Pitney Bowes introduces budget-friendly multifunctional fax unit; Model 9610 can print, scan or fax any Windows-based application package.

STRATFORD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 2, 1995--Pitney Bowes Facsimile Division launches the Model 9610, an inexpensive, plain-paper fax unit that offers multifunctional features and is Energy Star compliant, the Environmental Protection Agency's energy efficiency designation.

The versatile Model 9610 is designed for companies searching to cut costs without sacrificing the high-quality of a full-featured fax unit. The unit can be connected to an office PC to print laser documents at 8 pages-per-minute, to send and receive computer faxes, and to scan documents including logos and graphics.

"The Model 9610 is highly recommended for budget-conscious corporate customers as well as the new breed of telecommuters," says Dennis Roney, President, Pitney Bowes Facsimile Division. "When connected to a telephone line and PC, the Model 9610 offers multifunctional capabilities and cost-efficiencies in a small amount of space."

The PrintScan software enhancement package that comes with the Model 9610 upgrades the fax machine into a multifunctional unit that provides what-you-see-is-what-you-get (WYSIWYG) laser printing for any Windows(R)-based application package, including word processors, spreadsheets and graphics. Scanned images are sent to the computer where they can be stored, retrieved and edited as well as imported into documents of other applications.

With selected, user-provided Class 1 software, the 9610 enables users to send and receive computer faxes. This method has many advantages over PC fax cards, including the ability to send scanned graphics. For example, users can scan their company logo, cut and paste into a wordprocessor application, create a document and fax it directly from their PC. The faxed document looks identical to a PC version that was printed and then faxed on a standalone machine.

A key benefit of the Model 9610 is its Energy Star compliance. In 1994, the EPA signed agreements with the major fax manufacturers to promote energy efficiency in an effort to reduce air pollution by carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides. In addition to the 9610, Pitney Bowes, the world's largest independent purchaser of plain-paper fax machines and the leading corporate fax provider, plans to include Energy Star compliance on its future fax introductions.

"Energy Star office equipment could save enough electricity each year to power Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine," says Cyane Dandridge, a program manager at the EPA's Atmospheric Pollution Prevention Division. "When we included fax machines in our Energy Star office equipment program, we set guidelines to help U.S. companies cut electricity bills by $2 billion and reduce carbon dioxide pollution equal to the emissions from 5 million autos."

The Model 9610, and other Energy Star compliant fax machines, enter a low power state to save energy when the machine is resting between transmissions. This "sleep feature" could cut a product's annual electricity use by over 65 percent and when a multifunctional fax unit eliminates the need for a separate laser printer these savings could double.

Phone charges, the major component of faxing costs, also can be reduced using the Model 9610. The 9.6 Kbps modem with its superior Modified Modified Read (MMR) coding and super short protocol provides fast and efficient transmission speeds. The unit also can batch documents going to the same number, which produces additional savings.

"The average annual fax-related telephone bill at Fortune 500 companies is $13.6 million," says Roney. "The 9610 is designed to offer companies the fastest possible 9.6 transmission speeds to combine telephone line savings with electricity savings.

All Pitney Bowes Facsimile Systems are backed by the Pitney Bowes service guarantee and supported by more than 7,000 direct service reps around the world. Pitney Bowes Inc. is a leading worldwide provider of innovative products and services which intelligently manage the movement of messages and packages through relevant networks.

CONTACT: Lobsenz-Stevens Inc

Kathryn Courbe, 212/684-6300 ext. 314