U.S. Businesses Offered First-Ever National, Guaranteed, Cross-Manufacturer Two-Hour Response Time for Phone and Voice Mail Repairs.

NAPERVILLE, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 10, 1999--

Guarantee provided through preferred network of 1,632 local service

providers; equipment from 12 manufacturers covered

United Asset Coverage, Inc., (UAC), the nation's first "managed care" provider of telecom maintenance services, today announced that U.S. businesses will receive the first-ever nationwide, cross-manufacturer, written response time guarantee for on-site repair of PBX and voice mail systems -- in as fast as two hours -- through UAC's new preferred vendor agreement with Minneapolis, Minn.-based Comm-Works. The Comm-Works' on-site response guarantee will be provided to UAC clients through Comm-Works' exclusive, nationwide, cross-manufacturer network of 1,632 local service providers, covering equipment from 12 PBX and voice mail manufacturers.

Described by industry pundits as the "PPO for telecom maintenance," UAC serves its clients by offering a broad choice of service providers, managing the billing process and reducing costs by at least 15 percent. Through the preferred vendor agreement, Comm-Works will offer UAC clients cross-manufacturer, guaranteed, on-site response times across the U.S. Comm-Works is an authorized Lucent business partner specializing in serving large, multi-platform customers with sites across the U.S.

"This guarantee for UAC clients is a perfect melding of Comm-Works and UAC's shared philosophy of delivering unparalleled service," commented Todd Eberhardt, CEO for Comm-Works. "The guarantee is an industry first and will likely shake up the largest service providers into reevaluating their customer service strategies and commitments. Amid U.S. businesses' dependence on phone and voice mail systems, and pending concerns about Y2K, companies now have peace of mind and protection like never before."

For a major alarm in a major metro area, Comm-Works guarantees response within two business-day hours. For a major alarm in an outlying metro area, Comm-Works guarantees response within four business-day hours. For a minor alarm, Comm-Works guarantees on-site response by 5 p.m. of the next business day.

Through the written guarantee offered exclusively to UAC clients, Comm-Works will provide a $200 credit toward a new equipment purchase, move/add/change or cabling work should Comm-Works ever fail to meet its guaranteed response times.

PBX system manufacturers covered by the agreement include: Comdial, Lucent Technologies, Nortel, Panasonic, TIE, Toshiba and Vodavi. Voice mail system manufacturers covered include: Active Voice, AVT, Lucent Technologies, Nortel, Octel, VMX and VoiceGate. Specific legacy systems are excluded from the guarantee.

"This is a very strategically smart move that will strengthen UAC's offerings and its competitive position in the marketplace," stated Warren Williams, vice president with Eastern Management Group -- a leading group of telecom industry consultants based in Bedminster, N. J. "UAC continues to push the envelope and definition of telecom maintenance services."

"In many cases, our clients will receive service from the very same technicians that manufacturers such as Lucent Technologies and others rely upon to perform service," said Patrick Martucci, UAC's CEO, chairman and founder. "This preferred vendor program is a perfect complement to our philosophy of offering U.S. businesses the same -- and now better -- service for lower costs. Our customers can still select from more than 33,000 accredited service providers nationwide. But if they need a guaranteed on-site response time, Comm-Works will deliver."

When UAC's clients use Comm-Works, they'll only need to call one number to receive service -- and the guaranteed response time -- regardless of where their facilities are located.

Established in 1997, UAC offers CFOs, telecom managers and other business leaders the choice, control and cost savings America's largest maintenance providers have yet to provide.

Instead of having multiple contracts with several vendors, and receiving dozens of bills a month, clients have one contract with UAC, receive just one quarterly invoice, and have all of their equipment covered -- regardless of location. The vendors bill UAC directly, saving the clients administrative headaches. UAC saves clients at least 15 percent on maintenance costs.

UAC is headquartered in Naperville, Illinois, and has offices in 41 cities across the nation. UAC's more than 450 clients include: FTD, Dial Corporation, Wang Global, Tenet Healthcare, American Foundation for the Blind, Beltone Electronics, First Bank and Hunt Corporation.

Comm-Works is based in Minneapolis, Minn. A full-service, cross-manufacturer service provider, Comm-Works offers: management of business relocations, voice and data cabling, new equipment sales, service and installation, LAN system support, among other services.

(Editors and reporters are encouraged to visit UAC's Web site at www.unitedasset.com)