Avaya Completes Purchase of Expanets from Northwestern Corporation

BASKING RIDGE, N.J. , US /Wi-Fi Technology News/- Avaya Inc. (NYSE:AV) a leading global provider of communications solutions and services for businesses, today announced it has completed the acquisition of substantially all of the assets of Expanets, the nation's largest provider of converged communications for mid-sized businesses, from NorthWestern Corporation. Expanets is also one of the largest resellers of Avaya's products in the United States. The acquisition will allow Avaya to continue providing quality sales and service support for Expanets' customers' and grow its small and mid-sized business.

Avaya purchased the Expanets assets at an auction on October 29, 2003, conducted on behalf of NorthWestern Corporation, Expanets' parent.

About Avaya
Avaya Inc. designs, builds and manages communications networks for more than 1 million businesses worldwide, including 90 percent of the FORTUNE 500?. Focused on businesses large to small, Avaya is a world leader in secure and reliable Internet Protocol (IP) telephony systems and communications software applications and services.

Driving the convergence of voice and data communications with business applications ? and distinguished by comprehensive worldwide services ? Avaya helps customers leverage existing and new networks to achieve superior business results. For more information visit the Avaya Web site: http://www.avaya.com

About NorthWestern
NorthWestern Corporation is one of the largest providers of electricity and natural gas in the Upper Midwest and Northwest, serving more than 598,000 customers in Montana, South Dakota and Nebraska. NorthWestern also has investments in Expanets, Inc., a nationwide provider of networked communications and data services to small and mid-sized businesses, and Blue Dot Services Inc., a provider of heating, ventilation and air conditioning services to residential and commercial customers. More information can be found on the company's Web site at http://www.northwestern.com.

About Expanets
Expanets is a nationwide provider of networked communications and data services to small and mid-sized businesses. While national in scope, Expanets delivers local service and solutions through its team of more than 3,000 associates based in more than 100 offices throughout the U.S. Its broad portfolio is based on its strategic relationships with industry-leading manufacturers, service providers, carriers and application developers. More information can be found on the Company's Web site at http://www.expanets.com.

Source: Avaya