Document:

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                                                                   Exhibit 10.24

                        RELEASE AND SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT

         This Release and Settlement Agreement is made and entered into this
30 day of April, 2001 by and between The Pin High Company, Inc. d/b/a PHT
Solutions, Inc. ("PHT"), Summus, Ltd. ("Summus") and High Speed Net Solutions,
Inc. ("HSNS")(collectively referred to as the "Parties");

         WHEREAS, the Parties are currently engaged in litigation in the
Superior Court of Wake County in a case styled as The Pin High Company, Inc. dba
PHT Solutions, Inc. v. Summus, Ltd. and High Speed Net Solutions, Inc., Case No.
01-CVS-03102 (the "Lawsuit"); and

         WHEREAS, the Parties, based upon this Release and Settlement Agreement,
have agreed to compromise their claims and defenses each against the other in
final and complete resolution of all claims and issues between the Parties; and

         WHEREAS, the Parties have agreed to enter into this Release and
Settlement Agreement to accomplish their joint goal of settling and resolving
all claims.

         NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and promises
set forth herein, the adequacy and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged,
the Parties agree as follows:

         1. Payment to PHT. Summus will pay to PHT, in certified funds, the
following amounts no later than the following days:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

<S>                                                           <C>
                           May 15                             $4,277.21
                           June 15                            $3,989.64
                           July 15                            $2,992.23
                           August 15                          $2,972.80
                           September 15                       $1,981.86
                           October 15                         $1,968.91
                           November 15                        $984.45
                           December 15                        $977.98
</TABLE>

         Upon receipt of the above funds, PHT will send a confirmation e-mail to
Summus at the following e-mail address: gary.ban@summus.com, specifying the
amount received and the date of receipt. PHT and Summus authorize the use of
such confirmation e-mail as a valid receipt of payment. In the event PHT does
not receive funds by the date specified above, PHT will send an e-mail to the
same address notifying Summus that they are in default of this Release and
Settlement Agreement. Summus will have three (3) days from the date of the
e-mail to cure its default. In the event Summus fails to cure its default within
three (3) days of the
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date of the e-mail, PHT is permitted to exercise its rights under paragraph 3 of
this Release and Settlement Agreement.

         2. Dismissal. Within five (5) days of receiving the final payment
described in Paragraph 1, PHT shall execute and file with the Clerk of Court,
Wake County, a Voluntary Dismissal with Prejudice of the Lawsuit.

         3. Confession of Judgment. Summus and High Speed will sign a Confession
of Judgment in the amount of $20,145.08. In the event Summus fails to make a
payment described in paragraph 1 within the time prescribed for curing default,
PHT is hereby authorized to file the Confession of Judgment and have judgment
entered against Summus and High Speed, jointly and severally, in the amount of
$20,145.08, less any payments made pursuant to paragraph 1. As long as Summus is
in compliance with the payment schedule set forth in paragraph 1, PHT will hold
the Confession of Judgment in its file. PHT will return the original Confession
of Judgment to Summus within five (5) days of receiving the final payment
described in paragraph 1.

         4. Release by PHT. PHT does hereby relinquish, remise, release and
forever discharge Summus and HSNS and their respective insurers, agents,
assigns, servants, employees, officers, directors, shareholders,
representatives, and any and all other persons, parties or corporations that
might be in privity with Summus and/or HSNS, whether named herein or not, of and
from all liabilities, costs, claims, demands, damages, losses, causes of action
and suits which PHT may now have or claim to have, or might hereafter have or
claim to have, whether same is known or not known at this time, arising out of
or related to the claims that were asserted, or could have been asserted, in the
Lawsuit.

         5. Release by Summus. Summus does hereby relinquish, remise, release
and forever discharge PHT and its respective insurers, agents, assigns,
servants, employees, officers, directors, shareholders, representatives, and any
and all other persons, parties or corporations that might be in privity with
PHT, whether named herein or not, of and from all liabilities, costs, claims,
demands, damages, losses, causes of action and suits which Summus may now have
or claim to have, or might hereafter have or claim to have, whether same is
known or not known at this time, arising out of or related to the claims that
were asserted, or could have been asserted, in the Lawsuit.

         6. Release by HSNS. HSNS does hereby relinquish, remise, release and
forever discharge PHT and its respective insurers, agents, assigns, servants,
employees, officers, directors, shareholders, representatives, and any and all
other persons, parties or corporations that might be in privity with PHT,
whether named herein or not, of and from all liabilities, costs, claims,
demands, damages, losses,

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causes of action and suits which HSNS may now have or claim to have, or might
hereafter have or claim to have, whether same is known to not known at this
time, arising out of or related to the claims that were asserted, or could have
been asserted, in the Lawsuit.

         7. Costs and Attorneys' Fees. The Parties shall bear their own costs
and attorneys' fees incurred in connection with the Lawsuit.

         8. Entire Consideration and Agreement. This document sets forth the
entire consideration of this Release and Settlement Agreement, which
consideration is contractual and not a mere recital. All agreements and
understandings between the Parties are embodied and expressed herein.

         9. No other Promises or Inducement. The undersigned Parties expressly
warrant that no promise or inducement has been offered except as set forth
herein. This Release and Settlement Agreement is not executed within reliance
upon any statement or representation of any person or party, or their
representatives. Acceptance of the consideration set forth herein is full accord
and satisfaction of each of the causes of action which are disputed or could
have been disputed herein.

         10. Voluntary Execution. The Parties enter into this Release and
Settlement Agreement voluntarily, upon advice of counsel and of their own accord
and represent and warrant that they are under no duress and coercion in entering
said agreement. The Parties further represent and warrant that they have
reviewed the Release and Settlement Agreement and agree in all respects to its
terms.

         11. Benefits of Agreement. This Release and Settlement Agreement shall
inure to the benefit of and shall be binding upon the undersigned parties and
their respective heirs, executors, administrators, trustees, successors and/or
assigns.

         12. Governing Law. This Release and Settlement Agreement shall be
construed under and governed by the laws of the State of North Carolina.

         13. Integration and Merger. This Release and Settlement Agreement
embodies, merges and integrates all prior and current agreements and
understandings of the Parties with regard to the settlement of the claims
asserted or which could have been asserted by any Party in the above styled and
numbered causes and may not be clarified, modified, changed or amended, except
in writing, signed by each of the Parties.

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                The Parties hereto have set their hands and seals this the 30
day of April, 2001.

                                        THE PIN HIGH COMPANY, INC.
                                             dba PHT SOLUTIONS, INC.

                                        Signature:

                                                 -------------------------------
                                        Name:

                                             -----------------------------------
                                        Title:

                                              ----------------------------------

                                        SUMMUS, LTD.

                                        Signature:
                                                   /s/ Gary E. Ban
                                                 -------------------------------
                                        Name:
                                               Gary E. Ban
                                             -----------------------------------
                                        Title:
                                                Chief Operating Officer
                                              ----------------------------------

                                        HIGH SPEED NET SOLUTIONS, INC.

                                        Signature:
                                                   /s/ Gary E. Ban
                                                 -------------------------------
                                        Name:
                                               Gary E. Ban
                                             -----------------------------------
                                        Title:
                                                Chief Operating Officer
                                              ----------------------------------<PAGE>   1
                                                                  EXHIBIT 10.26

                                  AMENDMENT OF
                         HIGH SPEED NET SOLUTIONS, INC.
                            EQUITY COMPENSATION PLAN

         THIS AMENDMENT is effective as of the 1st day of May 2000, by High
Speed Net Solutions, Inc., a Florida corporation (the "Company").

                                   WITNESSETH:

         WHEREAS, the Company has previously established and adopted the High
Speed Net Solutions, Inc. Equity Compensation Plan (the "Plan"), effective
January 31, 2000; and

         WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 13.1 of the Plan, the Board of Directors
may amend the Plan.

         NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises herein contained, the
Company hereby amends the Plan as follows:

         1.       A new Section 3.15 of the Plan is hereby added to read in its
entirety as follows:

         "In connection with any underwritten public offering by the Company of
         its equity securities pursuant to an effective registration statement
         filed under the Securities Act of 1933, including the Company's initial
         public offering, a Participant shall not sell, make any short sale of,
         loan, hypothecate, pledge, grant any option for the purchase of, or
         otherwise dispose or transfer for value or otherwise agree to engage in
         any of the foregoing transactions with respect to, any Stock acquired
         under the Plan without the prior written consent of the Company or its
         underwriters. Such restriction (the "Market Stand-Off") shall be in
         effect for such period of time from and after the effective date of the
         final prospectus for the offering as may be requested by the Company or
         such underwriters. In no event, however, shall such period exceed the
         period for which securities owned by the Chief Executive Officer of the
         Company are subject to the same restrictions. Any new, substituted or
         additional securities that are by reason of any recapitalization or
         reorganization distributed with respect to Stock acquired under the
         Plan shall be immediately subject to the Market Stand-Off, to the same
         extent the Stock acquired under the Plan is at such time covered by
         such provisions. In order to enforce the Market Stand-Off, the Company
         may impose stop-transfer restrictions with respect to the Stock
         acquired under the Plan until the end of the applicable stand-off
         period."

         2.       Appendix A is hereby added to the Plan and the new Appendix A
shall read in its entirety as provided in Exhibit I to this document.

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         3.       This Amendment does not supersede the terms and conditions of
the Plan, except to the extent expressly described herein. Terms not otherwise
defined in this Amendment will have the meanings ascribed to such terms in the
Plan.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Amendment is effective as of the 1st day of
May 2000.

ATTEST:                                     HIGH SPEED NET SOLUTIONS, INC.

/s/ Alan R. Kleinmaier                      By: /s/ Andrew Fox
Alan R. Kleinmaier, Secretary               Name: Andrew Fox
                                            Title: Acting President

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                                    EXHIBIT I

                                   APPENDIX A

                         HIGH SPEED NET SOLUTIONS, INC.
                         1999 EQUITY COMPENSATION PLAN

                  PROVISIONS APPLICABLE TO CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary specified elsewhere in the Plan, the
following provisions shall apply to any stock option granted under the High
Speed Net Solutions, Inc., 2000 Equity Compensation Plan (the "Plan") to a
resident of California:

-        The exercise price for an option granted to a California resident may
         not be less than 85% of the "fair value" (as defined by Rule 260.140.50
         under the California Code) of the Company's common stock at the time
         the option is granted. However, in the case of an option granted to a
         resident of California who owns stock possessing more than 10% of the
         total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the issuing
         corporation or its parent or subsidiary corporations at the time of
         grant, the exercise price shall be 110% of the "fair value."

-        The exercise period of a stock option granted to a California resident
         shall be no longer than 120 months from the date the option is granted.

-        An option granted to a California resident shall not be transferable,
         other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution.

-        An option granted to a California resident shall vest and become
         exercisable at the rate of at least 20% per year over 5 years from the
         date the option is granted, subject to reasonable conditions such as
         continued employment. However, in the case of an option granted to a
         California resident who is an officer, director, or consultant of the
         Company or any of its affiliates, the option may become fully
         exercisable, subject to reasonable conditions such as continued
         employment, at any time or during any period established by the
         Company.

-        Unless employment is terminated for cause as defined by applicable law,
         the terms of the stock option award agreement or a contract of
         employment, and in the event of termination of the optionee's
         employment (to the extent that the optionee is otherwise entitled to
         exercise on the date employment terminates) the right to exercise an
         option granted to a California resident must expire as follows:

-        At least 6 months from the date of termination if termination was
         caused by death or disability; or

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-        At least 30 days from the date of termination if termination was caused
         not due to death or disability.

-        The plan shall terminate with respect to California residents on
         January 31, 2010.

-        The Plan shall be available to California residents only if the
         shareholders of the Company approve the plan within 12 months before or
         after the date the plan was adopted. Any option exercised by a
         California resident before such shareholder approval is obtained shall
         be rescinded if such shareholder approval is not obtained. Any such
         rescinded shares will not be counted in determining whether approval is
         obtained.

-        Each California resident who elects to participate in the Plan will be
         provided with a copy of the Company's financial statements annually.

-        At no time will the total number of shares of Company stock issuable
         under stock options granted under this Plan, under subscription
         agreements under any stock purchase plan maintained by the Company, and
         the total number of shares provided for under any stock bonus or
         similar plan of the Company exceed a number of shares which is equal to
         30% of the then outstanding shares of the issuer (convertible preferred
         shares are counted on an as if converted basis) as set forth in Rule
         260.140.45 under the California Code.

-        If an Option granted to a California resident provides the Company the
         right to repurchase securities upon the termination of employment, the
         repurchase price will be not less than the fair market value of the
         securities to be repurchased on the date of termination of employment,
         and the right to repurchase must be exercised for cash or cancellation
         of purchase money indebtedness within 90 days of termination of
         employment (or, in the case of securities issued upon exercise of
         options after the date of termination, within 90 days after the date of
         the exercise). The Company's repurchase right terminates when the
         Company's securities become publicly traded. In addition to the
         restrictions set forth above, the securities held by an officer,
         director or consultant of the issuer or an affiliate of the issuer may
         be subject to additional or greater restrictions.

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