Verizon Information Services Launches SuperBundles 3.0 Web Site Products For Small- to Medium-Sized Businesses

Netopia, Inc. to Provide Web Site Development Tools for Enhanced Line of Web Site Products


DALLAS, TX (Jan. 17, 2001)-- DALLAS - Verizon Information Services, the world's largest directory company, has unveiled its SuperBundles 3.0 line of enhanced Web site products that offer small- to medium-sized businesses more options for creating customized online presence. Netopia, Inc. (NASDAQ: NTPA), a market leader in providing DSL Internet equipment and e-commerce Web platforms to small- and medium-sized businesses, is providing the tools and technology to create the enhanced sites.

Based on consumer demand and the results of a recent market trial, Verizon Information Services launched SuperBundles 3.0 to provide its Yellow Pages customers with a variety of enhanced Web site options, including custom domain names and larger, more powerful sites.

More than 2,500 Verizon sales representatives will offer SuperBundles 3.0 as a bundled service with the company's Yellow Pages offerings.

"Netopia's Web development platform is flexible, scalable and customizable, offering more content and layout options to our customers," said Patrick Marshall, group vice president - Marketing for Verizon Information Services. "Using their tools, Verizon Information Services can easily build and manage customized Web sites for our SuperBundles 3.0 customers that offer a dynamic end-user experience at an affordable price."

Using the Netopia Web development tools, Verizon Information Services will develop and design Web sites for small- and medium-sized businesses that best fit their unique business requirements. Customers can choose from enhanced management options, including: interactive forms and survey tools that allow merchants to gather information from their customers; e-mail management tools that allow merchants to update their customers with marketing information, new product offers or sales information and Web site statistics tools that track frequently visited pages and traffic.

Verizon customers can also choose from more than 50 industry-specific content packages including lawyers, florists, building contractors, retailers and restaurants. Each content package is pre-configured with industry-specific images and services, and the sites are easily customized to showcase individual products and branding.

"Our Web platform is a perfect fit for SuperPages.com online Yellow Pages customers," said Alan Lefkof, president and CEO at Netopia. "We're thrilled that more than 2,500 Verizon representatives will have the opportunity to provide this platform as a bundled service with Verizon's Yellow Pages offerings."

About Verizon Information Services and SuperPages.com

Verizon Information Services is the world's leading print and online directory publisher and a content provider for communications products and services. The largest directory publisher in the world, Verizon has annual revenues of more than $4.1 billion and employs more than 11,000 people.

Verizon Information Services provides sales, publishing and other related services for nearly 2,500 directory titles in 48 states and the District of Columbia and 18 countries outside the U.S. This includes more than 1,600 Verizon directory titles with a total circulation of approximately 112 million copies in the U.S. and 41 million copies internationally.

Verizon Information Services also produces and markets SuperPages.com, the Internet's leading online directory and shopping resource. SuperPages.com has received up to 4.2 million visits and 2.3 million unique visitors per month, and is the exclusive yellow pages provider on AOL Service, AOL.com and Digital City. The site also provides Yellow Pages services to Lycos, HotBot, Digital City and BigFoot.

Based in the Dallas area, Verizon Information Services is a unit of Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ), which was formed by the merger of Bell Atlantic and GTE. Verizon is one of the world's leading providers of communications services. For more information on Verizon, visit www.verizon.com.

About Netopia

Netopia, Inc. develops, markets and supports broadband Internet equipment and e-commerce Web platforms for small-and medium-sized businesses. Netopia's technology platforms are designed to enable carriers and service providers to create and offer value-added, bundled service offerings for their small-and medium-sized business customers. These bundled service offerings often include DSL service bundled with backup, bonding, VPN, voice over DSL, and Web site and e-store hosting.

Netopia's DSL equipment is interoperable with all major central office equipment suppliers, including Alcatel, Cisco, Copper Mountain Networks, Ericsson, Lucent Technologies, Nokia, Orckit, Paradyne, and Siemens. Netopia has established strategic distribution relationships with leading carriers and service providers including Bloomberg.com, Covad Communications, Earthlink Network, Everdream, France Telecom, MegaPath Networks, NorthPoint Communications, PSINet, Rhythms NetConnections, Telecom Italia, UUNet, Verio, Verizon, and XO Communications.

Headquartered in Alameda, Calif., Netopia's common stock trades on The Nasdaq Stock MarketŪ under the symbol "NTPA." Further information about Netopia can be obtained via phone 510/814-5100, fax 510/814-5021 or on the Web at www.netopia.com.

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Portions of this release include forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Netopia, Inc.'s actual results could differ materially from the results discussed in this release and in the forward-looking statements contained herein for many reasons. Investors are cautioned that all forward-looking statements involve numerous risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to product development, product acceptance, licensing opportunities and general economic conditions. For more information concerning Netopia and risk factors that may affect Netopia's future results and may cause actual results to vary from results anticipated in forward-looking statements, investors should review Netopia's public filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, which are available by calling Netopia at 510/814-5260 or online at www.sec.gov.

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