CHARLOTTE, N.C., Aug 02, 2005 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX/ -- US LEC Corp. (CLEC), a telecommunications carrier serving businesses and enterprise organizations throughout the Eastern United States, announced today that it has expanded its full suite of voice, data and Internet services into southern Indiana. Markets served in this expansion include Charlestown, Clarksville, Galena, Jeffersonville, New Albany and Sellersburg. US LEC now provides comprehensive telecommunications solutions to more than 24,000 business class customers in more than 116 markets across the company's 16-state footprint.

"US LEC's proven business model is predicated on a simple principle: customers always come first," said Paul Carlisle, director of sales for US LEC in Louisville, KY. "Over the years, our continued success in growing, and maintaining, our customer base has been a direct result of our deep corporate commitment to that philosophy, and we look forward to providing the same high- quality service to our new customers in southern Indiana."

US LEC marks its fifth year of providing high-quality telecommunications services to businesses in northern Kentucky this summer. With an established presence as one of the region's leading business telecom providers, the natural expansion into southern Indiana will allow the company to further demonstrate its telecommunications expertise in a diverse array of industries including the automotive, construction, education, entertainment, financial, government, hospitality, manufacturing, medical, professional/ legal, real estate and transportation sectors.

"Businesses in southern Indiana deserve US LEC's brand of outstanding customer care that not only meets, but exceeds, their expectations," Carlisle continued. "Combined with our full suite of service offerings -- local and long distance, advanced data and Internet services, data backup and conferencing -- US LEC has been able to maintain one of the highest customer retention rates in the industry. Business customers continue to choose, and keep, US LEC as their communications partner, and now businesses in southern Indiana will have that choice as well."

About US LEC

Based in Charlotte, NC, US LEC is a leading telecommunications carrier providing integrated voice, data and Internet services to medium and large businesses and enterprise organizations throughout 16 Eastern states and the District of Columbia. US LEC services include local and long distance calling services, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service, advanced data services such as MPLS VPN, Frame Relay, Multi-Link Frame Relay and ATM, dedicated and dial-up Internet services, managed data and data backup solutions, data center services, conferencing and Web hosting. US LEC also offers selected voice services in 26 additional states and provides enhanced data services, selected Internet services and MegaPOP(R) (local dial-up Internet access for ISPs) nationwide. For more information about US LEC, visit www.uslec.com.

Except for the historical information contained herein, this report contains forward-looking statements, subject to uncertainties and risks, including the demand for US LEC's services, the ability of the Company to introduce additional products, the ability of the Company to successfully attract and retain personnel, competition in existing and potential additional markets, uncertainties regarding its dealings with ILECs and other telecommunications carriers and facilities providers, regulatory uncertainties, the possibility of adverse decisions related to access charges owing to the Company, as well as the Company's ability to begin operations in additional markets. These and other applicable risks are summarized in the "Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Statements" and "Risk Factors" sections and elsewhere in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the period ended December 31, 2004, and in subsequent reports, which are on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

US LEC is a registered service mark of US LEC Corp. US LEC and Design (R) is a registered service mark and trademark of US LEC Corp. StarNet(TM), Fastnet (SM) and MegaPOP(R) are service marks of US LEC Corp.

Corporate, Brian Crenshaw, +1-704-319-1942, or bcrenshaw@uslec.com, or Investors, James Stawski, +1-704-319-1189, or jstawski@uslec.com, both of US LEC; or Media, Marisa Puthoff of Edelman Public Relations, +1-404-262-3000, or marisa.puthoff@edelman.com

SOURCE US LEC Corp.

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