has been named the official telecommunications provider for the New England Patriots, Gillette Stadium, the New England Revolution and the Kraft Group. Additionally, the New England Patriots and Choice One have agreed to a marketing sponsorship to promote Choice One's association with the team for the duration of the agreement.
"We needed a provider that could address our complex telecommunications needs today and into the future," said Pat Curley, Chief Technology Officer of the New England Patriots. "Choice One took the time to fully understand our business and our telecommunications requirements. They presented us with a customized, cost-effective solution that will enable us to enhance the use of our voice and data telecommunications services. They have a very knowledgeable team of people that are committed to providing us outstanding service.
"When selecting business partners, we look for companies with whom we can forge long-term relationships," added Curley. "As a successful, stable company with a reputation for high quality service, Choice One meets our criteria as a long-term partner. As a major corporate sponsor, Choice One has clearly demonstrated its commitment to the New England Patriots organization."
"Choice One has approximately 20,000 business clients across its New England markets," stated Phil Yawman, Choice One's Executive Vice President, Corporate Development. "We are very proud to be recognized for our success in the marketplace by being selected as the official telecommunications provider for the New England Patriots, Gillette Stadium, the New England Revolution and the Kraft Group.
"During the past several years, Choice One has enjoyed very successful relationships with other NFL organizations," added Yawman. "Our new agreement with the New England Patriots provides both organization various opportunities to substantially grow our businesses. We are confident that this partnership will be mutually beneficial for many years to come."
Choice One also has multi-year agreements with the Buffalo Bills, Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
About Choice One Communications
Headquartered in Rochester, New York, Choice One Communications Inc. (OTCBB: CWON) is a leading integrated communications services provider offering voice and data services including Internet solutions, to businesses in 29 metropolitan areas (markets) across 12 Northeast and Midwest states. Choice One reported $290 million of revenue in 2002, has more than 100,000 clients and employs approximately 1,400 colleagues.
Choice One's markets include: Hartford and New Haven, Connecticut; Rockford, Illinois; Bloomington/Evansville, Fort Wayne, Indianapolis, South Bend/Elkhart, Indiana; Springfield and Worcester, Massachusetts; Portland/Augusta, Maine; Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo, Michigan; Manchester/Portsmouth, New Hampshire; Albany (including Kingston, Newburgh, Plattsburgh and Poughkeepsie), Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse (including Binghamton, Elmira and Watertown), New York; Akron (including Youngstown), Columbus and Dayton, Ohio; Allentown, Erie, Harrisburg, Pittsburgh and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Pennsylvania; Providence, Rhode Island; Green Bay (including Appleton and Oshkosh), Madison and Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
The company has intra-city fiber networks in the following markets: Hartford, Connecticut; Rockford, Illinois; Bloomington/Evansville, Fort Wayne, Indianapolis, South Bend/Elkhart, Indiana; Springfield, Massachusetts; Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo, Michigan; Albany, Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse, New York; Columbus, Ohio; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Providence, Rhode Island; Green Bay, Madison and Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
For further information about Choice One, visit our web site at www.choiceonecom.com or contact us at 1-888-832-5800.
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements contained in this press release constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and the company intends such forward-looking statements be subject to the safe harbors created thereby. The words "believes", "expects", "estimates", "anticipates", "will", "will be", "could", "may" and "plans" and the negative or other similar words or expressions identify forward-looking statements made by or on behalf of Choice One Communications Inc. ("the company"). These forward-looking statements are subject to many uncertainties and factors that may cause the actual results of the company to be materially different from any future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Examples of such uncertainties and factors include, but are not limited to, continued compliance with covenants for borrowing under our bank credit facility, availability of financing, availability of significant operating cash flows, continued availability of regulatory approvals, the number of potential customers and average revenue for such customers in a market, the existence of strategic alliances or relationships, technological, regulatory or other developments in the company's business, changes in the competitive climate in which the company operates and the emergence of future opportunities, all of which could cause actual results and experiences to vary significantly from the company's current business plan and to differ materially from anticipated results and expectations expressed in the forward-looking statements contained herein. These and other applicable risks are summarized under the caption "Risk Factors" and elsewhere in the company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2002, Registration No. 000-29279, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 31, 2003.
