UTS Agreement With Time Warner

UNIVERSITY TECHNOLOGY SERVICES ANNOUNCES JOINT AGREEMENT WITH 
TIME WARNER COMMUNICATIONS

COLUMBUS -- The Ohio State University and Time Warner
Communications announced an agreement Tuesday (5/12) that will 
help improve off-campus access to the university's on-line 
systems for faculty, staff and students. 

The "peering agreement" announced by University Technology 
Services (UTS) enables Ohio State and Time Warner's Road Runner 
services to pass electronic traffic to each other's local 
networks over a high-speed fiber connection without going through 
the Internet.

The Road Runner service uses the cable network to offer 
content and Internet access up to 100 times faster than 
connections that use standard phone lines.  Because it doesn't 
use telephone lines, there are never any busy signals.

"Faculty, staff and students who need high-speed access to 
the university's information systems may find Road Runner 
useful," said Charles R. Morrow-Jones, director of networking and 
connectivity at UTS.  "For example, faculty who access graphic-
intensive Web pages or who need to move large files would benefit 
from the direct connection and Road Runner's speed.  Road Runner 
provides our users with an alternative means to access our 
systems, at higher speeds and without tying up phone lines or 
experiencing delays or busy signals."

David Eastburn, Road Runner vice president for Time Warner, 
said the agreement is a win-win situation for both organizations 
and their customers. 

"This agreement allows us to provide a solution that will 
reduce the frustrations of people who need access to the 
university computer systems from home, but who could not do so as 
efficiently through a dial-up Internet provider," he said.  "And, 
since Road Runner is connected directly to the Ohio State network 
using a high-speed fiber connection, both organizations will save 
money because it eliminates the need to send this traffic over 
the Internet."

To take advantage of the direct connection, university 
personnel would need to subscribe to the Road Runner service. 
Road Runner is available in most of Time Warner's central Ohio 
service area, and will be available throughout its service area 
by the end of 1998.  To get detailed pricing and service 
information, visit www.twcol.com or call (614) 481-5320.

Road Runner, named after the Warner Bros. character, made 
its Columbus debut in October, when Time Warner launched the 
service for residential use.  It currently is available in 
northwest, west and southeast Columbus, Upper Arlington, 
Clintonville, Hilliard, Worthington, Dublin, the Ohio State area, 
downtown and Short North areas, German Village and Grandview. It
will be available throughout Time Warner's central Ohio service 
area by the end of 1998.

University Technology Services provides guidance and support 
for integrating information technologies in the learning, 
research and business environments of The Ohio State University.

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Contact:  Charles R. Morrow-Jones, UTS, (614) 292-1302
Susan Bass, Time Warner, (614) 481-5389