Electronics Workbench Announces ''Connexts,'' Next Generation Support for Electronics Design Engineers.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

Design Automation Conference 2002

NEW ORLEANS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 10, 2002

Deployment of an innovative 'virtual engineering' environment

expedites company's technical support and services to resolve

customer problems faster with highly accurate results

Electronics Workbench, the electronic design automation tool provider of choice to over 150,000 users worldwide, today announces a new and innovative customer support service for the company's professional-level customers. Electronics Workbench brings together its product and service-related elements into a well-rounded and complete customer support program called Connexts. Early customer deployment of Connexts reveals that Electronics Workbench is able to respond to and solve a customer's advanced design problems significantly faster and with better accuracy than with traditional phone and email methods.

Connexts is the result of a year-long research study conducted by Electronics Workbench on how customer service can be improved to support next-generation design requirements. It became clear that efficient use of the designer's time was the most critical factor in product development. Resolving an engineer's complex design challenges quickly, efficiently, and completely requires more than describing the problem via email or by phone; it requires taking these traditional methods of customer support and services to the next level -- collaborative visualization.

"Our hard-earned reputation for innovation and quality has been gained through unique insights into our customer's needs," commented Bill Wignall, president and CEO of Electronics Workbench. "Connexts takes this philosophy and applies it to our technical support and service areas as well. We know that while traditional telephone or email-based technical support is still effective in many cases, it does leave margin for error in more technically complex designs. The Virtual Engineer, a component of the Connexts service, eliminates this possibility because our technical support representatives and the customer simultaneously view and discuss the design in question, leaving no room for miscommunication and mistakes. We have swifter problem resolution and an increased rate of closure on the first call."

The Virtual Engineer

Connexts extends the boundaries of traditional technical support to the next logical level -- collaborative visualization. By utilizing the built-in technology of the Internet Design Sharing option bundled with every professional-level version of Multisim, the industry-leading schematic and simulation product from Electronics Workbench, both the technical support engineer and the customer are able to simultaneously view a design in real time, on-line. Design problems can be pinpointed immediately; clarity is absolute, leaving no margin for error or misinterpretation.

This results in technical design issues being resolved faster and with near 100 percent accuracy, eliminating the need for return calls and time-consuming "telephone-tag" follow up. By reducing the customer's downtime so significantly, productivity remains at the highest levels, allowing customers to design products in record time.

Providing a Future-Proof Product

The technically challenging design requirements of today's marketplace force customers to stay on the leading edge of the design curve just to stay in business. However, high priced software updates can inhibit the adoption of new technology, which provides this necessary strategic advantage. A subscription to Connexts removes these inhibitors. All future Electronics Workbench professional product updates, both major, with core functionality additions, and minor, with enhancements, bug fixes, and component database updates, are included. As soon as new company software becomes available, it will be in the customer's hands, allowing them to work with the latest tools available.

Preferential Rates for Complementary Technology

The combination of Multisim 2001 and Ultiboard provide a well-rounded EDA tool suite for most design challenges. However, customers who need to utilize a more "requirement specific" technology for a particular design, like RF or programmable logic, can receive these complementary products through Connexts at a preferred pricing.

Connexts Brings Together Vendors and Customers at Annual User Group Meetings

All subscribers to the Connexts service will have the opportunity to enter into substantial face-to-face dialog with the executive and technical management of Electronics Workbench at the company's annual User Group meetings. This partnership approach aims to ensure that all future Electronics Workbench professional products enable Connexts subscribers to stay at the very leading edge of electronic design.

Pricing and Availability

Electronics Workbench's award-winning professional level products, including Multisim 2001, Ultiboard 2001 and Ultiroute, are eligible for coverage under the Connexts service. All Electronics Workbench customers are unique and pricing for the Connexts service is calculated on the number of current product licenses that they wish to have covered. Interested customers can contact Electronics Workbench directly at 800/263-5552 to discuss the Connexts service program. Connexts is available beginning June 10, 2002. As an added customer bonus, it is available free to all professional users of Multisim 2001, Ultiboard 2001, and Ultiroute for a 6-month introductory period beginning June 10, 2002.

About Electronics Workbench

Founded in 1982, Electronics Workbench is a privately-held corporation that develops and markets the industry's best-selling Windows-based electronic design automation (EDA) tools for circuit design engineers, educators and students around the globe. The Electronics Workbench product line includes programs for schematic capture, Spice/VHDL/Verilog simulation, PCB layout and autorouting/autoplacement. More than 150,000 copies of Electronics Workbench products have been sold worldwide. Electronics Workbench has its headquarters at 111 Peter Street, Suite 801, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 2H1 Canada. The phone number is 416/977-5550, and the fax is 416/977-1818. Or, visit the company's Web site at www.electronicsworkbench.com.