April 4, 2008, Moscow: COMSTAR – United TeleSystems (COMSTAR-UTS JSC, LSE: CMST), the leading supplier of integrated telecommunication solutions in Russia and the CIS, announces that Comstar Direct CJSC, the premier broadband Internet provider (STREAM brand), a member of COMSTAR-UTS, has completed implementation of the network interface node for its Internet backbone in New York, USA.

Besides, using a new node COMSTAR Direct has connected to exchange points in the USA – New York Internet Exchange and Equinix Ashburn.

This New York node will enable direct Internet traffic exchange with over 200 American networks, thus, the improved quality of service will be provided.

The new node is a part of COMSTAR's program to enhance the Internet connectivity in 2008.

Viktor Belov, Deputy Director General, Chief Technical Officer of COMSTAR Direct, says, "We are continuously improving the connectivity of our network with the Internet. Our network nodes are located in all the largest Internet exchange points in Europe and now in the USA. This is important for all our customers – enterprises, individual subscribers and operators.

Currently, COMSTAR Direct's network is connected to the Internet in five large exchange points: London, Stockholm, Amsterdam, Frankfurt and New York. The company co-operates with foreign operators via largest European Internet exchange points – LINX /London/, AMS-IX, NL-IX /Amsterdam/, DE-CIX /Frankfurt/, NetNod /Stockholm/, NYIX and Equinix /New York/.