Posted: 10/2003

TARGUSinfo UNVEILS IDENTIFICATION TOOL FOR UNBILLABLES

TARGUSinfo has enhanced its TelcoExpress subscription-based service to
allow service providers to identify unbillable accounts, or LEC Code 50
Rejects, which are the records bounced back by the RBOCs for accounts they no
longer serve. TelcoExpress users can prescreen transactions through an IP
connection to TARGUSinfo.

The issue is huge and growing everyday with number portability, says Jeff Verderame, vice president of sales for telecom services at TARGUSinfo.

Verderame says his company is the only company in the marketplace that can do
this on a real-time basis. He also says the enhanced service, because it is
based on a least-cost routing platform, can help customers realize a 60 percent
savings.

The service delivers more information than traditional LIDB queries, such as
service and equipment indicators, he adds, For example, it can tell you whether
the endpoint on a particular record is a business or residential phone.

The enhanced service also registers whether a phone number has restrictions
on it such as a long-distance block. If you provide longdistance service or
you want to sell long distance to a particular phone number, that could be
important for someone who is thinking about adding the phone number as a
customer maybe someone to steer clear of, he explains.

TARGUSinfo
8010 Towers Crescent Drive, Fifth Floor
Vienna, VA 22182
+1
703 272 6200
www.targusinfo.com

HICKORYTECH RELEASES SECABS 8.0

HickoryTech Corp. has deployed a revised Carrier Access Billing System
(CABS). The new version of CABS complies with the Small Exchange Carrier Access
Billing System (SECABS) version 8.0 requirements. HickoryTechs Telecom Sector
uses the software to bill interexchange carriers for long-distance calls
terminating on HickoryTechs network facilities.

HickoryTechs CABS software is available for external deployment to telecom
service providers throughout the United States. The solution was designed using
Visual Basic, C++ and client/server technologies, and produces invoices
following SECABS 8.0 industry standards. These standards include the ability to
create monthly invoices in either mechanized or paper format. The electronic
data can be accessed online by the user for further reporting and analysis on
issues such as determining credits for dropped calls and justifying charges
billed in the event of a dispute. Records also can be electronically archived.

Other enhancements to the software include a graphical user interface that
allows users to enter their own data as they add new carriers or new routes and
maintain and update changing rates. The user can view standard reports via the
GUI, for further analysis and trending.

HICKORYTECH CORP.
221 E. Hickory St.
Mankato, MN 56002
+1 800 326 5789
www.hickorytech.com

ELLACOYA TAKES THE WRAPS OFF gENIOS

Ellacoya Networks Inc. has launched gENIOS, an operating system for building
and managing application-aware networks, and has integrated it into the companys
IP Service Control System. gENIOS allows broadband operators distribute IP service control capabilities
system-wide to manage bandwidth and abuse, and to introduce new services.

gENIOS enables IP service control for [peer-to-peer] applications to be
delivered across a carrier network, rather than on a box-by-box basis, says
Ron Sege, president and CEO of Ellacoya Networks.

With gENIOS, broadband operators can distribute Ellacoyas 16000- and
4000-series IP service control switches across the network, in different
locations but manage them as one solution. Subscriber and service profiles, with quality of service, bandwidth and
application policies, are defined and stored in a central database; the service or subscriber profile then is distributed in near real time to
any user or group of users on the network.

The gENIOS environment allows IP service control to scale to Tier 1 carrier
accounts with 1 million or more subscribers, says the company, creating a
systemwide application-aware network.

gENIOS offer four functions: application classification, subscriber
identification, usage measurement and policy enforcement. The hardware
architecture that underlies gENIOS incorporates an API for facilitating
integration with external systems and extending the capabilities of IP Service
Control to other network elements and to provisioning and billing systems.

ELLACOYA NETWORKS INC.
7 Henry Clay Drive
Merrimack, NH 03054
+1 603 577 5544
www.ellacoya.com

GENERAL BANDWIDTH UPDATES G6 GATEWAY WITH SIP-BASED IP CENTREX FEATURES

General Bandwidth has added full SIP and PRI support to its G6 Packet
Telephony Migration Platform. With support for SIP, the G6 platform can be used
with a SIP feature server to provide traditional Centrex and other features on a
hosted basis, using IP telephony.

By deploying the G6 platform with their network, carriers finally can
compete at a fraction of the cost and with a feature set that is equally as rich
as any IP PBX, says Brendon Mills, CEO of General Bandwidth.

The G6 platform and SIP feature servers provide service creation
capabilities, including advanced call screening, single-number service,
click-to-call, dial-from directories, voice and e-mail integration, and legacy
Class 5 services.

Built for large carrier environments, the G6 platform offers five nines
availability and meets or exceeds the most stringent requirements for central
office environments, including NEBS Level 3 certification, and has passed all
ILEC extended NEBS certification tests.

GENERAL BANDWIDTH
12303 Technology Blvd.
Austin, TX 78727
+ 1 512 681 5400
www.genband.com

NEW COMPANY LAUNCHED FOR OUTSOURCED REMITTANCE PROCESSING

Alliance Payment Solutions Inc. now provides remittance- processing services,
commonly referred to as lockbox service.

Alliances services include the physical collection of bill payments,
image-based processing and deposits made to the customers banks. Daily
reports, statement rendering, ACH payment conversion, image archive and online
account access will also be available. The company forecasts it will process volume exceeding 10,000 payments daily
by the end of December.

Alliance targets a range of businesses, including telcos and service
providers, banks, credit unions, government municipalities, insurance companies,
utilities, cable companies, universities and charitable organizations. Payment types include mortgage and insurance payments, loan payments, credit
card bills, utility, telephone and cable bills, tax payments, charitable
donations and publication subscriptions.

ALLIANCE PAYMENT SOLUTIONS INC.
3101 Technology Blvd., Suite B
Lansing, MI 48910
+1 517 336 5833
www.allianceps.com