DSL.net Hires Pickle

NEW HAVEN, Conn. -- DSL.net, Inc. (NASDAQ: DSLN), a leading nationwide provider of broadband communications services to businesses, today announced that its Board of Directors has named veteran telecommunications executive Kirby G. "Buddy" Pickle as DSL.net's new chief executive officer. Pickle's appointment commenced today.

Pickle, whose telecommunications experience spans more than 25 years and includes senior positions at Fortune 500 companies, startups and restructuring situations, will replace David F. Struwas, an original founder of DSL.net who had been CEO since November 1998. Struwas is resigning to allow him more time to focus on other opportunities in the technology sector. Pickle said he expects Struwas to remain as a special consultant to the CEO and the Company during a transitional period.

"Buddy Pickle brings a tremendous variety of telecommunications expertise that includes creating and integrating mergers and acquisitions, leading growth companies, leading network builds, building dynamic and successful sales and marketing organizations, and restructuring companies from financial, strategic and operational perspectives," said Struwas. "Buddy will be a welcomed addition to the DSL.net management team and we look forward to him leading the Company into its next stage of evolution."

Pickle comes to DSL.net having completed the financial restructuring of Velocita Corporation, where he served as president and chief executive officer. Pickle also is a former president and chief operating officer for business-to-business data and telecommunications providers Teligent and UUNet Technologies. In addition, Pickle was one of the original senior leaders at MFS Communications, prior to its sale to WorldCom. He also has held senior leadership positions at Sprint, as well as various sales, marketing and operations management posts at MCI and AT&T.

"I am very excited to be joining the DSL.net team," said Pickle. "Dave and the senior management team have built a very solid foundation over the last five years and I look forward to leading the Company's pursuit of strategic opportunities that exist within the voice and broadband markets."

In connection with Pickle's appointment, the Board of Directors granted the new CEO an inducement non-qualified stock option to purchase 10 million shares of DSL.net common stock at an exercise price equal to the closing price for the Company's common stock, as listed on Nasdaq, on April 14, 2004.

Under Struwas, DSL.net grew its annual revenue to more than $71 million in 2003, an increase of approximately 5,400% over a five-year period, and also made several acquisitions that extended the Company's network reach, as well as helped DSL.net transition from a pure data communications firm to a voice and data services provider.

DSL.net Inc.