Starpower to Integrate Lycos Personalized Portal Services For Its Significant Base Of Internet Subscribers

WASHINGTON, D.C. and WALTHAM, Mass., July 7, 1999 - Starpower Communications and Lycos, Inc. (NASDAQ: LCOS), the fastest growing Internet portal and the world`s largest online community, today announced a strategic alliance to collaborate on a number of Internet-based initiatives, including the development of high-speed content to be deployed over Starpower`s state-of-the-art fiber optic network. The alliance marks each company`s commitment to offering high-speed access to the best content. The exclusive agreement will bring a co-branded version of Lycos` "My Lycos" personal portal start page to Starpower`s large subscriber base.

"An alliance between Lycos and Starpower is a natural extension of our ability to offer a high-speed Internet product and Lycos` expertise in content development and deployment," said John D. McCallum, Starpower Co-Chairman and President of Pepco Communications, L.L.C. "We at Starpower continue to believe that the future of the Internet is a high-speed future, both in terms of growth of the medium itself and the ability of Internet users to access information through superfast direct connections. Starpower and Lycos are committed to bringing high-speed content into every home we jointly serve."

"This agreement marks an exciting step in Lycos` strategy for offering Lycos products," said Bob Davis, President and CEO for Lycos. "Lycos Lightning is our platform for multimedia information and entertainment services made possible by a high-speed connection. We chose to align with Starpower because they are a proven leader in deploying cable modern broadband services."

Lycos` broadband initiative, code named "Lycos Lightning," is a network-wide initiative to develop, test, and deploy services that exploit the power of high-speed Internet access. Lycos plans to continue to roll out Lycos Lightning products over the next several months, which will be seamlessly integrated into existing Lycos portal services.

In addition to the high-speed content project, Starpower`s dial-up customers will have access to a co-branded version of My Lycos, providing users not only personalized news, weather and stock quotes, but also the unique ability to read e-mail, update their homepage, search, or shop, all from one place.

"Dial-up Internet is an important service for Starpower, something we are able to offer prospective customers in advance of our network construction," McCallum said. "As we continue to build that network, the migration of dial-up customers to direct, high-speed, connections will continue. The ability to offer Starpower customers access to Lycos` superior content, at very high speeds, helps us give our customers a satisfying and valuable Internet experience."

Starpower is a joint venture of Pepco Communications, LLC, a non-regulated, wholly-owned affiliate of Potomac Electric Power Company (NYSE: POM) and RCN Corporation of Princeton, NJ. RCN is the nation`s first and largest facilities-based provider of telecommunications services to the residential market.

Starpower`s True Local Network™ is a unique broadband fiber optic platform capable of offering a full suite of communications services -- including fully featured voice, video and high-speed Internet -- to residential customers. The network employs SONET ring backbone architecture, and localized nodes built to ensure Starpower`s state-of-the-art fiber optics travel to within 900 feet of Starpower customers, with fewer electronics and lower maintenance costs than existing local networks.

Additional information about Starpower may be found on the company`s web site at www.starpower.net or by calling toll free at 1-877-STARPOWER.

Founded in 1995, Lycos, Inc. is a leading Web media company and owner of the Lycos Network, one of the most visited hubs on the Internet reaching one out of every two Web users. The Lycos Network is a unified set of Web sites that attracts a diverse audience by offering a variety of services, including leading Web navigation resources, homepage building and other Web community services and a comprehensive shopping center. The Lycos Network is composed of premium sites: Lycos.com, Tripod, WhoWhere, Angelfire, MailCity, HotBot, HotWired, Wired News, Webmonkey, Suck.com and MyTime.com. Lycos.com (http://www.lycos.com ), "Your Personal Internet Guide," is dedicated to helping each individual user locate, retrieve and manage information tailored to his or her personal interests. Headquartered near Boston in Waltham, Mass., Lycos, Inc. is a global Internet leader with a major presence throughout the U.S., Europe and Asia.

©1999 Lycos, Inc. -- Lycos® is a registered trademark of Carnegie Mellon University. All other product or service marks mentioned herein are those of Lycos or their respective owners. All rights reserved.