content: <PAGE>
  
                        SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                              WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
                                    ___________
  
                                     FORM 8-K
  
                                  CURRENT REPORT
                      PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OF 15(d) OF THE
                          SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
  
  
  
  Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported)               December 28, 1999
                                                     -----------------------------
  
  
                           PILOT NETWORK SERVICES, INC.
  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
              (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
  
  
        Delaware                     000-24507                     94-3305774
  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  (State or other jurisdiction     (Commission File               (IRS Employer
       of incorporation)                Number)                Identification No.)
  
  
  1080 Marina Village Parkway, Alameda, California                         94501
  -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  (Address of principal executive offices)                              (Zip Code)
  
  
  Registrant's telephone number, including area code               (510) 433-7800
                                                    ------------------------------
  
  
                                   Inapplicable
  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
           (Former name or former address if changed since last report)
  
  
  
  Exhibit Index located on page 4
  
                                                                                 1
  <PAGE>
  
  Item 2. (Acquisition or Disposition of Assets) and Item 5. (Other Events)
  
            On January 5, 2000, Pilot Network Services, Inc. (the "Company")
            issued a press release announcing that on December 28, 1999 the
            Company and PRIMUS Telecommunications Group, Incorporated  ("Primus")
            had entered into a strategic business relationship.  As part of such
            relationship, Primus purchased from the Company 919,540 newly-issued
            shares of the Company's common stock for $16.3125 per share, which was
            the closing price of the Company's common stock on NASDAQ on December
            27, 1999. Primus also received warrants to purchase 200,000 shares of
            the Company's common stock at an exercise price of $25.00 per share.
            In addition, K. Paul Singh, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of
            Primus, was elected to the Board of Directors of the Company.
  
  Item 7.   Financial Statement and Exhibits
  
            (a)  Not applicable.
  
            (b)  Not applicable.
  
            (c)  See attached Exhibit Index.
  
                                                                                 2
  <PAGE>
  
  
                                    SIGNATURES
  
  
  Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
  Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
  undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
  
                      PILOT NETWORK SERVICES, INC.
  
  
                      By:    /s/ William C. Leetham
                            -------------------------
                            William C. Leetham, Senior Vice President, Finance and
                            Administration, Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer and
                            Secretary
  
  Dated:  January 5, 2000
  
                                                                                 3
  <PAGE>
  
                                   EXHIBIT INDEX
  
  
  Number    Exhibit                                        Page Number
  ------    -------                                        -----------
  
  99.1      Press Release dated January 5, 2000                 5
  
                                                                                 4
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text: SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                              WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
                                    ___________
  
                                     FORM 8-K
  
                                  CURRENT REPORT
                      PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OF 15(d) OF THE
                          SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
  
  Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported)               December 28, 1999
                                                     -----------------------------
  
                           PILOT NETWORK SERVICES, INC.
  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
              (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
  
        Delaware                     000-24507                     94-3305774
  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  (State or other jurisdiction     (Commission File               (IRS Employer
       of incorporation)                Number)                Identification No.)
  
  1080 Marina Village Parkway, Alameda, California                         94501
  -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  (Address of principal executive offices)                              (Zip Code)
  
  Registrant's telephone number, including area code               (510) 433-7800
                                                    ------------------------------
  
                                   Inapplicable
  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
           (Former name or former address if changed since last report)
  
  Exhibit Index located on page 4
  
                                                                                 1
  Item 2. (Acquisition or Disposition of Assets) and Item 5. (Other Events)
  
            On January 5, 2000, Pilot Network Services, Inc. (the "Company")
            issued a press release announcing that on December 28, 1999 the
            Company and PRIMUS Telecommunications Group, Incorporated  ("Primus")
            had entered into a strategic business relationship.  As part of such
            relationship, Primus purchased from the Company 919,540 newly-issued
            shares of the Company's common stock for $16.3125 per share, which was
            the closing price of the Company's common stock on NASDAQ on December
            27, 1999. Primus also received warrants to purchase 200,000 shares of
            the Company's common stock at an exercise price of $25.00 per share.
            In addition, K. Paul Singh, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of
            Primus, was elected to the Board of Directors of the Company.
  
  Item 7.   Financial Statement and Exhibits
  
            (a)  Not applicable.
  
            (b)  Not applicable.
  
            (c)  See attached Exhibit Index.
  
                                                                                 2
  SIGNATURES
  
  Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
  Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
  undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
  
                      PILOT NETWORK SERVICES, INC.
  
                      By:    /s/ William C. Leetham
                            -------------------------
                            William C. Leetham, Senior Vice President, Finance and
                            Administration, Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer and
                            Secretary
  
  Dated:  January 5, 2000
  
                                                                                 3
  EXHIBIT INDEX
  
  Number    Exhibit                                        Page Number
  ------    -------                                        -----------
  
  99.1      Press Release dated January 5, 2000                 5
  
                                                                                 4