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Convergys and XACCT Announce Strategic Alliance

06/04/2000

Cincinnati, Ohio - April 6, 2000 (Press Release Network):
Convergys Corporation, the global leader in providing integrated billing and customer care services, and XACCT Technologies, Inc., a leading provider of intelligent business infrastructure solutions for IP networks, today announced a global alliance. Under the agreement, the advanced mediation capabilities of XACCTusage [TM] will be integrated into Convergys' Catalys [SM] billing and customer care solution to provide carrier-class usage-based billing and customer relationship management (CRM) services to a broad range of IP service providers worldwide.

With this added functionality, Catalys will allow IP service providers to move quickly from concept to deployment as they roll out new services. Using a single software platform for real-time usage data collection and aggregation, automated user account provisioning, and pre-payment processing, Catalys' complex billing and CRM functionality enables service providers to differentiate themselves in a highly-competitive market. The added mediation capabilities will allow service-specific, usage-based pricing models for a wide variety of IP-based services and applications such as VoIP and Video-on-Demand.

"Convergys recognizes the need to bring highly-scalable, carrier-class billing and CRM capabilities to the Internet marketplace. The addition to Catalys of the robust mediation capabilities of XACCTusage will provide our clients with advanced functionality and enable innovative revenue-generating programs and services to be implemented quickly and cost effectively," said Bob Marino, president of Convergys Information Management Group. "Catalys' carrier-class capabilities will be complemented by XACCT's open technology platform that enables quick integration with a wide range of existing and emerging business applications, such as service-based billing and user self-provisioning."

"Convergys is uniquely positioned to deliver front-office and back-office business infrastructure and services to the IP service providers," said Eric Gries, CEO of XACCT Technologies. "The business-critical information generated by XACCTusage mediation capabilities will enable Convergys and its clients to realize higher customer retention through innovative and flexible product offerings that evolve with their customers' needs."

Convergys' Catalys is designed specifically for next-generation IP service providers looking to leverage IP networks to deliver high-value services and applications to end-users. By supporting self-care and automated provisioning, Catalys allows service providers to benefit from instant service activation/deactivation for enhanced revenue capture and real-time fraud management. Backed by world-class contact center and data center operations, the Convergys' Catalys solution is uniquely positioned to rapidly enable new services for IP service providers. The integration into Catalys of XACCT's mediation capability supports Convergys' commitment to bring its world class expertise to the IP space.

"The marriage of Convergys' billing and customer care products with XACCT's mediation capabilities takes CRM outsourcing to the next level," said Katrina Menzigian, program manager with IDC. "Carrier's needs for advanced CRM capabilities continue to rise. By providing its clients with value-added services that enhance its traditional customer interaction services, Convergys continues to demonstrate leadership and vision in the CRM services market."

ABOUT CONVERGYS
Convergys Corporation (NYSE: CVG) is the global leader in providing outsourced, integrated, billing and customer care services, bringing together world-class resources and expertise to help clients transform customer relationships into a competitive advantage.

Convergys software produces more than one million bills each day, and Convergys call centers handle more than one million calls each day.

Convergys (SM) provides customer care, billing and employee care services to the top companies in a wide range of industries, including communications, Internet, cable and broadband services, technology, consumer products, financial services, utilities, healthcare and hospitality.

Headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, Convergys employs over 42,500 people in its 38 call centers and in its data centers and other offices in the United States, Canada, and Europe. Convergys is on the Internet at www.convergys.com

ABOUT XACCT TECHNOLOGIES
Headquartered in Santa Clara, California, XACCT Technologies, Inc., develops a new class of intelligent business infrastructure solutions that provide a single point of interface between the back-office and the physical network - empowering service providers to seize new revenue-generating opportunities.

XACCT and its product have received the following awards and citations:

Data Communications magazine recognized XACCT as one of the "Top 25 Hot Startups of 1998" and named XACCTusage as one of the "Hot Products of 1999."
XACCT was one of the six companies named to the "Winners Circle: Software Companies to Watch," in Telecommunications magazine's March 1999 issue.
XACCTusage received "Most Innovative Billing Product" recognition at the Billing Systems '99 Conference and Exhibition in April 1999.
Internet Telephony magazine selected XACCTusage as "Product of the Year" in the Billing category in its November 1999 issue.

XACCT markets its software directly and through network systems integrators to service providers and Fortune 1000 companies. A privately held corporation, XACCT is funded by venture capital investors. More information is available at www.xacct.com.

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