Stevensville, MD - Despite the economic downturn and the fact that a growing string of telecommunications companies are going out of business or facing an uncertain future, Maryland-based CloseCall America says it is here to stay.

After more than 35 years in the telecommunications industry, much of it with large companies, three long-time Maryland residents --Thomas Mazerski of Mt. Airy; Mary Guerra of Woodbine and Stephen Ruppert of Chester -- launched CloseCall America almost three years ago to shake things up in the industry and start advocating for consumers who are so often treated badly by the telecom giants.

CloseCall America is a full service telecommunications company specializing in low-priced community calling. According to the company, their unique approach, market niche and growth strategy have proven effective in this volatile marketplace.

"We are proud to not only still be standing, but to be growing rapidly at a time when many telecommunications companies are filing for bankruptcy or struggling to stay afloat," said Tom Mazerski, President and CEO of CloseCall America and one of the company's founders.

"Our formula, which combines advocating for the consumer with a unique approach to pricing, is working. Quite simply, we give consumers what they want - low prices, outstanding customer service, calling plans designed for the way people live and everything on one simple bill."


"After getting a first-hand look at the tactics used by the telecom giants who prey on consumers' misconceptions and lack of information, our goal was to be a different kind of telecommunications company - one with old fashioned American values," explained Mary Guerra, marketing and customer sales advisor for CloseCall America and another one of the company's founders.

"It has shaped up to be a kind of 'David and Goliath' situation, with CloseCall consistently fighting for the consumer."

CloseCall America offers long distance, local, digital wireless and Internet service, primarily in Maryland, Delaware and New Jersey. The company reached a major milestone in 2001 with the connection of its 100,000th line and expects to double that result in 2002. The company has additional plans for expansion and growth that include offering high speed Internet service and local telephone service in additional states.

With this rapid growth, CloseCall remains committed to staying in Maryland and plans to expand its current office space at 101 Log Canoe Circle in Stevensville, Maryland (on the Eastern Shore) in 2002.

CloseCall America has developed a unique market niche by focusing on low-priced community calling which, according to company officials, is something no other company is doing. By offering long distance calling plans designed as multiple-state footprints, CloseCall allows consumers to choose the plan that best fits their calling patterns and save money on normally high-priced local toll calls. For example, with one plan, consumers can call anywhere in Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Washington, D.C. and Virginia for a flat rate of 5.5 cents/minute.

About CloseCall America

CloseCall America, which began business in 1999, is a Maryland company with offices in Queen Anne’s County on the state’s Eastern Shore. CloseCall prides itself on its commitment to superior customer service, with all calls handled locally rather than “outsourced” to firms in other states or countries. CloseCall provides its customers local and long distance phone service, bundled packages, wireless service, BlackBerry service, high speed Internet, standard dial-up, and VoIP (broadband phone service). Additional information on CloseCall America can be found at its website: www.closecall.com.

For further information, including how to sign up, please contact CloseCall America at 1-877-81CLOSE (1-877-812-5673), or by email at customerservice@closecall.com.

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