AirZip to Provide High-Performance Mapping and GIS Support Services Through ESRI's Geography Network.

Business Editors & High-Tech Writers

REDLANDS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 13, 2002

AirZip Image Accelerator to Increase Performance Over Low-Bandwidth

Networks for Mobile Location Services 

AirZip(TM) Inc., a leader in high-performance image delivery solutions, and ESRI, the world's leading provider of geographic information system (GIS) software, today announced a business technology alliance.

AirZip will integrate its middleware product, AirZip Image Accelerator, into ESRI's Geography Network for the rapid delivery of geographic information and mapping services.

ESRI's Geography Network enables providers to make maps, GIS data, and software components available to customers over the Internet as Web services.

Built using ArcIMS, ESRI's Internet mapping software, the Geography Network is an open environment for hosting and viewing geographic data, maps and functionality. It is also an Internet marketplace where users can search and preview GIS content, and it is a framework for commercial data distribution and a platform for developing custom solutions over the Internet.

AirZip's Image Accelerator technology will increase the delivery speed with which geographic content can be delivered through the Geography Network, significantly benefiting users of low-bandwidth networks.

In addition, through this agreement, users of ESRI's ArcIMS software will be able to acquire AirZip's Image Accelerator software as an add-on to ArcIMS. With AirZip Image Accelerator installed, ArcIMS users will experience image delivery performance improvements by as much as 400 percent.

With recent accelerated growth in Web-based mapping services for mobile users, ESRI is focusing on improving performance in dial-up or wireless network environments. As part of this strategy, ESRI is integrating its Web-based GIS technology with AirZip's image acceleration solutions, which compress map images for faster delivery over the Internet to mobile clients, including future versions of ArcPad. ESRI's ArcPad software is a mapping and GIS application for mobile systems.

"The AirZip Image Accelerator is a key component of ESRI's Geography Network," said Jon Spinney, ESRI's location services industry manager. "AirZip's contribution allows ESRI to overcome wireless network bandwidth limitations when rendering large image maps and location-based services to mobile devices."

"AirZip's image compression technology is well positioned to enhance the performance of mapping technology, especially as it increasingly relies on mobile connections," said Lee Bauman, president and CEO, AirZip. "Since the growth of GIS and mapping applications on mobile devices presently is dependent upon its ability to operate well on wireless networks, AirZip is pleased to be enabling the future of this type of technology with an industry leader like ESRI."

About AirZip

AirZip is a leader in performance image delivery solutions for rich media. AirZip is the first and only provider to support standard image compression solutions, as well as offering a proprietary solution that is unrivaled in performance today. AirZip's suite of products provides customizable, plug-and-play image acceleration across all devices, networks, and data sources -- today.

AirZip is privately funded by Sofinnova Ventures, Axiom Venture Partners and Cardinal Venture Capital. AirZip is based in San Jose, Calif., with an office in Beijing. For more information, visit www.airzip.com.

About ESRI

For more than 30 years, ESRI has been the leading developer of GIS software with more than 300,000 clients worldwide. ESRI also provides consulting, implementation and technical support services. In addition to its headquarters in California, ESRI has regional offices throughout the United States, international distributors in more than 90 countries, and more than 1,300 business partners.

ESRI's goal is to provide users with comprehensive tools to help them quickly and efficiently manage and use geographic information to make a real difference in the world around them. ESRI can be found on the Web at www.esri.com.

Note to Editors: ESRI, the ESRI globe logo, GIS by ESRI, Geography Network, ArcIMS, ArcPad, www.esri.com, and @esri.com are trademarks, registered trademarks, or service marks of ESRI in the United States, the European community, or certain other jurisdictions. Other companies and products mentioned herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective trademark owners.