ESCH Eschelon Telecom (MM)

(NASDAQ:ESCH): Eschelon Telecom, Inc., a provider of integrated communications services to small and medium sized businesses in the western United States, announced that it is expanding the distribution of Mitel� unified communications solutions to the State of Oregon after a successful roll-out of the product line into Colorado in mid-2006. �We are very excited to be able to bring the Mitel solutions portfolio to businesses in Oregon,� stated Jon Secrest, Eschelon�s vice president of Marketing. �We have seen a strong increase in the demand for IP-based communications systems in the last year. With our pending acquisition of UNICOM, which is also an established Mitel (platinum) dealer headquartered in Bend, OR, Eschelon will be in an ideal position to address some of the larger and more complex applications being requested by our customers.� In addition to offering local, long distance and Internet services, Eschelon operates one of the largest communications equipment sales and service operations in the U.S., featuring Mitel, Inter-Tel and NEC business communications systems. �The expansion of our relationship with Eschelon is recognition that Mitel has developed one of the industry�s most comprehensive value-added portfolios of presence-enabled unified communications solutions,� said Doug Michaelides, Mitel�s vice president of Global Marketing. �Our communications solutions and services enable customers to realize significant cost benefits and to conduct their business more effectively.� About Eschelon Telecom, Inc. Eschelon Telecom, Inc. is a facilities-based competitive communications services provider of voice and data services and business telephone systems in 45 markets in the western United States. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the company currently employs approximately 1,400 telecommunications/Internet professionals, serves over 60,000 business customers and has in excess of 600,000 access lines in service throughout its markets in Arizona, California, Colorado, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah and Washington. For more information, please visit our web site at www.eschelon.com. About Mitel Mitel, a leading provider of unified communications solutions and applications for business customers, is headquartered in Ottawa, Canada, with offices, partners and resellers worldwide. For more information, please visit www.mitel.com. Forward Looking Statements This announcement contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The forward-looking statements are based on Eschelon Telecom�s current intent, belief and expectations. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict. Actual results may differ materially from these forward-looking statements because of the company�s history of losses, ability to maintain relationships with RBOCs, substantial indebtedness, intense competition, dependence on key management, changes in government regulations, and other risks that may be described in the company�s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Existing and prospective investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of today�s date. Eschelon Telecom undertakes no obligation to update or revise the information contained in this announcement, whether as a result of new information, future events or circumstances or otherwise.