Internet Service

RM PLC
15 May 2000

RM DOUBLES ITS INTERNET OFFERING TO SCHOOLS

RM plc, the leading supplier of ICT and the largest provider of Internet
services to UK education has today announced that it is to double the
amount of bandwidth it offers its customers with no increase in price. This
new offer aims to meet the ever increasing demand from schools for
increased bandwidth as they make more use of the educational benefits
afforded to them by the Internet and online resources.

RM's new offering will be particularly beneficial to primary schools, the
majority of which are still connecting to the Internet via 64k lines. The
offer will mean that schools can connect at twice the bandwidth for no
increase in telecommunications or Internet charges. Secondary schools, most
of which connect at 128k, will now be able to connect at 256k with no
increase in Internet charges. The same offer will also allow schools to
upgrade from 256k to 512k.

Over 11,000 (over thirty per cent) schools connect to the Internet through
RM's Internet for Learning Service and 7,000 of these have networked access
to the Internet. With extra government funding for the National Grid for
Learning and Broadband initiatives, schools are increasingly looking to use
networked access to deliver the Internet to their classrooms. Only 3 years
ago the number of schools with networked access was less than 1000.

RM predicts that all schools will have networked Internet access within 2
years. 'We are currently seeing an increased demand by schools for more
bandwidth. This is largely being driven by their need to deliver faster
access to the Internet across a school network and the growth in exciting
educational online content.' said Richard Girling chief executive of RM.

'Schools are increasingly benefiting from the Internet in terms of
motivational, interesting material that is up to date and curriculum
relevant. As education expands into community learning aided by new
technology, there will be an increased demand for the better communication
services offered by greater bandwidth'.

RM is working with a number of Local Education Authorities to provide
community access via 100Mbs links under City Learning Centre funding.
Projects such as this will allow schools and their LEA to share resources
and to access work areas from anywhere on the entire network. RM believes
that over the next few years this model will extend access to libraries and
other community centres, making a real community-wide network.

Enquiries:
Richard Girling           RM plc                 01235 826000
Mike Greig
Fiona McLean

Andrew Fenwick            Brunswick               020 7404 5959
Katie Hall

Notes to editors:
*RM has led the UK in fully network connecting schools, working with
partner companies such as Cisco to develop the use of multi-channel ISDN
up to and including 512Kb/s connections. This technology allows virtually
all schools to connect today, even most rural schools where other
technologies may be years away from offering a viable connection. This
service takes advantage of the unmetered telecommunications charges that
have been available for a number of years. RM was the first ISP to provide
this service to schools.
*UK schools require many networked computers in simultaneous use over a
filtered Internet feed, connected for most, if not all of the day. For
this reason, consumer based 'free' services have not been viable in this
market.
*RM launched Internet for Learning in March 1995. Today around 2 million
pupils regularly use IFL at school.
*RM has pioneered the provision of broadband technology to schools in
contracts such as the Dudley Grid for Learning.