Telecommunications and Power Companies Lower Pole Management Costs With InQuest Technologies.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

SOUTHBOROUGH, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 6, 2003

InQuest Technologies, a leading provider of Infrastructure Lifecycle Management (ILM) solutions, today announced that its InQuest Pole Lifecycle Management (PLM) has been successfully deployed in Massachusetts to coordinate pole workflow activities between utility pole owners and pole attachees.

With an extensive utility pole network and a large number of pole owners and pole attachees, Massachusetts communications and utility companies are faced with a joint asset management problem experienced in many states. Coordination of pole related workflow activities between pole owners such as Verizon, Massachusetts Electric, Western Massachusetts Electric, NSTAR, FG&E and pole attachees such as Comcast, NEON and Adelphia have historically been expensive and time consuming. Significant cross company communication is required each time a utility pole is set, upgraded, replaced or repaired. With FCC regulations specifying attachment requirements and Massachusetts Department of Telecom and Energy (DTE) regulations governing the duration that double poles can exist, both owners and attachees are under pressure to efficiently and cost effectively coordinate their pole work.

In 2002, the major pole owners in the state, in conjunction with the Massachusetts DTE, identified the need to implement a collaborative system to automate the flow of information and work notifications between owners and attachees. By electronically streamlining notification processes and eliminating the need for paper emails, faxes and mailings, pole owners and attachees have a common view of their active poles throughout the state. Users require no costly software to install and all pole information can be securely accessed through a standard web browser.

"InQuest PLM enables our client's engineering and construction staff to access a single data repository for real-time reporting and planning decisions," said Michael Colapietro, President, InQuest Technologies. "With up-to-date knowledge about the status of all poles, and who has work responsibility, client personnel can more effectively schedule their activities and eliminate wasted truck rolls thereby reducing their overall operational costs."

Furthermore, InQuest PLM enables owners and attachees to specify business rules for monitoring pole set, attachment transfer and double pole removal milestones; as a milestone occurs, the software automatically sends an alert to a system user. Through managing by exception and only being notified when work actually can be done, system users can save significant labor and equipment resources while providing better customer service.

"Verizon, in conjunction with the other major Massachusetts pole owners, has been successfully using InQuest PLM since Q4 2002." says Henry Gamsby, Director Outside Plant Engineering, Verizon Inc. "With InQuest PLM we have the common repository of information that will improve double pole management and help Verizon meet internal and external performance requirements."

The Value Of InQuest Pole Lifecycle Management (PLM)

InQuest PLM is the industry-leading solution for workflow communication between pole owners and attachees. InQuest PLM offers an extremely powerful, flexible, and easy-to-use platform that leverages the Web to provide a single, integrated view of all poles, from design and engineering, through construction, and during operations. By securely centralizing data and processes throughout the pole lifecycle, InQuest PLM provides a secure, seamless flow of information across owners and attachees in multiple companies and locations.

About InQuest Technologies, Inc.

InQuest Technologies, Inc., a leading provider of Infrastructure Lifecycle Management (ILM) solutions, provides companies with technology and services to lower operating costs and accelerate growth by optimizing the management of their infrastructure, from design and engineering, through construction, and during on-going operations. Leading international organizations such as Staples, Inc., Verizon, National Grid, Hertz, Kaiser Permanente and NBC have chosen InQuest solutions. InQuest Technologies is headquartered in Southborough, Massachusetts.