JEA EPLUS BROADBAND GETS INTERNATIONAL EXPOSURE

Press Release: January 26th, 2005

EPlus Broadband, Jackson Energy Authority’s telecommunications network of cable, Internet and telephone services, continues to get international exposure. On January 28th, 2005 at 8am in the Administrative Board Room, top officials from the Brazilian Government plan to visit JEA for an overview and presentation of the Broadband project. The beginning of the day will consist of presentations followed by tours of various sites pertaining EPlus Broadband.

The project has garnered a considerable amount of attention, both domestically and internationally, stated Kim Kersey, Senior Vice President of Telecommunications at JEA.

“We have had visitors from all across the country, as well as from China, New Zealand, Australia, Denmark, and now Brazil who are coming to Jackson to look at what we are doing,” Kersey added.

The international group’s main objective is to reverse the trend of migrating workers going from rural agriculture communities into the large overpopulated urban areas like Sao Paulo and Rio. They have expressed interest in:

• social impact JEA sees with the fiber-to-the-home
• economic benefits
• services provided to schools & remote education
• EPlusTV Channel 6 set up

Key individuals from the Brazilian Government:

• " Walmir Comin - Santa Catarina State Senator - spearheaded the co-op program for the development and delivery of fiber optic services to rural communities in Brazil. Santa Catarina is the 2nd state up from the southern most point of Brazil.
• " Guido Mantega - Presidente do BNDES ( Banco Nacional de Desenvolvimento Econômico e Social) - President of BNDES . The Bank's primary mission is to provide funding to rural Brazil to promote social and economic development. The BNDES agenda is to prevent migration from rural Brazil to metro areas.
• " Rafael Pereira Tourino - Director do FNDE ( Fundo Nacional do Desenvolvimento da Educação ) - Director for the National Education Development . His agency is responsible for planning the development, evolution, and delivery agenda for education.
• " Rogério Santana Assessor Especial do Ministério do Planejamento - Special Advisor to the National Development Department. The objective of his department is to plan beyond the current project and support e-Gov initiative which the federal government has mandated.
• " Marcelo Lopes Assessor Especial do Ministério de Ciência e Tecnologia - Special Advisor to the Department of Science & Technology. His agency is responsible for attracting leading edge technology and intellectual investment in Brazil

Hosts from Jackson Energy Authority:

• Kim Kersey, Senior Vice-President Telecom
• Danny Wheeler, Chief Financial Officer
• Kyle Spurgeon, Vice President, Business Development
• Michael Johnston, Manager of IP Services
• Darrell Pope, Telecom Project Manager