Comdisco Introduces New Services to Provide Greater Functionality, Predictability and Control Over I.T.; Company Continues to Build Leadership in Technology Services Management.

ROSEMONT, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)---Sept. 15, 1999--

Comdisco Inc. (NYSE:CDO), a leading provider of technology management services, today introduced a greatly expanded suite of Web-enabled services to address growing customer demand for functionality, predictability, and control over technology. The move is expected to strengthen Comdisco's expanding leadership position in the high-margin, high-growth technology services marketplace.

The new and enhanced services address critical aspects of technology infrastructure, such as the need for better predictability and control over information technology spending and the need for enhanced network performance and availability. The new services are consistent with Comdisco's strategy of providing solutions that enable customers to apply technology more strategically to optimize business results. By taming the complexity of technology through improved reliability, efficiency and flexibility, Comdisco frees up customers to concentrate on their business objectives.

"We are continuing a 30-year tradition of reinventing ourselves to address evolving market needs in this increasingly global and digital economy," said Nicholas K. Pontikes, president and chief executive officer of Comdisco. "All of our efforts are centered on a single goal: Enabling our customers to concentrate on growing their businesses while we ensure their technology is working to its full potential. In short, we're delivering on the promise of technology, not just the technology itself.

"Since we announced earlier this year that we were exiting low-margin businesses and accelerating our introduction of new services, Comdisco's services backlog has grown to more than $2 billion," Pontikes added. "Our company's unique set of capabilities and three decades of experience in information technology make us the ideal partner to help customers maximize technology performance while minimizing their headaches and costs."

Building on a model pioneered in its European operations, Comdisco's new global IT Control and Predictability (IT CAP) Solutions help senior technology and financial executives to better manage their information technology investments. This Web-based solution is an easy, organized way for CIOs to capture IT spending information. Combined with an executive decision service that delivers extensive industry and technology insight, users make better strategic and investment decisions. The solution ensures each company has the right technology at the right time and cost to support its business objectives.

Comdisco is also significantly extending its network services to offer companies a single-source solution that covers every stage of a network's lifecycle, from planning and building to managing and evolving. Until now, companies had to piece together and then manage solutions from multiple vendors. Comdisco's expanded service offerings include lifecycle performance, application, security, convergence and virtual private network solutions, all designed to provide customers with greater network performance and availability.

To address critical connectivity issues, Comdisco is working with its subsidiary company, Prism Communication Services, Inc., to develop key telework solutions for its customers utilizing digital subscriber line (DSL) technology. These solutions will capitalize on the power of high-speed access, while providing work-at-home professionals with applications and services that can ultimately increase productivity.

All of these new service offerings are consistent with a comprehensive new branding initiative the company is undertaking. "As Comdisco changes to meet pressing customer needs, we want to ensure that our public image reflects our evolving business model," Pontikes added. "We want to make it clear to the marketplace who we are and what we can do, which is why we are rolling out the biggest branding initiative in Comdisco's history."

As part of the intensified focus on services, several Comdisco senior executives have assumed new or expanded responsibilities, all reporting to President and CEO Nicholas Pontikes. Thomas Flohr, 39, formerly president of the company's European operations, has been appointed president of the IT Control and Predictability Solutions division and global services sales. Jeffrey Keohane, 37, is president of the Network and Business Continuity Services divisions. Michael Herman, 44, continues to oversee all non-IT technology acquisition services as president of the company's Diversified Technology division.

About Comdisco

Comdisco (www.comdisco.com) provides global technology management services to help its customers maximize technology functionality, predictability and availability, while freeing them from the complexity of managing their technology. The Rosemont, (IL) company offers a complete suite of information technology services including continuity, managed network services, and IT control and predictability solutions. Through its subsidiary, Prism Communication Services Inc., Comdisco is developing a high-speed, always-on digital network, which will provide customers with leading-edge connectivity. Comdisco also offers equipment acquisition services through its electronics, communications, medical, lab & scientific, and computer-integrated manufacturing businesses, and through its ventures group. The company's revenue for the 12 months ended June 30, 1999, was $4.1 billion.