MANKATO, Minn., April 11 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- HickoryTech Corporation announced today that its Enterprise Solutions Sector has been awarded the "Elite Partner Advantage" designation by Nortel Networks. HickoryTech's Enterprise Solutions Sector is one of only five independent distributors to have earned Elite Partner Advantage, the highest level of a three-tier designation by Nortel Networks. The Enterprise Solutions Sector specializes in enterprise-class installations; maintenance of voice, contact center, and wide/local area networks; and Internet Protocol (IP) Telephony solutions.

The award is based on volume, service offering, and the quality of service delivered. Enterprise Solutions Sector met the volume and portfolio breadth criteria by providing voice, data, and application solutions to large and small business customers. It also met the qualifications for the performance- based sales and service commitment category including: having a staff of certified and qualified sales engineers, meeting customer response time for emergency coverage, and providing 24/7 post-sales support.

To maximize and enhance the recognized brand value associated with each tier, Nortel's Partner Advantage program clearly distinguishes the requirements for each designation. This "elite" status elevates HickoryTech Enterprise Solutions' position in the converged voice and data solutions market in Minnesota, providing end-to-end solutions to business partners including Best Buy, Northern Tool & Equipment, and Fairview Health Services.

"HickoryTech has a long history of delivering innovative, high-quality services. Our team has worked hard to meet the service goals and certification objectives that we have set for ourselves," said Jon Anderson, president of HickoryTech's Enterprise Solutions Sector. "We take pride in providing our business partners with advanced technologies, core telecommunications expertise, and responsive customer support. Being recognized by a supplier like Nortel Networks validates our customer commitment and hard work."

About Nortel Networks:

Nortel is a recognized leader in delivering communications capabilities that enhance the human experience, ignite and power global commerce, and secure and protect the world's most critical information. Serving both service provider and enterprise customers, Nortel delivers innovative technology solutions encompassing end-to-end broadband, Voice over IP, multimedia services and applications, and wireless broadband designed to help people solve the world's greatest challenges. Nortel does business in more than 150 countries. For more information, visit Nortel on the Web at http://www.nortel.com/ .

About Enterprise Solutions Sector:

Enterprise Solutions specializes in enterprise-class installations and maintenance of voice, contact center, wide/local area networks, and IP Telephony solutions. Based in Roseville, Minn., the sales emphasis is to business end-users with ongoing service requirements, which are located primarily in the Minneapolis/St. Paul metropolitan area. Enterprise Solutions distributes Nortel Networks and Cisco Systems products for voice, data, and IP Telephony solutions.

About HickoryTech:

HickoryTech Corporation is a diversified communications company headquartered in Mankato, Minn., with approximately 400 employees in Minnesota and Iowa. In its 108th year of operation, HickoryTech offers a full array of telecommunications products and services to business and residential customers. The Telecom Sector offers local voice, long distance, Internet, Broadband services, Digital TV, and IP networking. The Enterprise Solutions Sector provides IP Telephony, call center management, and data network solutions; and the Information Solutions Sector develops telecom and carrier access billing solutions. To learn more about HickoryTech Corporation, visit the company's Web site at http://www.hickorytech.com/ .

Certain statements included in this press release that are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements." Such forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, estimates and projections about the industry in which HickoryTech operates and management's beliefs and assumptions. The forward-looking statements are subject to uncertainties. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve certain risks, uncertainties and probabilities. Therefore, actual outcomes and results may differ materially from what is expressed or forecasted in such forward-looking statements. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward- looking statements, which speak only as of the date on which they were made. Except as required by federal securities laws, HickoryTech undertakes no obligation to update any of its forward-looking statements for any reason.

*Nortel Networks, the Nortel Networks logo are trademarks of Nortel Networks.

CONTACT: Sean Hays, Director of Sales of HickoryTech, +1-651-634-1874,
or Elin Raymond of The Sage Group, +1-612-321-9897

Web site: http://www.hickorytech.com/
http://www.nortel.com/