TTY INTERCEPT PRESENTED AT TDI CONFERENCE FORUM

Waukesha, WI—July 19, 1999

Electronic Tele-Communications, Inc.’s Director of Marketing, Scott Stephenson, served as a Research Forum Panelist on July 16, 1999, at the 13th Biennial TDI (Telecommunications for the Deaf, Inc.) International Conference, Seattle, Washington. Stephenson presented "TTY Intercept", one of many advances in telecommunications technology included in the Forum and discussed along with several emerging research topics. Additional Research Forum Panelists included Dr. David Bolnick, Microsoft; Kevin Colwell, Ultratec R&D; Dr. Barry Critchfield, SC Department of Mental Health; Dr. Judith Harkins, Gallaudet University; Dr. Carl Jensema, Institute for Disabilities Research and Training, Inc.; Paul Ludwick, Sprint; and Tom McLaughlin, NXI. Joe Duarte, Vice President TDI, served as Moderator.

"I was honored to serve on this distinguished panel," said Stephenson. "Providing TTY intercept messages is an important part of providing equal communication access for the deaf, hard-of-hearing, and speech-impaired population."

TTY intercept reflects the conference’s theme of communication access: "Everytime, Everywhere, Everyone: Expanding Telecommunications Access Into the Next Millennium."

Although the technology is available, TTY intercept is currently not provided to most users of TTY devices. Consequently, when a TTY call does not go through, a caller is not notified of changed numbers, new area codes or other out-of-service information. Intercept messages are typically supplied in spoken format only. Recently, legislation has been proposed by the Wisconsin Public Service Commission to require intercept messages in TTY compatible format.

ETC began offering TTY as a vocabulary option in 1997 for its intercept equipment. Currently, TTY vocabulary is available to telephone service providers on ETC’s Digicept® DNA Module voice application platforms.

TDI is a national non-profit advocacy organization established in 1968 to promote full visual access for Deaf, Hard-of-Hearing, and Speech-Impaired constituencies to entertainment, information, and telecommunications offerings in America. TDI promotes full visual access to entertainment, information and telecommunications through consumer education and involvement, technical assistance and consulting, application of existing and emerging technologies, networking and collaboration, uniformity of standards and national policy development and advocacy. http://www.tdi-online.org

ETC designs, manufactures, and services quality telecommunications products that provide network solutions for domestic and international access providers. Headquartered in Waukesha, Wisconsin, ETC has operations in Atlanta, Georgia and Pleasanton, California. ETC is traded on The NASDAQ SmallCap Market under the symbol ETCIA.

Digicept is a registered trademark of Electronic Tele-Communications, Inc.

http://www.etcia.com

###