May 10, 2000 San Diego’s oldest and largest privately-owned Internet Service Provider, CTSnet, has joined as a resale partner for Tachyon Inc., a San Diego company that is the first firm to deliver high-performance, two-way satellite Internet connections. Other ISPs signing deals with Tachyon include Knoware, with operations in The Netherlands; VariComm, which operates in Washington, D.C., and Baltimore; DiscoverNet, based in Wisconsin; and Sensory Perceptions Internet Inc., based in Kansas. CTSnet, which serves Southern California and launched in 1993, is a division of Datel Systems, Inc., a full-service computer retailer with three stores in San Diego County. Datel’s president is William Blue, who also serves as president and chief technical officer for CTSnet. "CTSnet has made it a policy to partner with only the best for equipment and services,” Blue says. “This new relationship with Tachyon provides CTSnet with yet another product to ensure that our customers have the very best Internet access possible." Blue sees Tachyon as another link in CTSnet's quality chain. "For mission critical businesses online, having a low-cost wireless backup connection ready when you need it means uptime is assured should a land-based connection fail." Another advantage Tachyon brings to CTSnet customers is access for remote or rural areas. "Our customers in extremely rural areas have been asking for a reliable, high-performance solution," says Blue. "Now we have it. Roadside motel chains, desert resorts, golf courses, park and recreation facilities, remote industrial testing centers, mobile event Internet broadcasting services, all benefit from high-speed satellite connectivity." Although local legend says that CTSnet had its humble beginnings in Blue's garage in 1993, the service evolved from works started by Blue in the late '70s when he developed a series of electronic mail messaging systems that ran on personal computers such as the Apple II. Morgan Davis, now CTSnet's general manager, first encountered one of Blue's mail systems called Online in 1982 when, fresh out of high school, he was writing books on BASIC programming for a local San Diego publisher that used Online to run its in-house e-mail. By the mid-'80s, Blue's electronic bulletin board system (or BBS) was connected to the Internet, or what existed of it at the time. In 1983, Blue and partner Larry Piland founded Datel Systems Inc., a full-service computer retail center. The computers and modems of Blue's e-mail network hobby continued to take up a larger area of his garage office. By 1993, it was clear Blue's hobby had taken on a life of its own, and CTSnet was established as a division of Datel. "What Bill had was a successful hobby that became a successful business," Davis says. Today CTSnet has 62 full-time employees and supports more than 25,000 business and residential users with a broad range of Internet services, including dialup, DSL, T1, Web hosting, frame relay and collocation. CTSnet is headquartered in Kearny Mesa, where a 15,000-square-foot expansion project is underway. It should culminate this summer with the debut of a state-of-the-art technology data center and collocation facility. *** Silicon Space Inc., a San Diego-based e-Business professional services firm, has teamed with the USD School of Business Administration and Engineering to launch the first USD online distributed learning program developed specifically for the United States Navy. The master of science in global leadership program gives Navy and Marine Corps officers in the Pacific Fleet the opportunity to pursue a post-graduate degree from anywhere around the globe, including large ships at sea. Many of the Navy's top students vied for the 20 available spots in the MSGL pilot program. "We are proud to build innovative, web-based systems for our neighbors here in San Diego," says Curt Nelson, CEO of Silicon Space. "Online learning is a powerful avenue for professional advancement, an exciting step forward for USD and the Navy, and a very satisfying project for our team." The Silicon Space and USD project team faced three major challenges. The first was to develop an "anywhere anytime" delivery mode that would enable officers to pursue the degree anywhere in the world. The second was to create an easy-to-use course development and learning tool that did not require sophisticated PC skills. The third was to help USD create instructional design standards for the continuing development of e-learning courseware. More information is available at www.siliconspace.com or by calling (619) 696-8820, ext. 119. *** Leap Wireless CEO Harvey P. White has received an honorary doctorate in humane letters from his alma mater, Marshall University in Huntington, W.V. In addition, White was the commencement speaker at Marshall's class of 2000 graduation ceremonies on May 6. White has been an instrumental part of the leadership team at three high- growth start-up companies — Leap Wireless International, Qualcomm and Linkabit. Since founding Leap in September 1998, he has spearheaded the company’s efforts to develop innovative wireless voice and data services, launch and operate successful wireless networks and create shareholder value. Prior to Leap, White was a director of Qualcomm from its inception in July 1985. At Qualcomm, he served as executive v.p. and COO, assuming the role of president in 1992. Before Qualcomm, he was part of the early executive team at Linkabit, a leading-edge communications company that was acquired by M/A-COM in August 1980. *** Continental Homes San Diego, a member of the D.R. Horton Inc. family of homebuilders, sold 168 homes in San Diego and Riverside counties in the first quarter of 2000, reports Greg Hastings, division president. Sales in the first quarter, which totaled more than $43 million, exceeded sales in the first quarter of 1999 by 33 percent. The master developer of the 690-acre Rancho Carrillo residential community in Carlsbad, sold 81 homes there in the first quarter. The company sold 26 homes at Califia Serena, 23 homes at Quintana, 26 homes at Ventana and the final six homes at Palmilla. Additionally, guest builders at Rancho Carrillo sold 77 homes, making Rancho Carrillo the top selling new home community in North County in the first quarter. ***  Click Below to View Previous Daily Business Reports May 1 May 2 May 3 May 4 May 5 May 8 May 9

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