Convergys Announces Catalys - an Internet Billing Solution.

SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 26, 1999--

Convergys Corporation, the world leader in providing integrated, customer care and billing for communications companies, announced today at industry conference ISPCON '99 in San Jose, CA, the availability of Catalys(SM), a comprehensive new solution created specifically for Internet Service Providers (ISPs) for both the domestic and international markets.

Convergys, with about $1.7 billion in revenues and more than 35,000 employees world wide, is announcing Catalys, a real-time, client-server solution which is available via license or to be fully outsourced and managed by Convergys in its state-of-the-art data centers. Catalys is part of the Convergys Connections(SM) Family, a series of next-generation information and customer relationship management solutions. Convergys Connections solutions are specifically designed to enable our clients to manage and grow customer relationships successfully in a converging and more competitive world.

"Catalys draws on Convergys' unparalleled experience in generating over 400 million bills annually for service providers in highly competitive communications markets," said Bob Marino, president of Convergys Information Management. "Catalys' real-time capabilities coupled with our operational scale and world class data centers allow us to offer ISPs a cost-effective solution that enables them to focus on their primary business of providing net-based applications and services. Furthermore, Convergys' existing relationships with some of the most successful Internet companies in the world (Road Runner, @Home, Palm Computing, AT&T WorldNet, Prodigy, etc.), gives us a unique insight into developing customer-focused capabilities."

The Catalys solution, whether licensed or operated in a Convergys data center, will support the rollout of new and complex IP services via its flexible pricing and rating capabilities. Coupled with web-care and cyber response capabilities, Catalys is a unique solution that enables an ISP to meet and exceed customer expectations in a rapidly changing market. In addition, Catalys

-- is targeted at major carriers

-- has real-time rating, billing and provisioning

-- easily integrates with other Business Support Systems

-- supports billing for multiple services on a single invoice

-- includes automated registration and authentication as well as

built-in mediation (usage collection) with interfaces to other

platforms

-- supports multiple "virtual" ISPs within a single system

"Convergys' entrance into the IP billing market represents a significant and positive change in the availability of outsourced CRM," said Paul Hughes, senior analyst with the Yankee Group. "Convergys has demonstrated it can scale its customer care and billing solutions to support the needs of industry giants like AT&T and Sprint PCS, and we expect Convergys to become a strong player in the IP billing space."

"As competition in the content and capacity areas becomes a greater focus for ISPs and others in the Internet marketplace, it will become increasingly burdensome for these companies to allocate the resources necessary for effective customer care and customer loyalty," said Jason Tolu, analyst - Competitive Strategies Program, Dataquest. "That's why it makes sense for companies in these burgeoning markets to outsource billing and customer care requirements to reputable firms like Convergys, that have solid track records in the communications industry."

In addition to its leadership in communications customer care and billing solutions, Convergys is also the largest provider of outsourced customer relationship management services in the world. By combining these two industry-leading strengths, Convergys delivers comprehensive, innovative information and customer management solutions that enable its clients to:

-- acquire customers more cost-effectively

-- see a single view customers for a multitude of services

-- satisfy customers' demands thus enhancing retention and reducing

churn

-- implement growth strategies targeting new and existing customers

-- lower costs and focus on their core business

-- gain a competitive advantage

Convergys is a founding member of the IPDR Working Group, (Internet Protocol Detail Record), whose purpose is to develop key Internet usage billing standards that will be submitted to accredited standards bodies for acceptance by the end of 1999.

ABOUT CONVERGYS

Convergys Corporation (NYSE:CVG) is the global leader in providing outsourced, integrated, customer care and billing 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 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 35,000 people in its 35 call centers and in its data centers and other offices in the United States, Canada, and Europe. Convergys is on the Internet at convergys.com

Convergys is pronounced: kun VER jis. Convergys, Catalys, Convergys Connections, and the Convergys logo are service marks of Convergys Corporation.