Press Release

NEW YORK, Oct. 18 /PRNewswire/ -- In a development that will streamline the delivery of broadband services in New York City, Consolidated Edison Communications, Inc. (CEC) announced today that it has been awarded a franchise to provide fiber-optic transport services throughout the five boroughs.

The newly franchised company, a wholly owned subsidiary of Consolidated Edison, Inc., (NYSE: ED) is a "carrier's carrier." As such, it provides wholesale, carrier-grade fiber-optic transport services for "the last mile," connecting telecommunications carriers and Internet service providers for the distance between their own networks and individual buildings. The franchise agreement was finalized on October 13th.

"CEC has the expertise needed to deliver service to millions of homes and offices at a time of exponential telecommunications growth," said Peter Rust, CEC President and Chief Executive Officer. "This franchise allows us to play an important role in developing the city's economic future."

CEC plans to install more than 112,000 fiber-strand miles (460 route miles) by the end of year 2005, and to interconnect more than 1,000 buildings in this time period. This will allow CEC's network to be within one and one- half blocks from any building in Manhattan. "Our proximity to buildings will allow CEC to provide broadband services much more quickly than customers can get today," said Rust.

CEC's new, state-of-the-art network will use Dense Wave Division Multiplexing (DWDM) and Synchronous Optical Network (SONET) technologies, providing services such as traditional Time Division Multiplexing (TDM), Ethernet (Fast and Gigabit), Wavelengths, and Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) services. According to Felipe Alvarez, CEC's Chief Operating Officer, "The network is self-healing, and more efficient, reliable and flexible than many existing networks."

CEC's hub, at 111 Eighth Avenue in New York City's "Silicon Alley," currently serves as the site from which customers can easily connect with other network providers. Additional hubs are planned for lower Manhattan and Brooklyn.

CEC's market includes local, national and global telecommunications carriers; data and voice communications companies; Internet service providers (ISPs); application service providers (ASPs); building owners; wireless companies, and large-business customers.

CEC is partnered with Neon Communications (NEON), which provides long-haul fiber-optic transport services linking cities from Maine to Washington, D.C.

Consolidated Edison Communications, Inc. (CEC) is a wholly owned, subsidiary of Consolidated Edison, Inc. CEC is a facilities-based "carrier's carrier," offering unprecedented speed, reliability and flexibility to a wide variety of business customers, including datacom/telecom carriers, Internet service providers, application service providers and building owners. Its 100 percent fiber-optic network extends nearly unlimited capacity to the customer's doorstep, often referred to as "the last mile."

Consolidated Edison, Inc. is one of the nation's largest investor-owned energy companies, with more than $8 billion in annual revenues and $16 billion in assets. The company provides a wide range of energy-related products and services to its customers through two regulated utility subsidiaries and four competitive energy and telecommunications businesses.

For additional information about Consolidated Edison Communications visit its website at http://www.electricfiber.com SOURCE Consolidated Edison Communications, Inc.

CONTACT: Robert Jewels, 212-324-5080, or e-mail PR@Electricfiber.com, or Michael S. Clendenin, 212-460-4111, or e-mail clendeninm@coned.com both for Consolidated Edison Communications, Inc. /