MEGAPATH EXPERIENCES GROWING DEMAND FOR SECURECONNECT T1 SERVICE

MegaPath SecureConnect Delivers Superior Security Without The Complexity And Expense Of A Self-Managed Solution

COSTA MESA, CA, April 3, 2007 -- MegaPath Inc., the leading provider of managed IP voice, data and security services in North America, today announced that the company has experienced strong industry demand for the SecureConnect Managed Security Service.  This Unified Threat Management (UTM) service offers an added level of protection to the company’s customer base of more than 21,000 enterprise and mid-size businesses.  Since Q3 2006, more than 172 companies, including Erwin Distributing, Project Live and Valley Net Pros, have implemented SecureConnect to protect more than 6500 sites.

“Many companies that need comprehensive security don’t have the internal expertise or resources to implement and manage a robust solution internally and this has created a significant opportunity for our SecureConnect Managed Service,” said Dan Foster, SVP GM of SMB Markets at MegaPath.  “By providing this Unified Threat Management service that addresses all of their security requirements, MegaPath is ensuring that our customers receive enterprise-class protection without the complexity or expense of managing it themselves.”

According to a recent report from Infonetics Research (titled: “The Costs of Network Security Attacks), small and medium organizations lose about half a percent of their annual revenue to security attacks, which can run into the hundreds of thousands of dollars.  The report also states that more than half of downtime cost is due to service degradation versus outright outages and that Spyware accounts for 40 percent downtime costs at medium sized organizations.

SecureConnect protects business information and systems from both internal and external threats through the use of Managed Firewall, Anti-Virus, Anti-Spam, Anti-Spyware, Intrusion Prevention and Web Filtering. As such, it provides an ideal complement to MegaPath’s MPLS VPN and remote access services, for securely connecting customers’ headquarters, branch offices and mobile users. 

Three MegaPath customers currently taking advantage of the SecureConnect service include Project Live, a non-profit agency that provides a wide range of residential rehabilitation support; Valley Net Pros, a leading provider of network and computer services to medium and small businesses in Southern California, Nevada and Arizona; and Erwin Distributing a Texas-based distribution firm.

“As a small non-profit organization, we needed a cost-effective means to ensure that our systems were safe from malicious content and individuals,” said Scott MacLean, Assistant Executive Director at Project Live.  “MegaPath provided us with a complete solution that solved our security needs without overburdening our staff or budget.  Since signing on, we have seen a significant improvement in our overall security.”

“Operating 30 locations in the South West, Erwin Distributing chose MegaPath because it was the one firm that could improve our productivity with increased bandwidth performance and ensure that our systems were safe, using the new SecureConnect service,” said Jonathan Erwin, Vice President/General Counsel of Erwin Distributing.  “MegaPath’s fully managed IP communication and security services have enabled us to increase the accuracy of our point-of-sale polling, while also reducing our IT management requirements, which is a huge advantage as we continue to grow.”

About MegaPath
MegaPath is the leading provider of managed IP communications services in North America.  MegaPath leverages its wide selection of broadband connectivity, Virtual Private Networks, Voice over IP (VoIP) and security technologies to enable businesses to lower costs, increase security and enhance productivity.  Businesses of all sizes can easily and securely communicate between their headquarters, branch offices, retail locations, mobile workers, and business partners.

To learn more about why over 21,000 companies have chosen MegaPath’s managed IP data, voice and security services to improve their business communications, visit www.megapath.com or call 1-877-MegaPath (634-2728).