Wave Issue 9039 X/XX/99 Article 9-01

***@Home Network Announces High-Speed Internet Services
(April 7)

@Home Network announced an agreement to form a joint venture with
Japan’s Jupiter Telecommunications (J-COM), and with trading
company Sumitomo Corp. Under the terms of the agreement, @Home
Network, J-COM and Sumitomo will form an entity, @Home Japan, to
develop and market a Japanese version of @Home’s high-speed cable
Internet service in Japan. @Home Japan will enter into
distribution agreements with J-COM and Sumitomo, a partial owner
of J-COM and of its own cable systems, to deliver the Japanese
service to their subscribers.

@Home Japan will leverage @Home Network’s technology, content,
systems and operating expertise to create a Japanese high-speed
Internet service. @Home Japan subscribers will enjoy an array of
broadband content and applications such as news video-on-demand,
CD-quality audio, high-speed games and software downloading,
along with access to the Internet at speeds faster than
previously available.

Under the agreement, J-COM and Sumitomo have agreed to commit
their combined million households, representing more than 10% of
Japanese households. The parties have initiated discussions with
additional cable operators with respect to their joining @Home
Japan as equity shareholders and/or distributors.

@Home Network has developed a network infrastructure that
utilizes caching and replication technologies to create a high-
performance “parallel” Internet, bringing information closer to
users. These technologies, combined with @Home’s focus on
broadband content, customer service and end-to-end network
management enable the company to deliver an enhanced Internet
experience.

According to Japan’s Ministry of Posts & Telecommunications, the
percent of households with access to the Internet nearly doubled
in the last 12 months to reach 11% at the end of March.

Jupiter Telecommunications, a joint venture between Sumitomo
Corporation (60%) and Liberty Media International, Inc. (40%), is
Japan’s first and largest Multiple System Operator.

Founded in January 1995, J-COM currently provides cable
television services to 348,000 homes. J-COM’s franchise covers
5.1 million homes in 29 cable systems concentrated in the cities
of Tokyo, Osaka and Fukuoka. Upon completion of its network
construction, J-COM will pass more than 4.8 million homes.

Sumitomo Corporation is a distributor of commodities, industrial
goods, and consumer goods. Besides its role as a trader, Sumitomo
Corporation is active as an investor in a range of businesses
that mesh with existing operations, or that position the company
in markets with long-term potential. Sumitomo Corporation has a
staff of 8,804 throughout Japan and in 88 other countries.