Beautifully engraved certificate from the Intermedia Communications of Florida, Inc. issued in 1988. This historic document was printed by the Corpex Banknote Company and has an ornate border around it. This item is hand signed by the Company's President, Robert Benton and Secretary, Barbara Samson (founder) and is over 14 years old. Barbara Samson and Richard Kolsby created Intermedia Communications of Florida in 1987. Samson raised startup funds from family sources, then turned to venture capitalists. She soon stepped aside as president and allowed a seasoned industry professional, Robert Benton, to take over. Samson became vice president. The company created was known as a CAP--a Competitive Access Provider. CAPs provided telecommunications customers with alternatives to the incumbent local phone companies. Because they were free from much of the regulation, high overhead and universal service mandates that shackle the local exchanges, CAPs offered many of the same services at considerable cost savings. In addition, they provided enhanced services not yet available through the local telcos. The company went public in 1992 and the certificate we have for sale is marked with handwritten notes as to the split adjustment required to coincide with the IPO shares. This certificate was cancelled on June 15, 1992. The initial public offering consisted of 2,300,000 shares of common stock at $8. The $17 million raised was used to expand the fiber optic networks. Intermedia Communications was one of the nation's fastest growing communications companies and is focused on the next generation of integrated, data-centric solutions for business customers. Intermedia's unique perspective on the dynamic business communications marketplace allows it to tailor a suite of video, voice, data and advanced network services to the individual needs of approximately 90,000 businesses nationwide. Intermedia focused on building out its nationwide data, Internet and frame relay network as well as leveraging DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) technology to deliver high performance, integrated services. Intermedia has also entered into key synergistic sales partnerships with leading telecommunications companies, including Bell Atlantic, Ameritech, USWest, and NTT. Intermedia's enhanced data portfolio includes the densest frame relay network available, optical networking, a full range of business Internet connectivity and web hosting services and offers seamless end-to-end service to virtually anywhere in the world. Intermedia is headquartered in Tampa, Florida and can be found at www.intermedia.com. On September 1, 2000, Intermedia entered into a merger agreement with WorldCom, Inc. and the deal was closed on on July 1, 2001. Company Milestones 1987-1988 Intermedia is founded as a competitive access provider of special access and private line service to Interexchange carriers (IXC), becoming the first telecommunications company to provide special access and private line services to Florida business customers. 1991-1996 Introduces integrated services and offers the first enhanced network service to provide flexible capacity & highly reliable end-to-end data connectivity for businesses and governments. Acquires Phone One, a facilities-based central-Florida IXC. Formalizes the UniSPAN Frame Relay Consortium agreement. Acquires FiberNet CAP, offering city-based fiber optic networks in Cincinnati, Huntsville, Raleigh, and St. Louis. 1996 Acquires EMI Communications, a Syracuse-based enhanced data provider, and Universal Telecom Technologies (UTT), a Midwest-based IXC. Begins offering switched access and local dial tone service. Introduces market-leading Service Level Guarantees (SLGs) for its frame relay network. 1997 Acquires data transport business of Austin, TX-based NetSolve Communications. Introduces ViewSPAN, giving customers an end-to-end view of multiple carriers' frame relay networks. Introduces Single-T, offering integrated communication services over a single, high-speed T-1 access line. Announces multi-year joint marketing agreement as US West's preferred interLATA data provider. Finalizes acquisition of Shared Technologies Fairchild. Finalizes acquisition of LDS Communications Group, a Louisiana-based IXC, allowing Intermedia to provide enhanced data, & Internet services to more than 45,000 additional business customers in three southwestern states. Signs definitive 20-year agreement with Williams Networks to purchase nationwide transmission capacity for voice and data services in major markets through the continental US. 1998 Signs cooperative agreement with Tech Data Corp., world's second largest computer distributor, enabling Tech Data's systems integrators to offer Intermedia's data networking services. Finalizes the purchase of National Telecommunications of Florida, provider of services to more than 11,000 major Florida business customers. Announces arrangements with Ameritech to offer complementary services to mutual customers nationwide, and as Ameritech's vendor of choice for certain out-of-region inter-LATA services. Announces preferred-carrier relationship agreement with Bell Atlantic for frame relay transport services. Completes 5-year agreement to provide enhanced frame relay transport services to Williams Communications. 1999 Announces strategic alliance with leading digital subscriber line (DSL) company, Rhythms NetConnections. Announces a 3-year agreement to provide domestic frame relay services to ntta.com, a wholly owned subsidiary of NTT America Inc., the US operating company of Japan-based Nippon Telegraph and Telephone. Introduces Intermedia SuperT, offering easy bandwidth scalability, economic advantages, and faster installation time than a typical T3 connection. Introduces unifiedvoice.net services throughout the country. 2000 Announces corporate investment relationships with Compaq, Microsoft, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. (KKR), and several large international banking firms, which provide up to $700 million in strategic financing. Joins Optical Domain Service Interconnect (ODSI) alliance to collaboratively develop and encourage open interfaces with protocols. Begins deployment of softswitch equipment in network. Signs three-year deal with Global One, a France Telecom Company and international services provider, to provide data and Internet services in the domestic United States. Launches a fully integrated voice, Internet access, and data communications platform delivered on a single T-1 line, wrapped into a single bill, and serviced by a single provider. Offers multi-link frame relay and inverse multiplexing over ATM services to fill the capacity needs between a T-1 and T-3. Expands DSL offering to 1,300 cities across the U.S. Announces new architecture for Advanced Building Networks using packet switching technology and IP-based PBX hardware to converge voice and data communications over one "pipe" through the office building and into the customer suite.